ujoint inspection on alpha 1?

[boatingfun]

Hi great forum and source of knowledge!
im new to stern drive units. Last year I bought an 83 century with an 898 mercruiser alpha 1 outdrive.
I believe my gimble bearing was making quite a racquet. my wife's uncle who is familiar with these thought I would be good for the season.
I was taking on a little water at end of season.
now time to service while I wait for winni to thaw out......
I checked my bellows and my ujoint one is torn.
my question is what do I look for on the u -joints to determine if they need to be replaced.
I downloaded the manual from a post I found on here.
I have pulled the outdrive.
I am waiting on the special tools I ordered to remove the bell housing.
gimble is definately shot lots of play and noisy.
I plan on doing the gimble. All bellowed and gaskets. Check shift cable but I believe it was replaced when it was stored before I bought it. Not sure on the u joints?
thanks in advanced for your help.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: ujoint inspection on alpha 1?

joints should move freely in all directions, try greasing them. If rusty water comes out, replace them

 

[thumpar]

Re: ujoint inspection on alpha 1?

You can use an allen key to get the the bellhousing bolts out. I forget what size but think it was 5/8 that I read in a post. Make sure when you install the new bellows you use bellows adhesive.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: ujoint inspection on alpha 1?

its 1/2 inch allen

 

[boatingfun]

Re: ujoint inspection on alpha 1?

QUOTE=Bt Doctur;4550520]its 1/2 inch allen[/QUOTE]
Ok ill try that thanks!...I thought it looked more like a * torque bit?
..ill look at it again. Here is a link to photos of the ujoints.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hk4t4ycc2hmzbaf/XimtgH0w7r

 

[thumpar]

Re: ujoint inspection on alpha 1?

Ok ill try that thanks!...I thought it looked more like a * torque bit?
..ill look at it again. Here is a link to photos of the ujoints.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hk4t4ycc2hmzbaf/XimtgH0w7r

It is but an Allen key works. Kind of like a 12 point socket works on 6 point bolts.

 

[boatingfun]

retainer for trim sender limit wires

retainer for trim sender limit wires

I need a new retainer for the trim sender wires. Its what holds the wires under bell housing. I cs nt seem to find it. Can anyone point me in the right direction? In the service manual it shows the retainer with one screw. Mine has two. It broke when I prayed on it with a screwdriver. I didnt know there was a second screw.
its an 83 mercruiser 898 with alpha 1 outdrive
thanks

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: retainer for trim sender limit wires

Re: retainer for trim sender limit wires

Thought I mentiond it in another post. I`ll see if I have one

 

[boatingfun]

Re: retainer for trim sender limit wires

Re: retainer for trim sender limit wires

Thought I mentiond it in another post. I`ll see if I have one

Ok great!
Thanks

 

[wrench 3]

Re: ujoint inspection on alpha 1?

Put a slight rotating force on the shaft when you check the movement of the "U" joints. This will show up any groves that the needle bearings are wearing in the trunnion. If they're worn you will get a lumpy feel when you move them with the force applied.
BTW, the 898 came with a 1-R drive. Has it been changed up?

 

[boatingfun]

Re: ujoint inspection on alpha 1?

Put a slight rotating force on the shaft when you check the movement of the "U" joints. This will show up any groves that the needle bearings are wearing in the trunnion. If they're worn you will get a lumpy feel when you move them with the force applied.
BTW, the 898 came with a 1-R drive. Has it been changed up?

I'm not sure. I was going by pictures and descriptions I found online. I cannot make out the numbers on the gamble housing or the outdrive. It does say 898 on the outdrive so your probably right.


Thanks.

 

[wrench 3]

Re: ujoint inspection on alpha 1?

I'm not sure. I was going by pictures and descriptions I found online. I cannot make out the numbers on the gamble housing or the outdrive. It does say 898 on the outdrive so your probably right.


Thanks.

It shouldn't make any difference for these repairs. But for future reference, the Alpha drive has a flat top were as the previous drives had a ring cast into the top cover that stuck up above the drive. There are other external differences but that is the most noticeable.

 

[boatingfun]

Re: ujoint inspection on alpha 1?

It shouldn't make any difference for these repairs. But for future reference, the Alpha drive has a flat top were as the previous drives had a ring cast into the top cover that stuck up above the drive. There are other external differences but that is the most noticeable.

Mine is flat. Hers is a link to photo https://www.dropbox.com/s/v28ccgprntgm7qs/20140413_122454.jpg

 

[wrench 3]

Re: ujoint inspection on alpha 1?

Yep, it sure looks like an Alpha leg. they'll bolt right on to the older unit and they're a bit stronger than the older leg.

 

[boatingfun]

Re: ujoint inspection on alpha 1?

Ok well I started putting things Back together. No problems until I tried to put the ujoint bellows on.
I got it on the gimble housing no problem. No mater how I line up the clamp on the bell housing cannot get at it to clamp down. Not sure if my flexible shaft screwdriver is just to bulky or what?
Any tips?
I pulled the bellows off to readjust clamp. Can I just add more bellows adhesive and start over?
Or do I need a new bellows now?
Thanks

 

[wrench 3]

Re: ujoint inspection on alpha 1?

If you clean the bell housing and make sure there's no build up of adhesive on the bellows, you should be OK to reuse.
I can't remember how I position the clamps (it just makes sense when I look at it), but the book shows it pointing down just inside of the shift cable. I use a 1/4 drive with a universal, and clamp it up before the exhaust bellows is installed.

 

[boatingfun]

Re: ujoint inspection on alpha 1?

If you clean the bell housing and make sure there's no build up of adhesive on the bellows, you should be OK to reuse.
I can't remember how I position the clamps (it just makes sense when I look at it), but the book shows it pointing down just inside of the shift cable. I use a 1/4 drive with a universal, and clamp it up before the exhaust bellows is installed.

I got it. I started fresh this morning. Completely cleaned up bellows and housings and reused. Mistake I was making was I installed on gamble housing first. I still had a hard time getting at the nut driver on the screw of clamp at any position. I ended up putting the clamp screw at the bottom where the exhaust bellows goes. I used the exhaust tube not the bellows so I don't think it will interfere with anything.
Tomorrow ill install the outdrive. Thanks for the help!

 

[boatingfun]

Re: ujoint inspection on alpha 1?

Noise after doing gimble bearing and bellows: Noise after doing gimble bearing and bellows - YouTube got it back together.
Everything is running good. I think?
I have a noise coming from transom area that im unsure is normal.
my gimble has been bad since I got the boat last year so I dont know if this sound is normal.
here is a link to a YouTube video that I did with my phone held in transom area.
what do you
think?

 

[wrench 3]

Re: ujoint inspection on alpha 1?

The noise sounds kind of like somethings dry. Did you use spline grease in the front end of the drive shaft? And did you check the alignment?

 

[boatingfun]

Re: ujoint inspection on alpha 1?

The noise sounds kind of like somethings dry. Did you use spline grease in the front end of the drive shaft? And did you check the alignment?

Greased everything good. I checked alignment with the special tool. The only thing I didn't do is replace ujoints. I greased them and thought they were good.