ok- time to get started on my bellows repair

trip_n

start the drinking tonight

rasbury

Parts are here! Have been working on my Harley all day from the carb rebuild and ran out of steam....will bring the boat him this week and get started. Have watched several youtubes, seems everyone pulls the bell housing to get to the gimbal and and water hose, Al says he can do it without. I'm concerned I will be a look at everything if I don't see a bad bellows. So, have asked a couple of times with the lube connection, is this something I take apart or is it just a fit when the drive comes on and off? It has been mentioned to be careful , but no instruction offered how how to be careful!

zaverin1

It's a check valve
so when drive is pulled it will
seal.
you can get a puller to remove the bearing
then get a nice big round socket to seat the beating back in place

Trashman

rasbury said:

@trashman that is one item that I have been totally unclear how that comes apart- other than the shift cable I assume that is the only other connection to the drive other than the bellows them selves and the trim cylinders. As I pull the drive back, what am I looking for ? Also, does the zert for the gimbal bearing need to be removed before try to remove the bearing, is it connected to the bearing outer ring in an way or is it just a passage that gets the grease to it?

The drive oil hose is small black hose   Clamped with a zip tie on one end... At least on mine it does.  If you snap the hose barb, the fitting pushes through and is held by an e clip on the inside.  Almost impossible to replace without taking off the water tube elbow. I've attached a pic of what not to break, lol.  

rasbury

I will keep an eye on that for sure-sounds like the two of your are talking about two different styles? If I understand zaverin1, what you describe is a fit when the drive is pulled away and then pushes back together and there is nothing to take apart? And trashman, yours is an actual hose to take apart? I will look at the manual but all the youtubes and everything I have looked at, no mention of it at all...

frenchship

Raz,
go to http://jrmarine.com/videos.htm and look at the video call Gimbal ring video,you should see the drive lube fitting

Trashman

If you are removing the bell housing you need to simply pull the hose off the bell housing. You'll be involved in replacing that fitting if it pulls and snaps.  Btw.  You will need a special star socket to remove pins under trim sending units ... And they will be in there good!  Also, a special socket to remove and install the water tube.  If I can find the tools I ordered I'll post.  You tube has all you need to do the job.  Long Island boaters had some great vids. 
https://youtu.be/2OZr21WjP40

Btw, when you remove the 6 bolts and remove DRIVE, you will only need to flip the little clip to disengage shift cable. 

rasbury

well that is what's puzzling me....I see on the youtubes pulling the trim cylinders and then removing the 6 bolts that hold the out drive...pull back and flip the part for the shift cable but nothing is mentioned on the oil lube disengage.....the picture you sent me (thank you bye the way) shows where the oil tube disconnects and I assume that is up against the transom- everything would have to be off to take that off there, is there somewhere on the out drive itself on the other end of the hose to disconnect? I don't know that I will take the bell housing off, I'm hearing not necessary and if I can get to the bellows and the bearing without taking it off, then I'd think that is the way to go...unless I find I need a better look at things in there....thx!

rasbury

I have been looking at all those vid's - pretty soon we will be able to do brain surgery all by ourselves !

Cableguy Greg

If you have to take off the bell housing, you can use a 1/2" allen key. It will be in there tight!

Trashman

You will not need to mess with the gear lube tube pulling off the drive.  Only if you are removing the bell housing.  It's a little confusing at first but simple. Hinge pin tool is need s to remove bell housing   

CaptianDan

Pulling the drive is straight forward just make sure you have the appropriate trolley jack/stand/blocks/etc to take the weight. Certainly easier with a buddy. I always remove the trim pin first (undo one nut and push pin through.  Remove the nut from the pin on one side and push through, easier if you slightly lift the drive manually to take the weight, then remove nut from the ram pin.  Once pin is removed remove the six nuts and move drive forward an inch.  Then long nose pliers to open the shift cable bracket. Don't worry about the oil nipple, this just slides into the drive and has an auto mechanism to release the oil, etc. Once the shift cable is free from the bracket, you are free to pull the drive.  To install remember to line the splines with the engine coupler by turn the props to align.  Have fun!

