U-Joint Coupling Yoke--Toast?

[myoldboat2]

GM Engine 140 HP 4-cyl 181 cu.in.
Mercruiser "Late Model I" Stern Drive

This is my U-Joint Yoke - Coupler End 39385A 1, do you agree that the splines are toast?

or click here and then click on the picture for a close up.


How hard is it to change out the yoke? I've read the manual, and I see you have to use a bearing adapter to push out the bearings, after removing the clips. Can I do the one bearing side without removing the drive shaft from the upper unit housing? I'd rather not order the whole assembly, because it's pretty pricey.

Thanks.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: U-Joint Coupling Yoke--Toast?

The splines do look a little worn. I don't know why you think it would hard to change though

You just press out the U-joints to do it and since they're not all that expensive, I'd replace them along with the new yoke.


Regards,


Rick

 

[myoldboat2]

Re: U-Joint Coupling Yoke--Toast?

Thanks for the quick reply, Rick!

I've just never changed U-joints. I can borrow the tools from a friend who has them, maybe get him to help.

For replacement, I assume you mean replace the two U-Joint Cross & Bearing 75832T? Or would I just buy the bearings somewhere and keep the cross part? The only part numbers I've found are:

U-Joint Cross & Bearing 75832T
U-Joint Center Socket 39383 1
U-Joint Yoke - Drive Gear End 46020002
U-Joint Yoke - Coupler End 39385A 1

I read on a thread here that some people use automotive bearings in their U-joints. I don't usually use auto parts--are these marine bearings different?

Thanks.

 

[myoldboat2]

Re: U-Joint Coupling Yoke--Toast?

I read the adults only thread on U-joint part numbers. That thread addresses the U-joints for an Alpha I Gen II. I show the part number for that drive as 75832T 1. For my drive, it is 75832T, without the " 1" at the end. Those are different, right? For example, Sierra 18-2104 replaces Mercruiser 75832T, but Sierra 18-2174 replaces Mercruiser part number 75832T 1.

The adults only U-joint thread lists these as replacements for the Alpha I Gen II u-joints 75832T 1: SPICER# 5-1306X, ROCKFORD# K1306, DETROIT# 7260, NEAPCO# 1-6300 / 1-6301, PRECISION (MOOG)# 315G, TRW (FEDERAL MOGUL)# 20030 / 20030P.

How can I find the part numbers to replace my Late Model I drive u-joints 75832T ?

Thanks.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: U-Joint Coupling Yoke--Toast?

Maybe DonS or Bondo can jump in here on this one. I don't think those U-joints are very different.

I do know you can easily get replacement U-joints at Napa etc. AFAIK there are no "Marine" U-joints.......they're all pretty much the same...

 

[myoldboat2]

Re: U-Joint Coupling Yoke--Toast?

OK, hopefully Don S or Bondo will wander over here. So if they say Mercruiser 75832T and 75832T 1 are interchangeable, then I could run to NAPA for Spicer 5-1306X bearings. If not, then maybe they'll have a Spicer number for a 75832T.

btw, I measured my coupling yoke and it is the 8-1/8" dimension (the short one), so it is a 39385A 1.

Thanks.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: U-Joint Coupling Yoke--Toast?

Google is your friend here probably,

Also do a little searching here

I found this: http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=230064

Go to the following chart at Marine power service. It got a whole bunch of part numbers and equivalents.

http://www.marinepowerservice.com/BoatingStore/POP_readtxt.cfm?THE_CAT=454767

I also found the following ebay auction. They have 8 of them on hand for $36 each although I'll bet you can get the Sierra one at Napa cheaper.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Merc...2668977QQptZBoatQ5fPartsQ5fAccessoriesQ5fGear



Also found this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/merc...0962505QQptZBoatQ5fPartsQ5fAccessoriesQ5fGear

 

[WizeOne]

Re: U-Joint Coupling Yoke--Toast?

GM Engine 140 HP 4-cyl 181 cu.in.
Mercruiser "Late Model I" Stern Drive

This is my U-Joint Yoke - Coupler End 39385A 1, do you agree that the splines are toast?

or click here and then click on the picture for a close up.


