Please help getting drive off of bell housing! Mercruiser 165/MC-1 drive

[jimmwaller]

Hi all,

I have a mercruiser 165 with a MC-1 Drive. I'm trying to do my first maintenance run?bellows, gimbal bearing, etc. I have watched some videos of how to do it, and it seems like the drive either just comes off or they do this thing where they lift it and then drop it, and the pressure of dropping it repeatedly forces it off.

I'm not sure how badly I want to drop my outdrive, and also, my trailer is low so if I drop my outdrive the skeg will just hit the ground and shatter, so. But just brute force pulling doesn't seem like it's making any headway.

Is there some trick to getting the drive off the housing? Any help would be appreciated.

thanks!

 

[alldodge]

Place shifter in FWD, then remove pin from the rear of the drive and the trim rams. Remove six nuts and washers, then wiggle it by hand to remove.

If its stuck, reattach trim rams. Place a block of wood between the top of the drive and the gimbal ring, then raise the drive slowly against the wood, it should come loose.

If it does not, raise the drive and place the wood between the gimbal ring and the lower section of the drive. Now slowly lower the drive against the wood block

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Is everything thing shifted to Forward gear,..??

If so, hook up the trim rams, lower the drive as far as ya can, put a block of wood 'tween the top of the drive, 'n the transom assembly, 'n hit the Up button,....

I usually just pick 'em up, 'n drop 'em a few times myself,....
If yer worried 'bout the skeg, throw down a piece of wood to drop it on,...

 

[jimmwaller]

thanks! I didn't even think of using the drive motor to help. I will do that, thanks!