skidaddytn wrote:
Post some pics if you tackle this project. What bothers me the most about this chore is that VP puts it on the *yearly* maintenance schedule, but then refuses to put the procedure in the drive manual (with all the others like changing drive oil, engine oil, draining block, etc). If its not that hard, why not include it? There should be also be part #'s for all the needed supplies and the alignment tool itself. Now, I can understand referring to a shop manual in the odd chance that the alignment was off...
Supplies...
Stumpy's fab works drive jack
Sierra engine alignment tool
OMC/Evinrude triple guard grease (driveshaft splines)
if your gimble and u joints can be greased, boat trailer wheel bearing grease
long thin screwdriver to slide into u joints to turn d/s to allow splines to line up....
omc gasket sealer or Permatex aviation
A set of standard sockets and ratchet....think those bolts are 5/8s but not sure....
Before I spent some dough and bought the jack, I built one out of wood with casters underneath..
Procedure...get boat parked on level ground...set trim so drive is level...remove prop....slide jack or stand under drive...remove 6 nuts that hold drive to pivot housing....then you need to disconnect the nuts that hold the trim rams on the tie bar or clips whatever Volvo used in that year...sometimes you need to use a big pry bar to slide the trim ram off....I take a length of twine and tie up the rams to get them out of the way...and it just pulls off...Hold the d/s up so it does not bang the splines on the pivot housing as you slide it out...
Inspection:
bellows...no water...no cracks in the folds...if either then you gotta do a bellows job and pat yourself on the back for catching it
gimble...should turn by hand REALLY smoothly....grease it if you can...while turning it by hand...which spreads all the grease out...
u joints...check for loosness or binding...grease if you can....
splines...look in the gimble bearing with a bright led flash light...you can probably see the coupler...the internal splines should be squared off and not rounded off...same on the driveshaft...
engine alignment…..you coat the end of the tool that goes into the coupler with OMC triple guard....slide it in straight...then pull it out...the marks on it should be even all the way around...doing the alignment is a bit more involved if its off...might want to look at you tube....
reinstall...
grease D/S splines with triple guard grease...and also coat the mating surfaces of the drive housing and pivot housing with it...to prevent alu to alu corrosion....there are 2 o rings on the d/s...don't let grease get under them...just lube with motor oil..I like to put OMC gasket sealer or Permatex Aviation on the 6 studs that the drive slides on...use the alignment tool to get the gimble bearing set up straight....then hold the driveshaft straight....and slide it in...carefully...when the u joints are almost in...slide a thin long screwdriver in the joint...so you can turn the d/s to make the splines line up in the coupler...once you feel it 'go', remove the screwdriver and slide it on the rest the way...install 6 nuts...torque to their spec or 50 ft lbs at least...re connect trim rams...and you should be good....I've done this...ahh...probably at least 10 times....
sometimes it fights you going on...so make sure there are no small children around...if you are prone to bad language like me...I got new neighbors...who have little kids...so I gotta watch myself....if I feel an f-bomb coming...I use the tongue of my ancestors...so no one but my son and wife know what I'm talking about...lol....