outdrive install problems
 

Hello everyone, I have been lurking on offshoreonly for quite a while enjoying the forum and I have wound up with a confusing outdrive issue on my hands. I developed some steering play on my 1995 Crownline 225 CCR 454/ bravo 3. I purchased a rebuilt gimbal ring, steering pin and HP U-bolt through Ron Bender and the installation went well. The horror started when I went to put the outdrive back on the boat. The alignment seemed great, and then I would rotate the motor 180 degrees and it was bad again. I adjusted the engine mounts slightly and finally got the gimbal alignment to where it seemed correct and tried to install the drive. The shaft butts up to the engine coupler and will not go into it, the splines do not seem to be making contact at all as I turn the props and shaft. I had my brother push the outdrive in as far as he could (to the end of the mounting studs) and I feel the shaft hitting the coupler. Today we pulled the gimbal bearing again and tried to put an extra outdrive shaft into the coupler with no success! I can’t even feel splines skipping as I turn the shaft, it’s as if the two were not meant to go together. A friend is telling me to replace the coupler but I drove the boat two weeks ago and aside from the slop in the steering all was well. Also, when I removed the drive nuts it easily slid off no binding at all. At this point I am out of ideas. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Can you actually see the splines in the engine coupler they might be stripped out, they are alum. on standard coupler or engine alignment is way out

Splines
 

The splines on the coupler appear to be in fine condition, I scraped some grease out of them and took a look, even hopped in the engine compartment behind the motor and felt around in the coupler. I couldn't find any defects with them. As far as the alignment, I have gone to the extents of the motor mounts and still could not get the outdrive to slide in. Is it possible that the coupler's center point can move slightly? Thanks again for any suggestions, they are greatly appreciated.

Is the rear of the motor mounted backward on the gimbal?
(ie: was the motor placed under, not on top or vice versa?)
That would add distance and angle that can't be "adjusted".
The coupler cannot move to that extent. I would continue to adjust the front mounts. Everything else should be irrelevant. Are you using Merc's allignment tool?

Engine mounting
 

The engine was never removed so the mounts in the rear are on top of the transom brackets with all the stock hardware. The alignment tool was purchased from Ebay and is not a mercruiser product although the seller was recommended on another popular boating site.

are all washers in place? Sometimes they slip into the bilge...other than that....
take off the forward drive shaft yolk and see how far you can put it in...if it goes in, the problem is elsewhere..?

Driveshaft yoke
 

I took an extra drive shaft and attempted to put it into the coupler with no gimbal bearing installed so there was lots of room for the shaft to slide into the splines. I could not get it to slide in. At this point it would seem that the problem is either with the coupler itself, or bad rear engine munts? I will take a close look at the rear mounts today to see if anything appears out of place. Thanks again for the advice on this, this is my first attempt at really doing any significant work on my boat and although I have quite a bit of experience with auto's and other recreational equipment I just can't imagine how somthing that seems so simple is getting the best of me.

Are you using an alignment tool???????????

Alignment tool
 

Alignment tool goes in and out with 2 fingers, grease pattern looks good, and still the drive shaft will not go into the coupler.

Is this the spare drive shaft, or the one on the outdrive?

Tool
 

I have an alignment tool, which i used to adjust the engine height. That will go in and out of the coupler easily. The shaft on my outdrive along with the extra outdrive shaft that I borrowed will not go into the coupler at all.

Fixx
 

did you replace the o'rings on he input shaft??

Greece them and once you slide the shaft in as far as it will let you, give it a swift kick,,its probably hanging up on the o'rings that go through the gimbal bearing..

O rings
 

I actually took the orings off the shaft once I began having trouble. The shaft will not even go in with them off. It is definatley a metal on metal collision between the shaft and coupler.

I one time had a home made (not by me) alignment tool that was not the right diameter. Validate you have the right tool, it sounds like you do not. Also make sure you are getting the spherical part of the gimbal bearing aligned properly or the drive will never go on.

The Solution Is Found!
 

A buddy of mine felt around in the coupler and thought he noticed a couple of the splines on the end has some burrs and felt a bit roughed up. He put a small file on a dowel rod and in about 15 minutes the drive was able to slide into place! Thanks to all the suggestions from everyone they are greatly appreciated. Phhewww --Boating season is on again!

Fixx
 

are you sure you have the rite bearing??

i have seen those ebay aleignment tool to be off by .010..my merc one is has alot tighter fit..

make sure the center of the bearing is center with the coupler, the center of the bearing will rotate,stick the alignment tool back in and take a dead blow hammer and smack the tool @12-6-3-4 o'clock to center it..if your tool is a loose fit that may be the problem..

also make sure the coupler is not packed with Greece,it will hydraulic and wont let the shaft slide in easy,,make sure there's no rust or even a burr on the shaft also,,its a real tight fit and that will stop it from going in..slao look for a twist in the coupler splines and shaft..