Ahhh Water in my U-joint bellow!

[Big-E]

Well i pulled my drive yesterday to fix those noisy u-joints and i found them all rusty and about couple ounces of water came out. U-joints and Gimble bearing are in need of replacment. The U-joint bellow does look a little suspect and since i have both a new shift cable bellow and exhuast bellow on hand i should change them all out at once. Here is my question. <br /><br />How do i get the gimble off? Its an ALpha drive year 1989, My book says i need a special tool to remove the 2 nuts holding it on. Is there anything else i can use to remove them? Is it just a big allen or something? <br /><br />Also how do i get the shift cable out without destroying it? It is less then 2 years old and was replaced by the guy i bought it from. The bellow on the shift cable looks perfect btw. My book says to cut it and remove with a socket, but isnt it put in there just finger tight? <br /><br />The gimble bearing. I will be changing this once i get the gimble ring off so it should be easier to remove. Again for this do i need the tool they state or can i use some other kind of puller then installer i can rent from autozone? <br /><br />The U-joints, Also with this do i need the tool they state to remove that goofy fitting thats holding the driveshaft into the outdrive? Or can i use a strap wrench or something? Ive seen a pic of it and it just looks like a funky piece of metal. <br /><br />I know this is alot of questions but i have never ventured in this area before. My mechanical skills are high, I rebuilt the motor myself last year and other motors as well. <br /><br />BTW. With the little bit of water in the bellow i got nervous thinking it was in my drive but it was not. Drive oil was just as clean as when i changed it out last year. This water was only in the u-joint area.. No water around the shiftcable. <br /><br />Thanks, <br /><br />Big-E

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Ahhh Water in my U-joint bellow!

When you say 'gimble', I think you mean "Bell housing"...Are you referring to the 12 point'Hinge pins' located under the trimsenders? I recomend that you buy the tool $15 or so....<br />The hinge pins have 100# of torque or so & loctite....<br />They won't come off easily without it.....<br />The shift cable? Replace it...<br />It will make the process easier....<br />& next time the cable needs to be replaced, that will be your cue to re-do the bellows again...<br />The bellows should have been replaced when the cable was, you wouldn't be dealing with all of these troubles now, if it had been....<br />You need the funky wrench, too.....<br />I would also pressure check the drive, if you had water in your bellows, the yoke seal is probably shot...If you did not get water in your drive, consider yourself lucky...<br />I'm sure you will get some more input...JK

 

[Big-E]

Re: Ahhh Water in my U-joint bellow!

Yes i ment Bell housing.. Couldnt think of the name. <br /><br />If the tool is that cheap i'll just buy one.. How much of a pain are the hinge pins? Am i going to have to use the breaker bar and 5 foot section of pipe? <br /><br />I think i will take your advise and change out the shift cable.. Dont want any issues when summer comes.. <br /><br />You have any idea how much that funky wrench will cost to buy? <br /><br />I was worried about the drive having water in it but it was clean on the top and bottom.. I was relived... IM going to have change that yoke seal anyway when i change the u-joints.. <br /><br />Thanks for your input... <br /><br />Hope to get some more about how much of a pain the job will be. <br /><br />Big-E

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Ahhh Water in my U-joint bellow!

Yes you will need a breaker bar to loosen them....<br />Get them to move before you take the drive off....<br />Heat will help if necessary....<br />The retainer wrench is about $50.00<br />It's all a pain, but doable if you have the mechanical aptitude & patience....<br />I would pick up merc. manual #6, as well...<br />Think about the raw water impeller, too...<br />When was that done?<br />Good Luck! .....JK

 

[Big-E]

Re: Ahhh Water in my U-joint bellow!

Well i got the drive off allready... and i changed out the water pump about 7 months ago so thats ok for now. <br /><br />Thanks for your input.. Now i got to order about $200.00 bucks worth of stuff.. <br /><br />So far my parts list is <br /><br />Yoke repair kit with u joints<br />U joint bellow<br />Shift cable kit <br />Gimble bearing<br />Outdrive nuts<br />1 bottle of rum<br /><br />Think i got it all? <br /><br />Also.. i should order the new shift cable kit right? <br /><br />Thanks, <br /><br />Big-E

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Ahhh Water in my U-joint bellow!

Big E, drop an email here "EJDSR251@aol.com

 

[Big-E]

Re: Ahhh Water in my U-joint bellow!

I just thought of the Shift Shaft Seals. Is this an item that i should replace? Because i honeslty do not know where the water came in from. The bellow looks suspect but isnt torn or cracked from w hat i can see. I dont want to have to replace all these items again next year. <br /><br />I know i need to add the little water hose to my list too as it has cracks in it... <br /><br />Thanks again, <br /><br />Big-E

 

[hoot]

Re: Ahhh Water in my U-joint bellow!

Big E, sounds like you have a repair manual, there are websites that show how to do this also along with forum members advice. i did mine some time ago and here are some things i remember: 1) 1/2" allen wrench with a long cheater bar (i'm talking ft, not inches) to remove the star bolts. 2)you will need a torque wrench for reassembly of parts. 3) my shift cable is held in with a brass nut and loctite. i rounded off the corners of the fitting and never got it loose. i pulled my cable from the bracket at the engine and pulled it out of the boat then slid the boot over the transom end of the cable to the end. 4) some folks use a 3 jaw puller/slide hammer to remove the bearing. it is in tight. when you install the new one, you have to drive it in. do not drive on the inner ring of the bearing! you have to drive on the outer ring. clean the housing and bearing surfaces good and use graphite as a lube to help the bearing slide back in. 5) the u joint nut is in so tight you cannot remove/replace it with a strap wrench. you need to mark the nut to housing location so you will know where to stop it during installation. fwiw, i had my wife sit on the outdrive housing while i removed the nut and tightened it back up! 6)get you some bellows glue for the shift and drive bellows. clean the metal surfaces real good with alcohol before applying the glue. 7)for the u-joints, you will need a press or large c-clamps. there is a lot of pressing back and forth to get them out. pb blaster is a good penetrating product to help loosen them up. 8) the shift bellows clamp has to go on round in shape. any distortion will let water enter between the cable and small hole in the bellows. 9) you will need an alignment tool for the coupling to bearing to outdrive alignment. the inner ring of the bearing moves with some effort. 10) perhaps some tools can be bought on ebay. 11) be careful with the trim gages. mine do not work now. when you reinstall the star bolts, be sure they are rotating as the outdrive is going up and down. you do not want the drive to be sliding on the threads of the bolts, thus the high strength loctite on the threads 12)and most importantly, get yourself another bottle of rum!! 1 won't be enough.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Ahhh Water in my U-joint bellow!

There is a 'Buy it now" shift cable kit on ebay for 46.00 that includes the whole shebang....<br />Worth a look if you haven't purchased one yet....JK

 

[Big-E]

Re: Ahhh Water in my U-joint bellow!

Thanks for the info guys.. hoot: i hear you on the 2nd bottle of rum.. i'll get right on that! <br /><br />I actually bought a new shift cable kit from the place im getting everything else for $44.95 <br /><br />Later, <br /><br />Big-E