outdrive survey

magregor22

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jun 29, 2002
Messages
41
How many of you guys rebuild your own outdrives? and how many send it out to get done?
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: outdrive survey

I do it myself, and all my friends.<br /><br />Chris...........
 

qystan

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 26, 2004
Messages
291
Re: outdrive survey

Trying very hard to do it myself and believing its better.<br /><br />Most times so far the drive wins in its demands for added parts not related to the problem at hand...corrosion & breakages.... :mad: <br /><br />qystan
 

magregor22

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jun 29, 2002
Messages
41
Re: outdrive survey

achris, did you buy all the special tools or did you build the one you you really needed?
 

cc lancer

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 23, 2004
Messages
371
Re: outdrive survey

H/J<br />The Mercury/Mercruiser...Service and Maintance Tools, book is 3/8 of an inch thick. And the guys that do this professionally every year have to add more tools.<br />It is all specialized tools that can't be bought at the auto-part store.<br />A small amount can be home-made, seal drivers and others if you have a lathe.<br />For the average boat owner it is a good idea to do as much of the simple labor at home and the specialized things take to a dealer.
 

Laddies

Banned
Joined
Sep 10, 2004
Messages
12,218
Re: outdrive survey

The tools can be bought thru NAPA or anyone who sells Sierra parts, with a good manuel and care a average mechanic should be able to do the job---Bob
 

tommays

Admiral
Joined
Jul 4, 2004
Messages
6,768
Re: outdrive survey

i think that anything that involves shims ,backlash and exact rolling torque are a streach for most DIY people<br /><br />you have to be doing it a lot to even begin covering the cost of the tools<br /><br />tommays
 

RAPIII

Cadet
Joined
Apr 30, 2005
Messages
16
Re: outdrive survey

I usually start doing it myself, but it always ends up at the shop it seems. It cost a bit more but the time and energy (and frustration) that I save is worth it.
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: outdrive survey

HJ,<br /><br />I owned a boat shop in the 90's. When I sold it I made sure I had all the gear I needed to maintain my boat :D <br /><br />If you're asking if you need the tools? yes! You can fudge a couple of them but for setting the backlash and gear heights you need the genuine stuff. If you go through a dealer they'll charge you an arm and a leg. The tools cost very little from Merc. The dealers charge that much to deter people from trying to do the job themselves. Here's an example - the merc manuals were about $20 each, the dealers were seller them for over $100 each. When I first bought my shop I was talking to the other shop owners at one of the annual dealer conferences and asked why they did it. That was the reason.<br /><br />Hope this makes sense.<br /><br />Chris...........
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
71,082
Re: outdrive survey

I've got My Buddy, Dave, lives just up the road towards the River.....<br /><br />I'm Comfortable, Armpit Deep, in the Bowels of a Caterpillar Tractor...........<br />I'll let Dave buy the Merc. Tools...... Mine Cost Enough Now.......
 
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