How hard is it to change out the yoke? I've read the manual, and I see you have to use a bearing adapter to push out the bearings, after removing the clips. Can I do the one bearing side without removing the drive shaft from the upper unit housing? I'd rather not order the whole assembly, because it's pretty pricey.

Thanks.

Those splines look a bit marginal but then I don't have much hands on for the Merc. However, I would be curious what the mating splines in the coupler look like. It may not make much sense to replace the worn driveshaft if the coupler is just as bad.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: U-Joint Coupling Yoke--Toast?

Those splines look a bit marginal but then I don't have much hands on for the Merc. However, I would be curious what the mating splines in the coupler look like. It may not make much sense to replace the worn driveshaft if the coupler is just as bad.

Yeah, and considering that the coupler splines are aluminum, I would think that they might be getting pretty thin too.

When my previous boats (1966 150 Mercruiser) coupler failed (at 39 years old or so) I think my yoke looked about the same!

 

[Bondo]

Re: U-Joint Coupling Yoke--Toast?

Ayuh,... Those Splines are Junk,...
For the U-joints,...
Just go to Napa,+ tell them what you have, or better yet, bring in an old 1...
I'm Sure they can match 'em up... They can also sell you the New Shaft...
The differences are in the way their Retained, inner clips, outer clips, etc...
Just be sure to get Greaseable joints...

 

[myoldboat2]

Re: U-Joint Coupling Yoke--Toast?

thanks for all the replies, guys.

Rick, that marine power chart is the one i had found--great chart! i was amazed that you found a yoke assembly on ebay--it's the one that's newer than mine--so anyway i searched around and found an "NOS", new old stock, of my assembly 58858A1 for 150 bucks. the photo of the actual part looked good so we'll see. sometimes ebay scares me. i also ordered a bearing retainer wrench, not too worried about that.

wizeone, i agree, and actually my coupler failed which is why i'm looking at all this. my engine is out right now. Rick, my coupler failed two years ago, at age 33 years, but i didn't have the sense to look at these splines, argh. probably didn't get it aligned very well, either, so the aluminum splines are totally gone again just two years later. i will do better this time! bond-o, thanks for the napa input. the assembly i found has the u joints in it, so hopefully i'll be all set.


so now here are my latest questions:

i've read two manuals... this isn't clear to me: when i loosen the bearing retainer and pull out the u joint assembly, the drive gear and bearing assembly comes with it. when i pull the locknut and flat washer, there's about a dozen bearings, cups, spacers, rings, etc that apparently end up loose. is it normal to replace all of these, or just clean with solvent, inspect, grease and reinstall if ok?

also, this doesn't look that hard, but am i likely to mess up some preloading or something and trash my drive?

also, do i really pull the top cover and line up some marks on the gear teeth?


messing with the upper unit is new to me. thanks.

here's the assy i bought, hope it's good.

 

[Bondo]

Re: U-Joint Coupling Yoke--Toast?

also, this doesn't look that hard, but am i likely to mess up some preloading or something and trash my drive?

Ayuh,.... That's probably what'll happen,...
Head on up to the Adults Only section,+ grab a copy of the Factory Manual,...
It's all lain out quite Clearly in there...

 

[myoldboat2]

Re: U-Joint Coupling Yoke--Toast?

Bond-o, that's what I'm worried I might mess up. The factory manuals are what I've been reading. Mercruiser Service Manual #2 appears to be the original manual for my drive. For instance, on page 6A-20, there's a box that goes through a drive gear clearance shimming process. Manual #3A covers this on page 3A-27.

Since I've never done this shimming process, and don't have the tools, should I just pull the gear end yoke off my assembly and mount the new U-joint to the current gear end yoke (if there's clearance to do that)? I guess for an experienced marine mechanic, it might make sense to take it all apart for a look, but in my case--if it ain't broke, don't fix it?

Thanks.



.

 

[Bondo]

Re: U-Joint Coupling Yoke--Toast?

Since I've never done this shimming process, and don't have the tools,

Ayuh,... That's Exactly why I send mine Out to be done....
I don't have the Tools either...

I hooked up with a guy who's a regular Merc Tech by day,+ moonlights in his own fully equiped shop nights,+ weekends...
Dave charges me $150. per drive, I suppy Parts... Regardless of the Issue being dealt with...
Well,... He charged me $200. once because it was an old Saltwater drive...

