Replacing my exhaust bellows

[glennj3]

I have gotten the bellows off, at least 2 problems though I found no holes in the bellows.
The shift cable needs replacing, at the outdrive the housing is rusted apart with rusted wires showing in the housing. I can get a new one, do I need a special tool to get the old one off?
Next at the gimbal housing where the baffle slides on in front. It has a chip at the bottom about an inch long, located on the lip. It looks like that piece can be turned with a special tool and replaced? I think the bellows will in fact slide over and past that chip, but then that may be where the water came from. I don't think there was any bellows adhesive on any of them.
Lastly, do I need a special tool to remove a ring that seems to be holding the large gimbal bellows on at the outdrive section.

 

[Rick Stephens]

The way you describe the ujoint bellows sounds like an Alpha1 Gen2 with the press in retainer ring at the rear..... Your sig file says 1985 which would be a earlier Alpha1 which uses hose clamps around the outside of the bellows there. Probably best you clarify.

With Alpha1 drives you need 5/16 socket on a flex shaft to take all the clamps off. When installing use bellows adhesive to keep things solid and sealed - without bellows adhesive things tend to move later on.

I would recommend you buy the special socket to remove and reinstall and the shift cable. It makes things a lot easier. If you have the old style where the brass nut is on the front side of the bellhousing you will need to use a pipe tap and thread the hole all the way through to switch over to new style where the cable inserts from the rear.

 

[glennj3]

Yes, as I get deeper into the process I find what I thought was right is wrong. There is no ring on the bellows, it just looked like one. The bellows came right off.
I got the entire shift housing and cable out and a new one ready to replace it now.
I did find about a 3/4 inch tear in the yoke bellows.
It has the newer shifter housing.
Thanks,

 

[glennj3]

I could start a new thread, get more attention, but I will see first.
The 9/16 head on the shift cable housing at the bell housing stripped. The bolt part. The threads never moved. So I have worked and drilled out as much as I can without actually drilling the housing threads. I can't chip the remaining copper pieces out of the threads.
I guess the only thing left is to get a drill bit and finish drilling out the threads, replace with a heli coil.
If you agree, I need to know what size drill bit to use and what size heli coil to get.
Seems everything is old and is stripping out!
Thanks,
Glenn