1987 232amftc proper coupler maintenance

[icyveins]

i am curious as far as keeping the "coupler" it self greased is there any good info anyone has stored on how and where to grease
I have checked and greased the gimbal bearing and it seems good (tight when tried to move by hand and no extra noise when driving) I plan to check alignment before I reinstall drive. I can see the coupler with the drive off, is there anything I should be checking for wear and tear on the coupler itself, keep in mind I am limited to what I can see through the gimbal.

I have read the manual which doesnt give very good info on maintaining the coupler it just has the info to replace

thanks in advance

 

[Lou C]

Re: 1987 232amftc proper coupler maintenance

Checking the engine alignment with the proper tool and greasing the driveshaft splines once a season with OMC triple guard grease are what it needs. If this has been done regularly the coupler will last a very long time. You can see inside if the internal splines are getting rounded off and are not squared off then its wearing to the point where it will need replacement. Look inside the gimble housing with a bright LED flashlight.

 

[Bondo]

Re: 1987 232amftc proper coupler maintenance

i am curious as far as keeping the "coupler" it self greased is there any good info anyone has stored on how and where to grease
I have checked and greased the gimbal bearing and it seems good (tight when tried to move by hand and no extra noise when driving) I plan to check alignment before I reinstall drive. I can see the coupler with the drive off, is there anything I should be checking for wear and tear on the coupler itself, keep in mind I am limited to what I can see through the gimbal.

I have read the manual which doesnt give very good info on maintaining the coupler it just has the info to replace

thanks in advance

Ayuh,.... When ya check the alignment, ya Slather the tool with grease to read it's marks,....

When ya reinstall the drive, ya Slather the splines with grease before ya stab it back in,...

That'll keep the coupler, 'n splines, Well Greased, Especially if ya actually do Annual maintenance on it,...

 

[Bondo]

Re: 1987 232amftc proper coupler maintenance

View attachment 220540Checking the engine alignment with the proper tool and greasing the driveshaft splines once a season with OMC triple guard grease are what it needs. If this has been done regularly the coupler will last a very long time. You can see inside if the internal splines are getting rounded off and are not squared off then its wearing to the point where it will need replacement. Look inside the gimble housing with a bright LED flashlight.

Ayuh,... Great point, that I forgot,...

The splines on either the coupler, or the input shaft will actually get very Pointy, Sharp pointy lookin',...
It's the sides on the splines that wear, sharpenin' the peaks to points, insteada flat tops,...

 

[icyveins]

Re: 1987 232amftc proper coupler maintenance

Thanks for the help
so check the shaft for good square edges on the splines as if it was freshly machined.
if they are pointy or rounded that means there is a problem?

 

[Bondo]

Re: 1987 232amftc proper coupler maintenance

Thanks for the help
so check the shaft for good square edges on the splines as if it was freshly machined.
if they are pointy or rounded that means there is a problem?

Ayuh,.... If there is no longer a machined flat top on the spline,...

It's worn out,.... Replace it,....

 

[Lou C]

Re: 1987 232amftc proper coupler maintenance



What you are greasing, are the splines on the driveshaft hanging down in this pic, with the grease right here (OMC Triple Guard Grease) best water proof grease I have ever used. If you grease the gimble, u-joints and driveshaft splines, and check the alignment each year the coupler should last the life of the boat.
Once the alignment is right, the things that can cause it to change over time, are rot in the engine mount stringers that can cause the front mounts to settle, or rot in the transom that can throw the transom mount out of alignment with the engine....but those are bigger issues that we hope you won't have to deal with anytime soon, LOL...however, if you can't keep it aligned then one or both are likely issues....

 

[icyveins]

Re: 1987 232amftc proper coupler maintenance

Thanks again everyone for the info,

its a great site with great people that provide crucial information for all of us that have the ability but need a help with the tips and tricks.

I shall check and adjust alignment if needed and grease all things

 

[Lou C]

Re: 1987 232amftc proper coupler maintenance

On the alignment, if its off and you can't get it right, this is one job that might be worth paying a pro to get right the first time. Once you get it right it should stay the same for a long time unless you have other problems (structural) as noted above.