ok- time to get started on my bellows repair

rasbury

Phase One, complete! Getting the drive off not nearly as bad as I thought- most of the morning taken building the stand for it. I had to kind of build the stand around it as being on a trailer, the boat was not real high to spread out the supports enough to just slide it up- no big deal. I used a furniture dolly that I bought for 19 bucks, I built a frame around it with 2x6 and then 2x4 up rights, worked like a champ. Here are some pictures of the process. I thought, with the drive itself off, I would be able to get to and inspect everything but I see that is not the case and will have to remove the housing as well so will be back to you tube and the manual. I can't really get to the shift bellows with it on very well and I would like to be able to really clean up everything and get a good look at it. I expected to see a bunch of water in the u joint bellows- I do not which concerns me. I really thought that's where the tear and leak is. There was a little milky residue in the bottom and maybe that is what and all I'm going to see. The leak, from the inside looking at the transom ring was leaking out of the ring and not out the bottom of the ring so I'm really hopeful  it is then the shift cable boot that is bad. I took one picture of one of the bolts on the drive ( one of the six ) and instead of having a washer like the rest, there is a plate with a screw into it- should there be a ground wire attached to that? It's the first picture. 

Handymans342

Now thats an old saw. B & D ??? LOL

rasbury

OK- have the proper tool to pull the bearing out but it ain't budging...I have not removed the bellows yet but I don't think that would be an issue? I am torquing down on this to the point I'm afraid I will bust the tool- am I doing something wrong? Hey Al, can use that input on this one @Alswagg

zaverin1

You almost need a id slide hammer then 

rasbury

Harbor freight has one for 25 bucks. It should not matter if the bellows is still on? I see no corrosion in there, I don't see any sort if retaining clip for it...05 motor and read earlier ones did. I'm afraid I will damage the swivel pin or the hinge pins if I put any more pressure on that bell housing...

Cableguy Greg

X2 on the slide hammer.

rasbury

10 4,will pick on up-

reneechris14

Nice stand,no clip on gimbal,it will come out,once it starts to move it gets easier.leave the bellows and pins in till you get it out.this is why I use the 5/8 rod with a nut and washer to pull it out,oh and a big wrench.look at the pic I sent you 5 bucks at a hardware store 

reneechris14

rasbury

the tool I borrowed is really cool...on the left side, slip into the bearing and then it expands to pull it out- I am putting so much pressure on it, I am afraid I will bend something so will try the slide hammer...I have read not to try and heat it up, I'd probably burn the boat to the trailer in the process....I used a furniture dolly for the base and then just built a frame around it for the stand, worked out great.....thanks...living and learning!

reneechris14

No heat 

rasbury

10 4....looks like AutoZone rents a pretty HD slide hammer on their loaner program....

rasbury

@Alswagg - thanks for the encouragement but I have cranked down so hard/on this I'm afraid I will damage the housing and or the pivot points of it- any particular tricks to using the tool? Bang on it? Just keep torqueing it down until I win? If it is that hard to get out, I'm concerned about getting the new one in and seated properly. I see no evidence of corrosion...

zaverin1

Get the slide hammer and soak that sucker with some pb
or wd 
then give it heII

Wildboating

@rasbury
Where did you buy your kit from?  I need to order mine and im seeing cost all over teh board.

rasbury

@Wildboating if you look on the first page there is a link for the kit I purchased as well and the lower shift cable as well.

rasbury

Well @Alswagg , so far it is bearing 1, extractor 0, I broke the tool. So, the threaded rod which I'm sure is hardened grade 8 steel or better actually striped. Can I purchase that part from merc or get a grade 8 bolt and call it a day? So, I wiped out in there see if I had budged it. What I notice is the bearing is cocked. Could it possibly have been that way before? Could the drive aligned with the coupler? I will add, I did not have the spreader part of the tool fully engaged and pulled it through twice while tighting it, can't imagine that would have caused it to pull crooked. So, I guess I will grab a slide hammer in the meanwhile. Do I need to knock the bearing back straight before I try to continue to pull it? I wish I would have looked a little closer before I started, I have to assume I must have done something to **** the bearing?

zaverin1

U want to grab a three jaw puller but yes pulling has to be square 

rasbury

I guess I was using a 3 jaw which expands- I don't see how I would have been able to pull it to a crooked position and really concerned it has been that way? I would have to think being an 05 boat someone would have changed the bellows and perhaps the bearing while they were in there. It looks like the drive has been off looking at the nuts that hold it on....if that was crooked all along, could it even aligned with the motor? I would not think so....I will knock it back down flat and I'm going to auto zone as they appear to have a loaner and hopefully it will fit the puller I have and I can knock that thing out of there. I will get this! I have to be in the water before the 4th.....

Cableguy Greg

The drive was off when they did your coupler.

rasbury

I should have been more specific- when I bought the boat, I could tell from the bolts the drive had been off...also, there is a piece of the skep missing but on the front or trailing edge of it so I assume they must have dropped it in the process!

zaverin1

Or old owners hit something 

rasbury

Yes but they would have to hit it reverse. That would be pretty hard to do!

rasbury

So, no success today on this bearing. And I'm not giving up. I picked up a 3 jaw 3 lb slide hammer and beat the heII out of it- nothing. So, soaking it for a couple of days. Also read online about drilling some hoes into the race which they are saying is aluminum? Anyone chime in on this one?

zaverin1

You can drill into it and try to collapse it when pulling 

rasbury

That's next...ia the race really aluminum? That makes no sense...

rasbury

I guess if it were a steel race into aluminum then that would be a problem so an aluminum race makes some sense..

aero3113

You can try freeze spray to shrink the bearing slightly.

zaverin1

Corrosion is probably the culprit in your case
soak it good and try again
if all fails take it to a shop and have them remove it 
if something happens it's on them

rasbury

if there is any corrosion, it is right on the mating surface as it is clean as a whistle and lots of grease on it as well......I'm just going to keep squirting PB in there and if it does not look like it will budge, drill time. I don't want a shop doing something that I might not like just to get it done. This boat has to last the rest of my life!