Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

[Liquid_force]

(I'm extremely frustrated so don't hold it against me.)<br /> WHY does it take me and a GOOD helper HOURS to get the sterndrive to slide back onto the boat?? WHY WHY WHY!!!!<br /><br />Last year we removed the drive for storage and it took us 3+ hrs to get it back on. <br />This year I took it off to replace the u-joints, and HOPED that we had learned something from our last re-installation of the drive.<br />CLEARLY we learned nothing.<br /><br />We've wiggled, shook, pushed, rotated, shoved, lifted, lowered, (oh, cussed - A LOT) and simply CANNOT get this thing to bolt back on.<br /><br />I'm literally at my wit's end.<br />Is there an easy way to do this?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

Have you Checked the Alignment ??????

 

[Don S]

Re: Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

A couple of possibilities, is you engine in alignment. If not it can be very hard to push the drive back on. You would need an alignment bar to check the alignment.<br />Another possibility I've seen on a few Cobra's is the ujoint bellows is swelled up and you can't push the ujoint center section through. Replace the bellows and you should be fine.

 

[Liquid_force]

Re: Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

We pulled the drive to replace u-joints. We didn't touch the engine, and didn't touch the gimbal. As frustrated as we are I simply can't imagine engine alignment has anything to do with it. (Last year - after hours of wiggling it finally went in with very little force)<br /><br />It seems to be the center of the u-joint hanging up on the u-j bellow more than anything. It seems like every time it looks like we're making progress and give it a good shove the center section goes cockeyed and we have to back it out.<br /><br />I'm going to try soaking the splines/bellow/o-rings/gimbal bearing/center section in light weight motor oil and see if we can make any progress.

 

[Don S]

Re: Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

You didn't read what I said did you. You need to replace the bellows because it's swelled up. Usually from oil and grease, so putting some oil on it is going to make it worse.<br />The alignment could be off because of a bad mount, or a mount the came loose, if you don't check them periodically, and something goes wrong, then you will end up loosing the coupler and have to pull the engine to replace it.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

what Dons says.<br /> replace the bellows and use dishwashing liquid on the ujoint cross as a lube. some oils will attack the rubber. but verifying drive shaft alignment is a good thing.

 

[Liquid_force]

Re: Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

Finally...<br />It just took another hour of wiggling, pushing and cussing and it finally slid right in, smooth as could be once the u-joint center section cleared the bellow.<br /><br />We have decided next time that drive needs to come off for maint/repair, we're puting a new u-joint bellow on it.

 

[qystan]

Re: Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

Don't know about OMC drives. <br /><br />On my Merc Alpha 1, I have to turn the input spline shaft to line up with the coupler splines while pushing the drive in by turning the prop (engaged). If the splines do not line up, I get the same cocking at the u-joints. <br /><br />Till next time......

 

[Don S]

Re: Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

Qystan, ya really got to try an OMC with a swelled up bellows sometime, it's not something that happens to Mercruisers. Can make road rage look kind of minor when you can't get the drive to go in enough to even get to the splines.

 

[TwoBallScrewBall]

Re: Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

I second what Don says. I verifeid my alignment was perfect, had equal marks on the alignment tool in the grease all the way around, but getitng the U-joint to pop through the bellows was the tough part. I did get it myself in about 20 minutes, used the trick of inserting a large screwdriver in the u-joint and using that to keep the joint straight as well as wiggle it around until it finally slid through. <br /><br />Glad you got it done. <br /><br />By the way, even if you never touch the engine or gimble you can still be out of alignment. It is a very very sensitive adjsutment, and even the slight compression of the fiberglass under the front mount can tweak it enough to make it a handful.

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

Back in 1986 or 1987,at an OMC seminar,they apoligized to us for making the tolerance so close between the u-joints and the bellows.<br /><br />What amazes me is how well the drive suddenly goes on when angle,height,splines,etc. are correct.<br /><br />DHP

 

[Bondo]

Re: Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

1 More Reason I'd Rather have a Black Drive...........

 

[whywhyzed]

Re: Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

I had a swelled one too... drove me nuts (and that's not far to drive) had this stuff- Caterpillar hydraulic oil additive part # 1U9891, I poured it on the Ujoint, slipped a big screwdriver through, twisted back and forth while pushing... that slippery stuff made all the difference

 

[jlshields]

Re: Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

Don S, Being a Merc man, I'm not familiar with the Cobras, but if you reinstall the drive with swelled bellows wouldn't the u joint rub the bellows and you'd soon have a hole in it?

 

[Don S]

Re: Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

It's only the center section of the ujoint assembly that has problems getting through the first part of the bellows where it hooks to the bellhousing. After that everything clears ok.

 

[Liquid_force]

Re: Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

Originally posted by Bondo:<br /> 1 More Reason I'd Rather have a Black Drive...........

<br /><br />Mine is

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

A "Black drive" is a Mercruiser. Mr Bondo is showing his disdain for OMC.

 

[lakelivin]

Re: Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

Not to start a spirited discussions (to which I'd have nothing to add anyway, since I'm pretty ig'nant when it comes to boats), but aren't there SOME benefits to working on an OMC vs. a Merc?<br /><br />I thought I've heard that it's much easier to replace a transom shift cable, bellows, and impeller on an OMC vs. a Merc. Don't know how it all comes out in total, though...

 

[Lou C]

Re: Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

The bottom line is if you are not doing it yourself, can you get a good mech that knows the power package.<br />Having said that, my only experience is doing a Cobra impeller,and that took all of 1/2 hr. In fact if you really had to and were careful, you could tilt the drive all the way up and do it with the boat at the dock! I have heard that the bellows is easier too, but I leave that to the shop. Same with the shift cable. I am going to propose a deal with my mechanic...when he retires, I will pay him to teach me how he does it...hope he will go for it!!!!!<br /><br />BTW, I have heard the the replacement bellows are a fraction bigger, to make this easier...<br />As long as I can get parts I'll keep running the OMC...it has been good to me so far.

 

[Capt.Skid]

Re: Trying to slide the drive back on (going insane!)

Next time you pull your od, check your engine coupler!!!!! These things wear and lineing up an od can be a nitemare!!!!! And by early detection of a worn coupler, it can save you a tow job.<br />Capt.Skid