How to check ujoints Bravo II??

[12guns]

I did a bit of searching and reading and can't find a clear answer. Forgive me if it's been covered, I could not find it.

A friend has an older Bayliner Arriva w/ a Bravo II outdrive. Last summer I remember feeling a little more vibration that normal. It's unclear if the u joints have ever been checked or replaced. Is there a way to check them without pulling the whole outdrive? All rubber boots seem find, no dry rot, no tears/holes.
The motor was pulled and rebuilt a couple years ago. Maybe a motor mount is loose??
What else should be checked for "excessive vibration"??
It has the 7.4 Mercruiser so I know there will be some just due to that, just not sure what else to check. Thanks!!

 

[mark1905]

Re: How to check ujoints Bravo II??

A rusted gimbal bearing will give you a nice vibration in the transom area..

 

[12guns]

Re: How to check ujoints Bravo II??

A rusted gimbal bearing will give you a nice vibration in the transom area..

Thanks for the reply. Can that be checked easily? I found a schematic in the adults only section...just not sure what is or is not acessable w/o removing the entire outdrive. I shamefully don't spend enough time in the boat to know when something is out of the norm, but I'm pretty sure there was more vibration than normal last time I was in it. The boat is a couple hours away and I'll be over there in the next week or two to check it out. How would a bad gimbal bearing feel vs a bad ujoint?

 

[mark1905]

Re: How to check ujoints Bravo II??

The only way to really check the gimbal bearing would be to pull the drive and check. When was the last time the out drive was off? The thing with a rusted gimbal is that they typically don't just rust on their own.. they rust because of water intrusion in the bellows. It's hard to explain what it sounds/feels like with words.. you just know it when you hear it after experiencing it a few times in life. If you put your hand on or sit on the transom, you can almost feel the vibrations emanating from it.

Personally, I've never had a bad u-joint.. so I couldn't comment on the signs for that. However, to truly check the u-joint and/or gimbal, you're going to have to pull that OD either way. If it hasn't been done anytime in the last couple of years, then you're due anyway.

 

[12guns]

Re: How to check ujoints Bravo II??

The only way to really check the gimbal bearing would be to pull the drive and check. When was the last time the out drive was off? The thing with a rusted gimbal is that they typically don't just rust on their own.. they rust because of water intrusion in the bellows. It's hard to explain what it sounds/feels like with words.. you just know it when you hear it after experiencing it a few times in life. If you put your hand on or sit on the transom, you can almost feel the vibrations emanating from it.

Personally, I've never had a bad u-joint.. so I couldn't comment on the signs for that. However, to truly check the u-joint and/or gimbal, you're going to have to pull that OD either way. If it hasn't been done anytime in the last couple of years, then you're due anyway.

Thanks for the help. I assume there is no reason for the O/D to be removed for an engine rebuild, so chances are this one has not been off in 10+ years. Yeah, you heard right. This boat has had a hard life over the past 10 years due to one problem after another. The outdrive has been neglected no doubt. In the owners defense, they have maintained the fluid levels and have had zero issues w/ the outdrive...until now, maybe. I agree it is from a lack of maintanience, but it is what it is at this point. Now I have to decide if I want to tackle removing the O/D or have him pay someone else to do the grunt work. Our mechanic is great, but he works on his own time...no telling when he would have it done.
Can the O/D be taken off and parts replaced in an afternoon? I may have the mechanic commit to doing it in a day if he will. One thing's for sure we cannot leave it and hope to get it back this summer. Too much lake time calling my name! Thanks again. I'll look into it and see what happens!

 

[mark1905]

Re: How to check ujoints Bravo II??

Yeah.. the OD can be yanked and inspected in about an hour or so. It's not a gigantic job.. just more of a PITA. There are many, many threads on it around. Just get yourself a good OEM gasket set to start so that you're prepared to put it back on if everything checks out.

Have you given the bellows a good inspection as best possible and looked at the condition of the rubber? It should have zero cracks or dry rot and still be a little supple. If you can flex it and see any cracking in the base of the ridges, then it's time to replace them. From what you're saying, it sounds like its about that time.