need help with top end of drive

[bardfromedson]

i have the top end of my 290 drive taken off. have the shift mechanism out. the 4 bolts around the dip stick come out good. i am having trouble removing the 4 long allen head bolts so i can get to my ujoints to change them out. the engine is pulled and i have the top end of the drive in a vice. the bolt heads are stripping. what would be a good way to remove them. a friend suggested i drill out the bolt heads to remove the top and then weld on new bolt heads to remove the rest of the old bolts fully. after that change out with new allen head bolts. is this a good way to go or should i be drilling out everything and maybe have it taken to a machine shop to have it overdrilled and tapped.
my bellows had a small hole in it and the ujoints had a small amount of surface rust. i want to change them out as well as the seals. the yokes look good and don't seem to have any wear just minor surface rust. any other suggestions? any and all help is welcome.

all of the gears that i can see look really good and it doesn't look like any water got past the seal behind the ujoints. is there anything else i should be doing while i have it torn down?

 

[The Dolphin]

Re: need help with top end of drive

Hi you could try some heat on the area where the bolt threads are which would expand the alloy slightly. Good luck

 

[captmello]

Re: need help with top end of drive

Hi you could try some heat on the area where the bolt threads are which would expand the alloy slightly. Good luck

+1, get it nice and hot with a small propane or mapp gas torch. Don't use Oxy/Acetylene as its too hot. If they are too stripped maybe you could cut a slot in them and try a large screwdriver with heat.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[no704]

Re: need help with top end of drive

Some well placed hammer "taps" can go a long way. If they are too striped +1 on the cut flat head slots and use an impact driver that you hit with a hammer.

Good luck.