sterndrive shaft stuck in engine

[charles1961]

Hi There, This is a first time for me.

I recently took off my sterndrive : alpha 1 gen1 . I had to take it off the more difficult way according to the manual. Driving the nut off the gear in the upper case to get the sterndrive off. It came off and of course the U-joint yolk and shaft are stuck and do not want to pull out . don't want to pry on the wrong area . book refers to wedging or prying in between the spline and ? and driving it off. Any suggestions or help. Looks a bit rusty in there and it also took on some salt water because of bad bellow.

 

[NHGuy]

Re: do it yourselfer

Re: do it yourselfer

oo, that stinks.
Well get some penetrating stuff in there if you can obviously. Then check, how is the transom and how is the gimbal ring. If they are solid you can wedge and pull against them. But I'd be more inclined to rig a slide hammer so you don't have to put a lot of force on one spot while wedging.
When working, I'd heat up where the drive yolk assembly contacts the gimbal bearing, there's a good chance that's where the shaft is sticking.

 

[Bondo]

Re: do it yourselfer

Re: do it yourselfer

Hi There, This is a first time for me.

I recently took off my sterndrive : alpha 1 gen1 . I had to take it off the more difficult way according to the manual. Driving the nut off the gear in the upper case to get the sterndrive off. It came off and of course the U-joint yolk and shaft are stuck and do not want to pull out . don't want to pry on the wrong area . book refers to wedging or prying in between the spline and ? and driving it off. Any suggestions or help. Looks a bit rusty in there and it also took on some salt water because of bad bellow.

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,.... What manual gave ya that idea,..??

My guess is, yer gonna need to pull the motor, 'n Beat the shaft out that way...

 

[charles1961]

Re: do it yourselfer

Re: do it yourselfer

oo, that stinks.
Well get some penetrating stuff in there if you can obviously. Then check, how is the transom and how is the gimbal ring. If they are solid you can wedge and pull against them. But I'd be more inclined to rig a slide hammer so you don't have to put a lot of force on one spot while wedging.
When working, I'd heat up where the drive yolk assembly contacts the gimbal bearing, there's a good chance that's where the shaft is sticking.

I want to thank all the comments that were made.I was actually really going to try the slide hammer idea before trying something like pulling the motor and knocking it off that way.I am actually starting to manufacture one at my work. I have the materials to make one for this application. I have made them in the past . I am not even sure that I have to take it off if it really matters that it is free to move or not. If it doesn't really matter If its free or not , then I wouldn't bother.

 

[Bondo]

Re: do it yourselfer

Re: do it yourselfer

I want to thank all the comments that were made.I was actually really going to try the slide hammer idea before trying something like pulling the motor and knocking it off that way.I am actually starting to manufacture one at my work. I have the materials to make one for this application. I have made them in the past . I am not even sure that I have to take it off if it really matters that it is free to move or not. If it doesn't really matter If its free or not , then I wouldn't bother.

Ayuh,... Yes, it should move very freely....

You also can't reassemble it the way it is....

What manual do you have,..??

 

[Don S]

Re: do it yourselfer

Re: do it yourselfer

You might want to post some pictures of where you are at, as they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words".

 

[achris]

Re: do it yourselfer

Re: do it yourselfer

... I am not even sure that I have to take it off if it really matters that it is free to move or not. If it doesn't really matter If its free or not , then I wouldn't bother.

..What manual do you have,..??

Probably a seloc, or worse :facepalm:... I've never seen that written in a Merc manual.

OP (Charles1961), what's the serial number of your drive? I'll post a link to a proper manual for you... then you can use that seloc (or clymer) for what it's really worth, toilet paper.

Chris.....

 

[charles1961]

Re: do it yourselfer

Re: do it yourselfer

Probably a seloc, or worse :facepalm:... I've never seen that written in a Merc manual.

OP (Charles1961), what's the serial number of your drive? I'll post a link to a proper manual for you... then you can use that seloc (or clymer) for what it's really worth, toilet paper.

Chris.....

I believe the number i was reading is oc824056 and another number was 0c802537. alpha 1 gen 1 , Gear ratio 198R. Yes my book is a seloc. Didn't know they a bad book. Thanks again.

 

[achris]

Re: do it yourselfer

Re: do it yourselfer

0C824056 = Alpha One stern drive unit, 1989, 1.98:1

Don used a food analogy a little while back for the various manuals.

OEM (Genuine) = Steak dinner
seloc = take-away hamburger
clymer = bag of stale crushed up potato crisps

Here's a steak dinner for you... -> https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B1TAvwZ3TjhfOVRUNEk0anBUR3lQYTkwcUh5RElUQQ

Enjoy..

Chris......

 

[charles1961]

sterndrive shaft stuck in engine

Hi, I have a alpha 1 gen 1 sterndrive , 1989 1.98 to 1. and the shaft is stuck in the engine. someone mentioned some heat by the gimbal bearing. is there anything else around the area to be concerned about beside the obvious. are there any other options before pulling the motor out ?

 

[04fxdwgi]

Re: sterndrive shaft stuck in engine

Hi, I have a alpha 1 gen 1 sterndrive , 1989 1.98 to 1. and the shaft is stuck in the engine. someone mentioned some heat by the gimbal bearing. is there anything else around the area to be concerned about beside the obvious. are there any other options before pulling the motor out ?