 

[bruceb58]

Re: U-Joint Coupling Yoke--Toast?

I have done u-joints as well but no longer. I bring the whole thing to a machine shop and let them do it for me.

 

[myoldboat2]

Re: U-Joint Coupling Yoke--Toast?

that's really interesting. we don't have as many marine mechanics here in the midwest (and i never had much luck with the ones i used). i wish i could find a guy who was good and would moonlight on this stuff.

machine shop--just a basic machine shop? i wonder if the shops around here do gear assembly type of work.

for now i'm probably leaning toward attaching the new coupler yoke and u-joints to the current gear end yoke. i've got a small engine mechanic friend who can help me press the one u-joint bearing set. i can save the new gear end yoke as a spare. cash is a little tight right now and the boat mechanics around here aren't so busy--i think they'll look for i$$ues on anything that comes in. and i don't want to get in over my head on the gear assembly.

thanks for the input!

 

[bruceb58]

Re: U-Joint Coupling Yoke--Toast?

Any machine shop that has experience doing u-joints for automotive drive shafts should be able to help you out. Last time I did a u-joint, I somehow bent my yoke shaft. I don't touch them anymore.

 

[Bondo]

Re: U-Joint Coupling Yoke--Toast?

for now i'm probably leaning toward attaching the new coupler yoke and u-joints to the current gear end yoke. i've got a small engine mechanic friend who can help me press the one u-joint bearing set. i can save the new gear end yoke as a spare. cash is a little tight right now and the boat mechanics around here aren't so busy--i think they'll look for i$$ues on anything that comes in. and i don't want to get in over my head on the gear assembly.

Ayuh,... If the Oil Seal is alright at the yoke in the drive, doing as you say is Very Doable....
At the Worse Case, you may have to knock off abit of 1 of the castle nut's Humps...
A 4" grinder takes a couple of seconds to create enough Clearence....

 

[ziggy]

Re: U-Joint Coupling Yoke--Toast?

a little late to chime in, but you can do the brgs. + shimming and be successfull.
you didn't say what year but since your using s/m #2 i'll assume it's similar to mine.

the ujoints weren't hard to do on mine. i got me a harbor freight cheapo chineeze ujoint press and then mercruiser tool for doing the deed. it was a short job with the proper tools i thought. i went ahead and took the ft. retainer nut off the drive as i needed to check my yoke too. that made getting to the back ujoint easy w/o having to grind off part of the drive for the retainer nut. while torqued to 200 ft/lbs, it wasn't as difficult as i thought to achieve that torque. just laid the drive on it's side and had my boy stand on it whilest i did the deed. worked well for off and going back on.
i had to replace the brgs. on my drive gear yoke. the yoke was rusted, the seal was probably ok, but replaced anyways. the brgs. were blue so they were replaced. that meant shimming. i got lucky and was able to abscond a shim tool from my local merc. tech. nice guy that he is. the shimming went well. i think my 165 is the only model that had hash marks on the gears to line them up. so it was easy to know where to mesh the gears at. your 140 i'd have marked prior to disassembly i think so i went back as it was.
as for the preload. IF you have the small spacer in the brg. pack. it's a straight torque for the brg. stack. doing that is relatively easy. at least easier than i thought it would treat me. so far i'm on my second year after my repair, so i feel i was successful. if it's the drive gear yoke assy. with the rolling torque value, i've not done it. but if i had press to press the brg. off after going to tight + a dial indicator type in/lb torque wrench. i would attempt that too.
i went very slow when i did my deed. i read the s/m over and over, i ask gobs of questions here but in the end. after doing it. i felt prior to getting it wet i was right on. and so far, i've been ok and i'm to the point i trust my drive...

 

[myoldboat2]

Re: U-Joint Coupling Yoke--Toast?

Thanks for all the input. My small engine mechanic buddy should be back in town soon. And talked to another friend who's BIL does this stuff. I'll let them have a look once the parts are here, and we can decide which route to go. ziggy, you have more guts than me--I'm just not comfortable doing the gear shimming thing by myself the first time! For now, once it stops raining I'll concentrate on getting my new coupler on. Also replacing the starter and fuel line while the engine's out. Then get the engine back in and running, and hopefully the yoke assy will arrive. Ah, the best laid of plans.............