Got it!: Pulling LU bearing housing assy- '76 70hp 'rude

[philobite]

I need to pull the bearing housing assembly from the lower unit prop shaft, etc. Things don't look too corroded with salt in there, but I think it's been a long time (or never) that it's been pulled (engine's new to me).

1) Will a harmonic balancer puller with longer bolts to reach the 2 tapped holes work, or do I need the factory # 90095 puller?

2) Will it be necessary to heat things up?

3) Any hints, tips or advisories much appreciated.

 

[ezeke]

Re: Pulling LU bearing housing assy- '76 70hp 'rude

Re: Pulling LU bearing housing assy- '76 70hp 'rude

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[F_R]

Re: Pulling LU bearing housing assy- '76 70hp 'rude

Re: Pulling LU bearing housing assy- '76 70hp 'rude

That is what the tapped holes are for. Use your puller with long bolts. Needless to say, there are four screws to take out first. Unless it is a salt-water motor, it should come out without much grief.

 

[philobite]

Re: Pulling LU bearing housing assy- '76 70hp 'rude

Re: Pulling LU bearing housing assy- '76 70hp 'rude

Ok, after removing the 4 prop shaft bearing housing screws/bolts, I've applied maximum pulling force with the harmonic balancer puller on the bearing housing and it won't budge. I soaked everything for a week with PB Blaster before attempting. No go.

Advice? If I were to use heat, will a propane torch be sufficient?

 

[mikesea]

Re: No go: Pulling LU bearing housing assy- '76 70hp 'rude

Re: No go: Pulling LU bearing housing assy- '76 70hp 'rude

you may have luck with the propane,I prefer going a few bucks more for added heat with Mapp gas,sold in same area and uses same top,concentrate the heat on the lower mating area where the 4 bolts wre,there is an oring that could be giving some grief,do the heat,then tighten routine with some lite taping on the puller bolt,be patient though,things can break

 

[F_R]

Re: No go: Pulling LU bearing housing assy- '76 70hp 'rude

Re: No go: Pulling LU bearing housing assy- '76 70hp 'rude

You say it's been used in salt water? Try heating the gearcase in the area of the outer rim of the "spool". But it might not work. I've seen some I had to break. If all else fails and you have to resort to that, drill some holes in the outer rim and knock a chunk out of it.

 

[philobite]

Re: No go: Pulling LU bearing housing assy- '76 70hp 'rude

Re: No go: Pulling LU bearing housing assy- '76 70hp 'rude

Thanks for the replies. Doesn't look like much salt-water use. I've tried propane to no effect just now. The only bolts I had were grade 2 and they deformed and bent, throwing the puller off center.

What grade bolts ought I have?

Also, is it more likely the ring of the housing nearest the prop that is sticking, or the part of the housing that is next the retaining ring that is sticking?

 

[F_R]

Re: No go: Pulling LU bearing housing assy- '76 70hp 'rude

Re: No go: Pulling LU bearing housing assy- '76 70hp 'rude

I have always found it to be the end nearest the propeller. I had the bolts that were supplied by OMC so don't know about finding something else. I'd say Grade 5 would be minimum. At some point you would just pull the threads out or the aluminum anyway. OMC also used a slide hammer puller that just had a hook on the end to grab the web in the carrier. That was quicker, don't really know which is better.

 

[philobite]

Re: No go: Pulling LU bearing housing assy- '76 70hp 'rude

Re: No go: Pulling LU bearing housing assy- '76 70hp 'rude

Got it out!

The soft grade 2, 5/16" 18 X 8" puller bolts kept moving around and bending and warping the puller off center because I didn't have any hardened washers so the washers kept deforming. I got some hardened washers (hardened bolts of that size are rarer than hens teeth around here), cinched down as close as possible on the puller bolts (and backed off as much as possible on the puller screw, and then tightened the puller screw as I used MAPP gas to heat all around the lower unit just where the bearing housing assy flange meets it.

The 5/15" bolts necked down and I thought they'd break, but the bearing housing assy let loose first with a series of screeching pop.. pop...pop protests. It and the LU have decades of varnish accumulated which made it really tight. I'll clean that off both units before reassembly.

Thanks for all the help!