Mercruiser U-joint bellows reinforcing wire

[Quack Addict]

I am replacing the bellows on my 1978 Sea Ray V240 (project boat) equipped with 260hp Chevy 350. I think the boat had the MC-1 drive on it but that's a guess - no outdrive on the boat when purchased (just the gimbal housing, gimbal ring and bell housing).

The old U-joint bellows I took off the gimbal housing - and the new replacement bellows I have - do not have a reinforcing wire installed. When I use to wrench on boats for beer money in college, I remember there being a coat-hanger gauge stainless steel wire that lays inside the corrugations of the bellows with the intention of keeping the bellows from kinking / collapsing when the outdrive is tilted up.

I checked a friend's boat (a 20' 1978 Sea Ray with small-block Chevy) and his U-joint bellows seems to have a wire installed in the U-joint bellows; the bellows is very rigid and feels like a wire is in it. I just checked my 1988 Rinker (Alpha 1 drive) and it also seems to have a wire installed in the U-joint bellows.

I have looked at a bunch of online resources and can not find this wire referenced anywhere. I called a couple local marinas and finally found one with a technicians that knew what I was talking about, but he could not confirm if the wire is needed or not.

Is this wire needed or was it eliminated at some point as a cost reduction (i.e. a part that was deemed not necessary)? Any idea where I can find a wire to put into the bellows new bellows that I already have?

Thanks!

 

[gshldon]

Re: Mercruiser U-joint bellows reinforcing wire

i just got done replacing all my bellows on my mercruiser and the new ujoint bellows had the wire in it. And when i pulled the old one off it to had the wire. What manufacture of bellows did you buy, I went with sierra and have had no problems with it so far. If all else fails go to your local marine and have them show you a new bellows and look inside of it to see if it has the wire installed.

Mine is a 1979 mercuiser 898 (v8)

Good luck

 

[Quack Addict]

Re: Mercruiser U-joint bellows reinforcing wire

The new U-joint bellows was manufactured by Mallory; the bellows came as part of a kit I purchased online.

If you still have the wire from your old bellows and it's in decent shape, I'll pay for shipping...

 

[gshldon]

Re: Mercruiser U-joint bellows reinforcing wire

i will have to check and see if i still have it and i can send it to you and it was in good shape still nice and circular.

 

[gshldon]

Re: Mercruiser U-joint bellows reinforcing wire

Dumb question, are you sure the expander ring is not installed on the new one, i had to look really hard to find it in my new bellows, all i could see was one little end sticking out so it might be installed and just cant see it, just thought i would add that bit of info

 

[Quack Addict]

Re: Mercruiser U-joint bellows reinforcing wire

gshldon -

The reinforcing wire is definitely not in the new bellows I have. That was what triggered the 'what the heck' response when I pulled the new U-joint bellows out of the box. I squeezed it from the side and the tube easily collapsed. I figured I could transfer the wire from the old bellows on the boat but when I looked there, no wire either.

I'm not sure how the boat made it without a wire in the bellows, but with no outdrive on the boat when I bought it, someone may have pulled the wire out at some point after the drive was taken off.

I'm sending you a PM...