Gotta get it out 1st, since I can't see how the engine can come out while the shaft is in there. Drive needs to come off first.

Years ago, I had an Alpha 1 that was stuck when I bought it. I removed the lower leg from the upper, removed the trim pistons, wedged a 2x4 between the gimbal and upper (below the bellows shaft area), "Ensured it was in forward" then raised the upper a tad by hand and then slammed it down on the 2x4 a couple of times and it popped free. There was rust between the shaft and gimbal bearing and corrosion on the shaft splines holding everything together. It was a victim of a partial sinking and never having maintenance done properly.

Fortunately, all worked out OK and I didn't break anything by forcing it off. Cleaned everything up (plus replaced gimbal bearing and coupler) and she served me well for many years afterwards.

 

[achris]

Re: sterndrive shaft stuck in engine

04fxdwgi, he's pulled the cap off the top of the drive-shaft housing, undone the nut holding the bearing pack and drive gear in and pull the drive-shaft housing off, leaving the yoke and unis in the bellows/gimbal bearing. Refer this thread -> http://forums.iboats.com/mercruiser-i-o-inboard-engines-outdrives/do-yourselfer-586929.html

Charles, having done that ^, you are left with 2 options. 1. you put the drive-shaft housing back together and remove the yoke/unis ect the way it should have been done, like 04fxdwgi suggested, or 2. fabricate a pulling plate on the end of the yoke, fit a BIG slide hammer and start hammering away....

You can't remove the engine without getting the yoke out of the back of the engine first (without risking destroying the coupler)...

Chris.........

 

[Don S]

Re: sterndrive shaft stuck in engine

Let's assume for a moment that the shaft is not stuck in the coupler, but it's stuck in the gimbal bearing and the gimbal bearing is stuck in the gimbal housing,
You should be able to remove the engine motor mounts, then slide the engine forward about 3" to get the shaft out of the coupler. Then lift the engine up and out of the way. Then using a big brass drift and big hammer drive the ujoint shaft out of the gimbal bearing. Or more likely the ujoint shaft and gimbal bearing rusted together out of the housing.

 

[04fxdwgi]

Re: sterndrive shaft stuck in engine

04fxdwgi, he's pulled the cap off the top of the drive-shaft housing, undone the nut holding the bearing pack and drive gear in and pull the drive-shaft housing off, leaving the yoke and unis in the bellows/gimbal bearing. Refer this thread -> http://forums.iboats.com/mercruiser-i-o-inboard-engines-outdrives/do-yourselfer-586929.html

Charles, having done that ^, you are left with 2 options. 1. you put the drive-shaft housing back together and remove the yoke/unis ect the way it should have been done, like 04fxdwgi suggested, or 2. fabricate a pulling plate on the end of the yoke, fit a BIG slide hammer and start hammering away....

You can't remove the engine without getting the yoke out of the back of the engine first (without risking destroying the coupler)...

Chris.........

Hmmm. A different post that says a whole lot more than this one. That changes everything a tad....

 

[Bondo]

Re: do it yourselfer

Re: do it yourselfer

Ayuh,... Charles, you have 2 threads, about the exact same problem,...

Keep posting in the Same thread, 'n everybody has yer Info...

Start a new 1 each time, 'n Nobody knows what yer talkin' 'bout...

 

[charles1961]

Re: do it yourselfer

Re: do it yourselfer

I am sorry if I am getting to far ahead of things.I originally was changing bellows and notice the sterndrive not coming off .being not so familar with boat drives and all the stuff . I had got this seloc manual . bad choice . wrong directions. found this forum , wise choice.[the real question I want to know at this point is do I even have to take the yolk assembly/ drive shaft off being that it is froze.WILL IT AFFECT THE DRIVE OR MOTOR Being Froze.the u-joints seem fine. I just thought it would have to come off because it is stuck in there. I was just going to change the bellows , check u-joints and a new shift cable . I was not taking out the motor . some of the post seem to lead to the pulling out the motor after I got the shaft out. I would do whatever I needed to do. but was not planning to do anything but bellows and shift cable kit.

 

[charles1961]

Re: do it yourselfer

Re: do it yourselfer

sorry about that

 

[Don S]

Re: do it yourselfer

Re: do it yourselfer

You CAN NOT put it back together the way you took it apart. The reason it's stuck at all is due to lack of maintenance. I would bet the bellows was full of water wasn't it? Then you need a new gimbal bearing and ujoints.
You've got it all messed up as it is, time to start doing it right before you find yourself needing a new drive.

 

[charles1961]

Re: do it yourselfer

Re: do it yourselfer

thanks alot for all your input so far.I am trying to get and understand enough information . This is the first boat I have ever owned and I just bought it this year and I realize now It has alot of issues. I have been doing Maintenace and machine mechanics ,rebuilding and manufacturing and welding of parts.So I am mechanically inclined. This is a different ball of wax. I was not aware there were crappy and good manuals. I am usually concerned with whether it covers that particular Model and serial number.Anyway I will work on the mistake I have made and keep all of you posted. and if I manufacture something to remedie my situation that might be helpful for others I will post it.

 

[achris]

Re: do it yourselfer

Re: do it yourselfer

What's your engine serial number and I'll post a link to a 'steak dinner' style manual for that too...

Chris......