Dang bellows dont want to come off! What now?

[Zim]

The darn things are stuck on there good with that quicksilver stuff... Im to the point where I have pulled the pins out of that housing, removed the trim senders and all that...

The bellows I need to replace are the U-joints bellows and shift cable bellows. I bought the whole shift cable kit because someone said its best to replace that at the same time... So Im taking their advice. Well after reading in the manual that it makes life easier if you just cut off the bad bellows to make things easier, I did that. I cut the u joints bellow, but I still cant get the dang thing off of either side of the housing. I havnt even started on the shift cable bellow, but that ones not going to be easy either.

The exhaust bellows is fine, so I dont want to cut into it and have to replace it, but that wont come off after loosing the metal clamp either. How do you get these stinkin things off the ends of the housings? I can't for life of me get it off... and gave up yesterday. I called the local boat shop and they want 525 bucks to replace this crap and I cant justify spending that much on something that I feel I should be able to do.

Any suggestions to getting those things off so I can replace them?

 

[tommays]

Re: Dang bellows dont want to come off! What now?

Is it a GEN II OR GEN I ?

You really have to just follow the steps in the manual there way does work

You CAN NOT be following the manual if you were trying to change them without pulling the senders and pins and everything else it tells you to do ?

You can not change the bellows on them without takeing off the exaust bellows and water hose so the bell houseing can be removed you can slide out the shift cable with it

there is barely enough room to work with everything OUT of the way and there is no other way to do it


They should just wiggle off with some help from a screwdriver to break lose the glue

The first aid kit is no JOKE you will spill blood doing this job and it is a VERY hard job the first time you do it

Be really carefull with the trim senders or you will mash them Or cut the wires

Tommays

 

[Zim]

Re: Dang bellows dont want to come off! What now?

Alright well screw it... time to "Break Out Another 1/2 thousand"

I want it done right, so I'm going to pay.

 

[tommays]

Re: Dang bellows dont want to come off! What now?

You can DIY it BUT you need to follow the MERC manual and not think there is and easy way or shortcuts

Tommays

 

[Zim]

Re: Dang bellows dont want to come off! What now?

Well I've been following it, I just cant get that dang exhaust bellows off and I dont want to puncture it or hurt it. I havnt even tried getting the water tube off yet, so I dont know how that would be. Trust me, I want nothing more than to get that bell housing off to gain a little more access to these things.... its just that I cant even get a good angle to pry the existing bellows off of their resting place. I tried going at it with a screwdriver, but I cant get all the way around the bellows. Maybe its time to put on the mechanics gloves and take an injury or two.

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Dang bellows dont want to come off! What now?

Zim.......step back and take a deep breath. repeat after me. Theres no way this bass turd is going to beat me. It is a PITA job big time, but doable. Take your time follow the manual and take a brake when ya get stuck. My first time I found a second set of hands and eyes helped ........a lot. FWIW it still took me the better part of a weekend to complete the job, and I did not do the lower shift cable..........thats another story. PM me if you want some help in that area.

 

[uaw9fan]

Re: Dang bellows dont want to come off! What now?

Sounds like someone went crazy with the super glue. If that is the case you might be replacing all of the components.
Generally when I go to break the seal on the u-joint bellows , I use a dull screwdriver and insert it through the driveshaft hole. I press it between the bellows and the gimbal housing and it usually lets go, then repeat in another spot until you can work the screwdriver all the way aound.
Good luck

 

[SuperNova]

Re: Dang bellows dont want to come off! What now?

Let's see--you're going to spend 525 dollars to save cutting a 30 dollar exhaust bellows that you can't get off for access to the stuff you actually want to replace? CUT THE DARN BELLOWS. Replace them all. I personally use a razor blade to slit them longwise and then peel them off. But seriously it sounds like you're stepping over a dime to save a nickel. I'd just cut the exhaust bellows off and replace them too, it's still cheaper than paying someone else to do the whole job. And they'll probably cut the exhaust anyway and just tell you it wasn't saveable.

 

[shelikesit]

Re: Dang bellows dont want to come off! What now?

well said, nicely put, even i understood that advice

 

[SteveNix]

Re: Dang bellows dont want to come off! What now?

the bell housing is off right???

 

[Zim]

Re: Dang bellows dont want to come off! What now?

Let's see--you're going to spend 525 dollars to save cutting a 30 dollar exhaust bellows that you can't get off for access to the stuff you actually want to replace? CUT THE DARN BELLOWS. Replace them all. I personally use a razor blade to slit them longwise and then peel them off. But seriously it sounds like you're stepping over a dime to save a nickel. I'd just cut the exhaust bellows off and replace them too, it's still cheaper than paying someone else to do the whole job. And they'll probably cut the exhaust anyway and just tell you it wasn't saveable.

Thats what I did... Im almost done, just having trouble getting the outdrive back on now.

Thanks for the advice guys... Ive almost got this bassturd tackled