dive shaft not fitting back in

[moesislack]

I just finished putting a new transom seal and gimbal assembly for the drive shaft yoke. Transom went back on no problem. When I pulled the motor out, the left side motor mount was cracked. I made an brace for the cracked area and adjusted the motor mounts. When I was ready to put the stern on, the I could not get the drive shaft yoke into the motor. It usually goes right in, but not this time. The shaft should just fall back in to the motor, as long as the splines line up right? I am going to go back and remeasure the adjustments for the motor mount, it almost has to be that I would think. Unless the broken motor mount twisted the motor or the transom assembly. IF the transom assembly was twisted, wouldn't the transom not go back on the same way?
thanks for the help 89 omc cobra 5.0 i/o

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: dive shaft not fitting back in

If the alignement is even a fraction of an inch off it's no go. You need an alignment tool and adjust the motor mounts.

 

[moesislack]

Re: dive shaft not fitting back in

Is there a chance that the gimbal bearing is out of wack too? or will the alignment tool take care of that?

 

[sethjon]

Re: dive shaft not fitting back in

Is there a chance that the gimbal bearing is out of wack too? or will the alignment tool take care of that?

The alignment will take of it and it will slide in like butter.

 

[donberry]

Re: dive shaft not fitting back in

as mentioned, you have to use the alignment tool. The drive should slip in like butter.
I had to rebuild both of my motor mounts. I bought the alignment tool off ebay for like $25.00. I was lucky and did not have to make any adjustments, but if the drive does not just slip in easy, I would keep messing with the alignment until it did. Hassle now but sure better then getting a few months out of it and then having to replace u-joints etc