Installing the OD

[sethjon]

Cobra OD. Removed and serviced and now can't get it on. Any ideas? The alignment tool goes in pretty easy although its tough to pull out. A friend thought it wsas suction from the grease. The OD goes almost all the way on and then hangs up just as the bolts are about to slide thru the OD. Any help will be MUCH appreciated. and thank you in advance.

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: Installing the OD

Your alignment is off..
Pretty easy isn't easy enough... Should go in easy and smooth as butter.. IN AND OUT...

When you get the alignment right(which is real easy).. You will be shocked at how easy the outdrive goes on..

Good Luck

 

[sethjon]

Re: Installing the OD

Your alignment is off..
Pretty easy isn't easy enough... Should go in easy and smooth as butter.. IN AND OUT...

When you get the alignment right(which is real easy).. You will be shocked at how easy the outdrive goes on..

Good Luck

Thanks for the speedy response. After my last post I re-aligned it and its perrrrrrfect, in and out. Now its hanging up just as the u-joint reaches the ring inside. I tried wiggling and its still stuck. Is there a trick to it? As I said, the alignment is spot on.

 

[ljsweeney]

Re: Installing the OD

Thanks for the speedy response. After my last post I re-aligned it and its perrrrrrfect, in and out. Now its hanging up just as the u-joint reaches the ring inside. I tried wiggling and its still stuck. Is there a trick to it? As I said, the alignment is spot on.

I had the same issue when I removed my OD for the first time on a 22 year old boat. The rubber that the bellows are made of absorbs grease throughout its life, and that can make getting the u-joint past it (in either direction) a serious pain.

Replace the u-joint bellows and the OD will practically install itself.

Good luck.

 

[Idlespeedonly]

Re: Installing the OD

You only have an inch to go. If your alignment was off you would probably have about 3 inches to go. Make sure the shift rod is good and have a helper. Also make sure the splines are greased. And clean.

 

[Don S]

Re: Installing the OD

Sounds to me like your bellows is swelled up and the ujoint center section won't slide through.. If that's the case, you need a new bellows.

 

[sethjon]

Re: Installing the OD

Sounds to me like your bellows is swelled up and the ujoint center section won't slide through.. If that's the case, you need a new bellows.

Don, First, thanks VERY much for the response. I should have mentioned that the bellows is new. The pc. that holds the u-joints, is what I think is hanging up. I am within 1" of the OD going in and by taking a measurement I have concluded thats the problem. Its as though the ring, not the right term, inside shrunk. And then when I try to wiggle it I have to pry it out. Any other ideas? I'm about ready to jump off a bridge.

 

[sethjon]

Re: Installing the OD

I had the same issue when I removed my OD for the first time on a 22 year old boat. The rubber that the bellows are made of absorbs grease throughout its life, and that can make getting the u-joint past it (in either direction) a serious pain.

Replace the u-joint bellows and the OD will practically install itself.

Good luck.

I should have mentioned it earlier but the bellows was replaced. I am still about 1" away from all the way on. Any other ideas?

 

[Don S]

Re: Installing the OD

Could be the orings on the shaft trying to go through the gimbal bearing. Did you put oil on them?

 

[sethjon]

Re: Installing the OD

You only have an inch to go. If your alignment was off you would probably have about 3 inches to go. Make sure the shift rod is good and have a helper. Also make sure the splines are greased. And clean.

I agree with you. It seems to be stop as the coupler is about to go in. The harder I push the more tored and frustrated I get. I checked the shift rod and it looks likes its in the right alignment to go into the shift device on the drive. I feel like jumping off a bridge. Thanks alot for the response and if you think of anything else let me know.

 

[ljsweeney]

Re: Installing the OD

Too much grease on the spline, perhaps?

Also, once the shaft is through the coupler, try rotating the u-joints with a long screwdriver - sometimes the splines just don't line up otherwise.

Good luck.

 

[sethjon]

Re: Installing the OD

Sounds to me like your bellows is swelled up and the ujoint center section won't slide through.. If that's the case, you need a new bellows.

Don, first thing. Thanks A LOT for the speedy response. Unfortunately thats not my problem since I just replaced the bellows. It seems to stop going in at the point where the coupling is about to enter the housing. No matter how much I hew and haw its stuck and then I have to use something to pry it off. As I look into the bellows nothing is out of align and the alignment tool goes in and out pretty easy.

 

[Idlespeedonly]

Re: Installing the OD

Take the bellow off. then try it.

 

[sea wolf]

Re: Installing the OD

Are u saying that the drive is an inch from the studs? If so it sounds like the alignment is still off. If you're sure that it's spot on did u oil the o-rings, & how much grease is on the driveshaft splines? Too much grease will cause the shaft to lock up. If the drive is partly onto the studs, try drawing it in with the nuts. Just tighten the nuts EVENLY all around.

 

[Don S]

Re: Installing the OD

I should have mentioned it earlier but the bellows was replaced. I am still about 1" away from all the way on. Any other ideas?

That tells me that the drive is actually started over the studs on the bellhousing, and only have 1" to go. Now you say it isn't ????????

Now its hanging up just as the u-joint reaches the ring inside

We need to know what this "RING" is.

Take some pictures of the ring and how far your drive goes on, then we might be able to help, cause the way it is now, you are saying one thing and meaning something completely different.

 

[HCMQA]

Re: Installing the OD

I had the same problem with mine at the beginning of the season.
My first time ever putting a drive back on.
It seemed to be stuck right before it goes all the way on.

I cleaned most of the grease off the splines, made sure there was NO grease on the O rings as that will make them not go into the gimball bearing.
I pretty much determined that it was the splines. They will start/thread but still be off just a hair. Turned u joint with a screw driver and all of a sudden "pop" it went right on like butter.

I too was ready to jump off a bridge and I had no helper or rig to hold up the drive it was all me.

Good luck.

 

[sethjon]

Re: Installing the OD

Could be the orings on the shaft trying to go through the gimbal bearing. Did you put oil on them?

Thanks again Don. I did not oil the o rings, put a little grease on them and now I just read "do not get grease in the grooves". Do you think that could actually prevent the drive from going in?

 

[Idlespeedonly]

Re: Installing the OD

Grease shouldn't matter as far as the oring go. Do you have the outer portion of the boot located on the housing? You need to take the boot and orings off. Then try it.

 

[sethjon]

Re: Installing the OD

That tells me that the drive is actually started over the studs on the bellhousing, and only have 1" to go. Now you say it isn't ????????


We need to know what this "RING" is.

Take some pictures of the ring and how far your drive goes on, then we might be able to help, cause the way it is now, you are saying one thing and meaning something completely different.

Don, sorry for the confusion. The 1" I am referring to is that where the drive butts up against the pivot housing is 1". The bolts are just about ready to enter the drive. I took a measurement and if I am correct it goes in up until the coupling for the u-joints. If I took a picture you will only see a dark holw which of course is inside the bellows.

 

[sethjon]

Re: Installing the OD

The forward part of the bellows is put on and affixed with the clamp. The aft part of the bellows is pulled thru the pivot and the lip holds it on.