Gary Anderson

I pull my drives every year. Grease the U joints, check the bellows for cracks, check for drive/tranny fluid leaks.
Gary

Dixie Doug

Your right, you would think these guys would get it.You check everything plus service it(alighment ,u-joints,ect.).

Gary Anderson

Oh yeah, if you have the drive off, tranny/motor out, it's a reall good time to check the gimbal for repairs. TRS are not as bad as Bravos for wearing out, but an old boat can have leakage problems/worn bearing at the upper swivel pin.
You can do the repairs on the boat with the gimbal housing "drill" kit. But if you've got a spline/spline upper pin, you'll be glad the housing is off the boat.
Gary

Panther

I would pull the motor and tranny all at once, it's actually easier. I broke a bell housing once and needed to remove the motor, it was more of a pain in the A$$ than just pulling the whole assembly. Aligning the splines on the trans and flex plate was a *****, it is much easier when the motor is on the ground.

Besides, if your spending all this money to rebuild the motors you ought to rebuild the trans, it's cheap assurance.

Panther

Hang Time 27

Thats what I love about this website. All the different points of view -- when put together, the info can be priceless.

My method is same as Bryans. I find it to be rather easy. If you've got another person to spin the prop slightly while you push the motor and trans together it's even easier - otherwise just rock the motor a little till she pops in. Supporting front of trans before motor comes out will make it easier to get back together. Front of trans will drop an inch or two without the support.

Definately good point about checking everything out if it's your first year with the boat - especially if you don't know for sure when the drive was off last. For all you know, there could have been water sitting in the bellows around the u-joints for the 3 years of storage!! You'll feel much better having seen the condition of your u-joints etc, so you know exactly what you're starting with instead of just "wondering or hoping for the best". Nothing worse than "feeling" that u-joint vibration when you're out on the water, and of course a failure under a hard load............ouch.

While drive is off:
1. Check and regrease u-joints, maybe just replace if you have no idea how old they are, clean and regrease input shaft splines.

2. Bellows. Clean out (old excess grease goop) and check the rubber bellows for holes. If there are signs of water in this area, it either leaks, or the bildge filled up with water enouph to let water in from inside the boat (AKA sinking, or leaving the bottom plug in while on trailer for 3 years) . That water would remain there until the drive is taken off.

If you are not familiar with how any of these items should look or feel, have someone who does look at them while it's apart, so from then on you'll know whats right.

If you've got some power and someones been hard on it, expect to replace the coupler on the flywheel - it will probably have a loose or broken spring or two - not good -- and even if not, starting with new ones will give you a little piece of mind. When those springs break you may hear a little rattling back there while running with the hatch up. There are a couple of different ones that can be used, of different strengths, but some of the stronger ones will not fit on a standard flywheel without machining the flywheel for clearance.

When reinstalling the drive, it is very easy to damage the small rubber o-ring (new one that you just put in of course) at the oil passsage "valve" in the bell lhousing of the transom assembly. This valve shuts when you remove the drive to retain the rest of the drive fluid that's in the transom assembly reservior. When this o-ring is damaged, you are now relying on the dry gasket between the drive and transom assembly to keep oil in, and water out- most guys will put a good sealer around this area for extra measure, or in case the o-ring damage does occur.

It is also difficult to keep the front of the shaft up to plug into the trans as you push the drive in. Some will use along screwdriver - I never have. Note: I find this step alone to be alot more difficult than getting the motor and trans to hook back up! They don't go in as easy as the bravo's do.

TRS gimbals usually get alot of play in the top swivel pin/bearing (at the outside top of the transom assembly), especially if run hard without hydraulic steering. You can't just keep tightening it a little, like bravos. Once they get loose, they will only get looser....

If you don't know how old the trans's are (since last rebuild), then you will always worry about them. They could go next weekend, or last 4 more seasons......................

Yep, with boats, it seems money will solve most anything...........

Hope some of this helps -

offshoreratboy

I agree! All these things need to be maintained but most important...Alignment! You would be very suprized at what a 1/16th of an inch in the front mount throughs off the aligment at the drive bell housing. And as we all know you cant align the engine/tranny assy. with the drive on!

Techtivitist

Hello all, has anyone seen a case where the only way the engine will come out is to remove the drive? I have an 87 baja force 200, new engine is here but there doesn't seem to be enough room to get to harmonic off the front of the engine to allow any forward movement. this thing is crammed in there, water-pump pulley is almost rubbing front of engine compartment...any help is appreciated

Dixie Doug

Remove the rear seat

Mbam

Pull the drive as pointed out above. The only additional comment I have is we have a just about bulletproof heavy duty drive late that is dished, no flywheel machining required. Also engages the transmission input better than the flat ones.