rasbury

Thanks, Dan makes it sound so simple!

reneechris14

The speedo tube is 1st rise the drive all the way up 1/4 turn and pull up.this will be the thing you forget to reinstall.

rasbury

thanks my Rinker brother!

rasbury

One more question and I'll hush until I get the most home....disconnect the shift cable, get that. As I recall, exhaust bellows is exposed and I can undo the clamp for that- what about the u-joint bellows- I know it is clamped and glued on the one end, how does that bellows come apart as I remove the drive?

zaverin1

Clamps come off and u pull em 

RustyS

As you remove the drive nothing regarding the bellows needs to be addressed.

Once the drive is off and out of the way you will go to work on removing the bellows. Remove the exhaust 1st, then this will expose the clamps for the u-joint bellows. A long 1/4" drive ratchet with many extensions and a universal will get you up and in position. I believe the gimbal housing end should be at 2 or 3 o'clock position (not for sure if Volvo or Merc spec). Pivot housing end is much more easily accessed.

Good luck, and don't remove the pivot housing if you don't have to! It's not as intimidating as it looks...You can do it!

rasbury

thanks, plan on bringing the boat home this weekend and getting my stand done- not sure if I will get the drive off or not but have to start somewhere! The parts are sitting in my living room and driving me crazy for sure...but it's now raining to beat the band (what ever that means) so not so good boating right now. At least I have the swim platform to stay out of the weather while I'm working on it.

rasbury

All right! Ruff start, have not turned the first wrench yet but fixing to....my buddy around the corner did not have the prop nut tool for the bravo III, had loaned to his kid and never got it back and looking for it. I pulled the anode of the outboard prop and see that it looks like a normal socket would fit so I picked on up. Also, the 2" plus nut on the onboard prop looks accessible  with a  conventional wrench so I'm a bit puzzled with the big deal of this merc wrench for 70 bucks. I also don't understand how you could properly torque the nuts down properly with the "special" hand held tool either? The socket I bought I can certainly do the 2  7/16 out nut, don't see how any tool other than a socket 8" deep you could do that inner prop nut, what am I missing here, is the setting not that critical? I will start taking pictures from start to finish...

skennelly

special wrench says this "Special torque wrench mounting points".  Never done it before just looked up the wrench and saw the wording.

Mercruiser Bravo III Propeller Puller Wrench in stock for fast delivery. Low prices with fair shipping costs. Our Bravo III propeller nut wrench features include:

• Specifically designed to fit the Mercuriser Bravo III Drive.
• Double ended wrench to fit 1 7/16" small nut and 2 3/4" large nut.
• Special torque wrench mounting points.
• Steel Construction and powder coated finish.
• One mean looking tool.

laureniac1

I have the Bravo three prop wrench deep socket. Yes it expensive but all you need is a torque wrench (harbor freight) and you can torque it to 100 without stripping the nut. It is well worth the $70 believe me. I take my props off every year with ease to grease

rasbury

Hmmm....well I figure I can get them off ok with what I have, I ave the torque wrench, I can't torque that inner one with what I have....maybe my buddy will find his before I put it back together. If you torque with an offset then I think it is not the same...

aero3113

If you do use an offset there is a way to convert it, see the below link.

http://www.cncexpo.com/TorqueAdapter.aspx

rasbury

thanks aero....I knew that info was out there somewhere as it seems I've used it before. Will proceed on! Have not cracked the first nut yet but tonight should be the very slow careful start of the process....will take a lot of pictures and document this for future brave souls...

rasbury

It has begun....props are off....

rasbury

I guess I will have to buy the stupid tool to put it back together...i assume he torque is critical to the bearing loads etc....

rasbury

There were no spacers behind the props however....as shown on various you tubes...

Liberty44140

They stick inside the prop. Look inside the prop, bet they are in there 

rasbury

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