How To LIFT Outdrive

[johnkom]

I'm getting older and the old back is rebelling. Is there an easy way to lift the outdrive when removing it? Installing is especially difficult for me. An engine lift would help but where do you attach to the outdrive. Making things worse I'm doing this on a gravel driveway. Engine hoists don't roll so easy on gravel.

I recently removed my Mercruiser 233 engine to replace the coupler. Removing the engine was easier for me then removing the outdrive. Used a block and tackle for the engine but man handled the outdrive. Ouch.

Ideas??

JK

 

[Maclin]

You may need to befriend/hire a gorilla to help you.

Or look for a nice flat spot to remove the drive over, then move the boat back to the gravel road.

There are specific units with hydraulics and arms much like a fork lift, those are pretty spiffy especially when re-installing a drive. They do not roll well on gravel as you mentioned, you would have to be able to move the boat away from it then back to it when re-installing. If you do find a nicely paved spot you can "borrow" for a bit, there are a lot better options for you.

Older drives have the hook on the top. Later drives have a slot thingy, not sure I have ever seen a reference to using it. But with your gravel driveway interfering, you still need to move the boat away as the drive is unbolted and supported.

 

[tpenfield]

I used to take an extra vitamin pill each day about 1 week before I'd take the outdrives off my boat. Now I built a couple of outdrive stands so I only have to lift them slightly.

 

[alldodge]

A full sheet of plywood or pieces long enough to set the wheels on. Use the engine hoist and install a real stiff piece of rod made into an outward hook. Hook on and move into position. Note the one on the right has a slot as Maclin mentioned

 

[nola mike]

I minimize the lifting by adjusting the tongue of the trailer up and down, so that the outdrive is resting on the ground at the right level

 

[JoLin]

II built my own jack, but almost went for one of these. Good price...

https://www.stumpysfabworks.com/boat-outdrive-jack.html

My .02

 

[KJM]

I use a hydrolic jack under the bottom of the outdrive skeg, maybe put a block of wood on the jack if it won't reach high enough. I also have a wheeled stand made i can hang it from to move around in my garage(wouldn't work on gravel though). Use the jack to hold it at the right height while you line everything up when installing.

 

[highfigh]

Could you or someone else weld a frame onto a heavy rod that fits into a floor jack? That's what dealers often use- it wouldn't need to be adjustable if you only do this occasionally, but it should have a way to clamp onto the cavitation plate.

If you don't want to do this, I would recommend removing the lower gear case before the upper. Makes it a lot lighter.

You'll need to drain the gear oil before separating the gear cases

The link shows the type of jack we had, but you can make it to work for you- it will need to have a wide footprint, to prevent toppling.

 

[JASinIL2006]

I'd be looking into one of those lifts JoLin linked to. You could either replace the casters with some larger wheels, or just lay down over the gravel a couple strips of 1/2" plywood wide enough for the dolly to get you to a smooth surface. If you don't have too far to travel to get to a concrete surface, you could have two 4' long section and just keep swapping them around as you roll along.

Personally, I like the idea of installing some 6" pneumatic tires on that thing, though.

 

[Bondo]

I minimize the lifting by adjusting the tongue of the trailer up and down, so that the outdrive is resting on the ground at the right level

Ayuh,..... I'm still doin' it this way,..... Easy Peasy,....
Crank the wagon jack up, or down, pull the nuts, 'n rock the drive back, it's Off,.....

Wanta build me a drive-jack,......
Been gatherin' the bits, 'n pieces to weld it up,.....
Got big air tire casters, though am thinkin' straight wheels on the front, 'n casters on the back might be more "Controllable" on rougher terrain,....
Got a nice straight 3, 1/2 ton trolley jack for the base of the build, but been thinkin' on that too,.....
A 1.5 ton trolley jack is lighter, easier to move 'round,.....
Yet still stout enough to support the build,......

Something like these,...
Or These, from iboats megamall,.....

 

[wahlejim]

Bondo , if you go with big air tire casters, I highly recommend the solid tube. We go through a lot of these at work and they never hold air for very long, even on 60lb equipment we push around. The solid tube doesn't ride quite as nice, but gets the job done with much less maintenance. Nothing worse than having to constantly inflate tires before EVERY use, or even worse, getting the outdrive off and you have a flat tire in gravel away from compressed air.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... I hear ya, went to an air-less tire on our work wheelbarrow a few years ago,......

No flat tire problems since,..... just wheel bearin's now, 'n then,.....

Did some more googlin' the other night,....
Saw a 2 wheels in front, only 1 caster aft,.....

Looked to be pretty handy,.....
Light, portable, toss it in the back of the truck, Handy,......

 

[DarrinT]

Or you can go the other way with stupid cheapo version I use

Rope , small pulley , step ladder and kiddies wagon

Step ladder against transom straddling outdrive

Rope and pulley tied and adjusted to swing outdrive away from transom

Then lift with pulley and drop onto wagon

Zoom

 

[achris]

About $80 worth of steel and parts and you get one of these....

 

[poconojoe]

About $80 worth of steel and parts and you get one of these....

Nice contraption Chris! You never cease to amaze me :joyous:

 

[johnkom]

Here's what I ended up doing. I have a John Deere Gator 6X4 with a front bumper electric winch. I took two 12 foot 2X4s sandwiched together and laid them front to back with the back end stuck into the bed and the front end laying on the bed end plate. Imagine a wooden crane derrick sticking up and out the front of the Gator. I put a pulley on the end and routed the winch cable up through it. It stuck out about three feet in front on the Gator and was roughly 6 feet in the air. It made a perfect little crane to lift, then move the outdrive into the garage onto its cradle.

Now I'm trying to think of other uses for the Gator Crane.

JK

 

[achris]

Here's what I ended up doing. I have a John Deere Gator 6X4 with a front bumper electric winch. I took two 12 foot 2X4s sandwiched together and laid them front to back with the back end stuck into the bed and the front end laying on the bed end plate. Imagine a wooden crane derrick sticking up and out the front of the Gator. I put a pulley on the end and routed the winch cable up through it. It stuck out about three feet in front on the Gator and was roughly 6 feet in the air. It made a perfect little crane to lift, then move the outdrive into the garage onto its cradle.

Now I'm trying to think of other uses for the Gator Crane.

JK

Nice, but I'd call that 'overkill'....
At least it does the job.

 

[johnkom]

Ha! My back doesn't think so.

Plus all it cost me was two 12 foot 2X4s and a pulley. It's easy to remove. I only secured it with ratchet straps.

JK

 

[achris]

Ha! My back doesn't think so.

Plus all it cost me was two 12 foot 2X4s and a pulley. It's easy to remove. I only secured it with ratchet straps.

JK

:thumb:

 

[poconojoe]

Love it! Gator Crane!