U Joints

[Dubed]

Good Morning.

I want to replace the U joints in my Alpha one Gen one MR (1986 3.7)
OEM are like $100.00 a piece and Im sure Mercruiser doesnt make them.
Sierra is about 1/2 of that. Does Moog or anyone make these? If so, does anybody have part # or Vendor info.
I dont mind paying for OEM if they are superior, but dont want to throw money away for nothing.

What is everyones recomendation..
Thank You!

 

[Lou C]

Not sure who made the originals…
Spicer?
Rockwell?
Anyone know?
I still have the originals in my 35 year old OMC Cobra just greased every year.

 

[Dubed]

Not sure who made the originals…
Spicer?
Rockwell?
Anyone know?
I still have the originals in my 35 year old OMC Cobra just greased every year.

I replaced them with Sierra about 2 years ago. Unfortunately had a brain fart last season and started the boat with the outdrive in trailer position only for a few seconds, but maybe thats all it took. (Im getting old I guess) Fried my impeller and have a vibration since espaecially at idle in gear or in reverse. Everythings great 1000 rpm and up.

Thinking the ujoints went south even though they still look good and I cant detect any play in them

 

[alldodge]

Original comes out to 75832T1 item 13
https://www.mercruiserparts.com/bam/subassembly/30870/2203/70

When searching it comes up a Sierra 18-2174
Searching iboats it shows 2 different ones but would suggest stick with the 2174
https://www.iboats.com/shop/catalogsearch/result/?q=75832T1

 

[Scott06]

Good Morning.

I want to replace the U joints in my Alpha one Gen one MR (1986 3.7)
OEM are like $100.00 a piece and Im sure Mercruiser doesnt make them.
Sierra is about 1/2 of that. Does Moog or anyone make these? If so, does anybody have part # or Vendor info.
I dont mind paying for OEM if they are superior, but dont want to throw money away for nothing.

What is everyones recomendation..
Thank You!

moog 315G or equivalent works for a gen one..

 

[Dubed]

Thanks guys

 

[Scott06]

I replaced them with Sierra about 2 years ago. Unfortunately had a brain fart last season and started the boat with the outdrive in trailer position only for a few seconds, but maybe thats all it took. (Im getting old I guess) Fried my impeller and have a vibration since espaecially at idle in gear or in reverse. Everythings great 1000 rpm and up.

Thinking the ujoints went south even though they still look good and I cant detect any play in them

I don't think the trailer position caused this issue. For years my family has had a lake house in a large shallow cove so every time we take the boat out there is about 8-10 min of outdrive almost all the way up and idling in and out of the cove. keep the rpms below 1000 and it is fine. doing this my u joints on the old boat only lasted 23 years... new boat is a 2004 and still on the originals...

Biggest destroyer of u joints is water. is the gimbal bearing ok? The moog 315s I think I bought at Summit Racing for like $11 each...

I would verify the prop is not the vibration source. I had a vibration despite the prop looking perfect, must have hit something. sent prop out for repair and balancing vibration is gone.

 

[Dubed]

I don't think the trailer position caused this issue. For years my family has had a lake house in a large shallow cove so every time we take the boat out there is about 8-10 min of outdrive almost all the way up and idling in and out of the cove. keep the rpms below 1000 and it is fine. doing this my u joints on the old boat only lasted 23 years... new boat is a 2004 and still on the originals...

Biggest destroyer of u joints is water. is the gimbal bearing ok? The moog 315s I think I bought at Summit Racing for like $11 each...

I would verify the prop is not the vibration source. I had a vibration despite the prop looking perfect, must have hit something. sent prop out for repair and balancing vibration is gone.

No water in bellows. Bellows is new last September. Bearings are still new looking, everything is nicely greased and now water.
Gimbal bearing is new last September and ultra smooth, alignment shaft slides in and out with two fingers. I did however rebuild the upper drive last September and removed / re-used ujoint bearings with a new yoke and shaft (perhaps I damaged them?)
I have owned the boat since 2008 and still the same prop, she is dinged up and getting old, but havent hit anything. Perhaps a new one is in order.

 

[Dubed]

I don't think the trailer position caused this issue. For years my family has had a lake house in a large shallow cove so every time we take the boat out there is about 8-10 min of outdrive almost all the way up and idling in and out of the cove. keep the rpms below 1000 and it is fine. doing this my u joints on the old boat only lasted 23 years... new boat is a 2004 and still on the originals...

Biggest destroyer of u joints is water. is the gimbal bearing ok? The moog 315s I think I bought at Summit Racing for like $11 each...

I would verify the prop is not the vibration source. I had a vibration despite the prop looking perfect, must have hit something. sent prop out for repair and balancing vibration is gone.

> So the Moog 315s is a good quality u joint and I can be confident installing them?
> picture of my prop #. From what I can gather, it would be a 14.5"d x 19"p.
Is there a decent prop that would be a match? Props are very confusing and I see a lot of post stating the same prop, different brand, different performance. The boat perform fine with the size prop I have, a direct replacement would be great

 

[alldodge]

If all props of same pitch had the same performance then there would be no need for others. If you want what you have and a bit better, and at cheaper cost gets yours repaired.

 

[Scott06]

> So the Moog 315s is a good quality u joint and I can be confident installing them?
> picture of my prop #. From what I can gather, it would be a 14.5"d x 19"p.
Is there a decent prop that would be a match? Props are very confusing and I see a lot of post stating the same prop, different brand, different performance. The boat perform fine with the size prop I have, a direct replacement would be great

The moogs worked fine for me. Had the boat 3-4 years after I put them in before I sold it.

As far as the prop a Mercury Black Max or Michigan Match would be similar to what you have there

 

[Dubed]

The moogs worked fine for me. Had the boat 3-4 years after I put them in before I sold it.

As far as the prop a Mercury Black Max or Michigan Match would be similar to what you have there

Thank you so much for your help!
I just ordered a direct replacement / Michigan Match. I'll throw it on along with new moogs. I believe its prop related, but $24 for the moogs wont kill me