omc cobra drive removal help!!!

[davidonmars]

So i wanna pull my drive off to do the ujoints. I would like to know if anyone knows what size the 6 bolts are and if I can use a socket or need a wrench to take them off? After I remove the bolts the drive has to be in neutral correct? then i just pull back and it should come apart? Is there any distance I need to pull it back so nothing interferes or once it clears the bolts im ok if i drop it down a bit? How much do these weight I'm wondering if I can do this solo! Thanks for your help, boat isnt close to my house so I just need to know beforehand what I will need!

 

[sethjon]

Re: omc cobra drive removal help!!!

So i wanna pull my drive off to do the ujoints. I would like to know if anyone knows what size the 6 bolts are and if I can use a socket or need a wrench to take them off? After I remove the bolts the drive has to be in neutral correct? then i just pull back and it should come apart? Is there any distance I need to pull it back so nothing interferes or once it clears the bolts im ok if i drop it down a bit? How much do these weight I'm wondering if I can do this solo! Thanks for your help, boat isnt close to my house so I just need to know beforehand what I will need!

A word of advice. If the boat isn't near your house bring a lot of tools. Nothing worse than not having one wrench so you can't finish the job.

The unit weighs about 90-100 pounds. Befor eyou pull it drain the oil from the BOTTOM hole on the starboard side. When you refill with oil ONLY fill from the middle hole or you will get air bubbles inside and that could be a disaster. Also, when you drain the oil, after you losen the plug screw, loosen the dip stick located at the top of unit. After you loosen the 6 nuts and pull the unit back carefully disconnect the cable. Make sure you are in neutral.

 

[davidonmars]

Re: omc cobra drive removal help!!!

A word of advice. If the boat isn't near your house bring a lot of tools. Nothing worse than not having one wrench so you can't finish the job.

The unit weighs about 90-100 pounds. Befor eyou pull it drain the oil from the BOTTOM hole on the starboard side. When you refill with oil ONLY fill from the middle hole or you will get air bubbles inside and that could be a disaster. Also, when you drain the oil, after you losen the plug screw, loosen the dip stick located at the top of unit. After you loosen the 6 nuts and pull the unit back carefully disconnect the cable. Make sure you are in neutral.

The cable your talking about is it the shifter cable? How does it come off?

 

[RIDEPATE]

Re: omc cobra drive removal help!!!

What year??? The nuts are 5/8 if it's like my 93. You do not have to do anything to the shifter cable. You also do not have to drain the lube.

 

[davidonmars]

Re: omc cobra drive removal help!!!

its an 87 5.0 cobra

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: omc cobra drive removal help!!!

You can use a socket with a universal joint if needed.. I don't drain out the oil.. No need to mess with the cable unless it has cable issues.. Still yet you have to get it off first..

This is how I do it and have always done it alone..
Get a piece of plywood.. Remove the prop(they can be sharp and don't want cuts) Lower the outdrive till the skeg(fin on the bottom) touches the plywood.. If the outdrive looks level begin otherwise lower or raise the trailer jack and trim till ya kinda got her level(don't want it to drop down if you can help it).. Remove the rod and the trim cylinders.. Put the rod back on(makes a good handle).. Remove the 6 nuts and yank.Comes off pretty easy.. Watch out for water and grease if u have bad bellows.. It's funky.. Catch the shaft as it comes out.. .

It's heavy.. I wouldn't wanta carry it very far, but its manageable..

With the hole being level like this it makes the install easier.. Not a lot of lifting and what not..

Good Luck.. It's so easy a caveman could do it

 

[Randy J]

Re: omc cobra drive removal help!!!

dayum Josh ya outten a say things like that, yea taking apart is 1 thing putting back in is a trip to shop and $200.00 labor later .......

Hope won't fix it..

 

[davidonmars]

Re: omc cobra drive removal help!!!

got the drive out pretty easy thanks for the help. The zerks for the u joints were just sitting in the bellows is this a bad thing? I plan to replace the u joints anyways as I have new ones

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: omc cobra drive removal help!!!

The zerks for the u joints were just sitting in the bellows is this a bad thing?

I am an eternal optimist, but how in the world could that be good?

 

[RIDEPATE]

Re: omc cobra drive removal help!!!

I am an eternal optimist, but how in the world could that be good?

I ditto that!!!!

 

[Lou C]

Re: omc cobra drive removal help!!!

That doesn't sound good to me....check the threads in the ujoints to make sure they are not stripped...
I built a cart to hold the drive with casters so I don't have to hold it up with my back when removing/installing...
When you have it off, check the bellows for water, clean out the area where the bell crank is and grease it up well, and grease the driveshaft splines with OMC/Bombardier triple guard grease. Put some motor oil on the o-rings on the drive shaft. Use a new gasket between the drive and the pivot housing, and coat it liberally with OMC gasket sealer on both sides, also coat the threads of the studs. Put a coat of OMC triple guard grease on the part of the bearing retailer that seals up against the bellows opening, and also on that part of the bellows. When Installing, you want to use an alignment tool to check alignment and also to get the gimble bearing in position. The challenge is to get the drive at the same height as the pivot housing, and keep the driveshaft straight when sliding it through, so that the splines go right into the coupler. Tighten the nuts evenly...
Keep in mind a Cobra should be in neutral when removing/installing, not fwd like an Alpha...

 

[Joshua Nichols]

Re: omc cobra drive removal help!!!

dayum Josh ya outten a say things like that, yea taking apart is 1 thing putting back in is a trip to shop and $200.00 labor later .......

OP didn't ask about a install.. Notice Removal HELP!!!!!!
It goes back on just as easy... If ya got good alignment... The toughest part is getting the old gasket off...

Can't help it.. Hope and boats don't seem to go together.. At least in my experiences it doesn't...

Good luck with those U joints.. They are kinda a PITA to have to fool with

 

[howlnmad]

Re: omc cobra drive removal help!!!

got the drive out pretty easy thanks for the help. The zerks for the u joints were just sitting in the bellows is this a bad thing? I plan to replace the u joints anyways as I have new ones

It sure isn't a good thing for those u-joints, hard to grease them that way. Since you plan on replacing them anyway, no big deal. Push them out and go to NAPA and get new ones and be sure those fittings are tight when you replace them.