You will need two 12 point 5/8 box end wrenches to take the bolt and nut loose on the tiller arm if you cut the window. The measurement doesnt have to be done with calipers but try to get close. Take a sharpie and a ruler and measure from the center of the box end towards the open end 1-1/2 inches and draw a line perpendicular to your measurement from one edge of the wrench to the other. Measure from this line towards the open end 13/16 and draw another line across. Now from each edge of the wrench between the two lines, measure across and it should be something like 1/2 inch if it is a Craftsman. Measure from the edge towards the centerline of the wrench 1/8 inch and do the same on the other side. You want to have something like 1/4 inch between the two lines. You are going to make a cutout on the wrench so that you have more room to turn it on the bolt head and the nut. When you get the window cut out you will see what I am talking about when you put the wrench in the window area to the bolt and nut on the tiller arm. This pic is something like what your wrench should look like on the box end. If you have a way to heat the wrench up and take out most of the bend at the box end to where the wrench is almost flat...this will also help. Dont make it totally flat, just take out about 3/4 of what there is.

I used the correct tool and I usually go get the correct tool. I have screwed up too many different things trying to get it done without a tool that is called for. I did put the bellows ring on one time several years ago with a cut down to fit inside the housing 2 x 6. When I posted the link for the installation tool, I saw one for $23.00. You screw up the ring and by the time you go get another one, you have spent enough to get the tool and a 6 pack on the way back.

The bushing install tool is going to be a Mercruiser dealer/special tool. I dont know that it cost since I can borrow one from a friend, so I really dont need to spend the money on it. Trying to get the upper (small) bushing in without it and not bending the bushing is going to require either extreme skill or good old fashioned luck. The first one I did made the bushing close up some and I couldnt get the top of the new swivel pin in it, so I had to pull it out and go get another bushing. This is when I got the install tool from my bud. I told him what I did and what happened and he just laughed and said use this. The pic ofthe silver tool just before the white donut thingy is it. Put some blue loctite on the outer diameter of both bushings and also on the seal. Make double sure that when you install the seal, the lip goes up and the split in the bushing is either in the 3 or 9 o'clock position. I put my upper bushing at 3 and my lower at 9. Push the tiller arm out of the way and slide the tool up...get it in place and lined up, then tap it in place. I used a 3 pound brass hammer with soft taps and everything went right in. I might tell you that the real fun starts trying to get the upper bushing out. You are going to have an entire new vocabulary. The bottom bushing can be driven out using a 1 inch deep well socket. Put the socket on the bottom after you pop the seal out and drive it upward. Once you get it about half way out, you can hit the side with a big screw driver and bend it, then reach in with a good pair of needle nose pliers and yank it out. There is nowhere to hit the upper. Use a small tipped punch to try to bend the outer wall in towards the center and you can grab it with the needle nose pliers. I dont know if they make a tool to pull that out or not.

After you get the new bushings and seal in...let the blue locktite set before you do anything...about an hour or so depending on the temperature. After that put a sizeable dab of good marine grease in the upper bushing hole as well as on the lower area all around the seal and the bushing above it. I also put alot of grease on the new swivel pin. Then slip it up in place for a test fit. With the tiller arm out of the way, it should slip right up and in place. You should be able to turn it to check if it has free movement without binding. Next pull the swivel pin out and set it aside and go after the tiller arm to put it back in place. Put some more grease on the new swivel pin and slide it up while turning it slightly so that it will go into the square hold and into the square hole in the tiller arm. You might have to tap it slightly...just dont tap it hard.

I should have made a video of all this stuff but I just forgot about it. I was working and on a roll and just never thought about it until I had finished...alittle late by then.

I forgot...use bellows glue. Some of my Mercruiser buds told me i can use silicone or 3m weather striping glue in a pinch, but use the bellows glue if you have it...and wear some disposable gloves. That glue is pure Hell to get off your hand and fingers.

Could you not use a die grinder with a cut off disc instead of drilling 66 holes?

I feel like I've been short changed. You said in the beginning you were going to make a movie. Could you please take it all back apart and put in back together so we can have the movie that you promised?......................................... .......JK, nice informative post. I think I have the same thing going on.

I did this kit on our old Baja 272. Very easy to install and the quality of the upgraded JR stainless parts is really welcomed. They make all their parts in Mentor Ohio, so I drove over to their shop and traded my gimbal ring in and picked up the parts. I used a small cutoff wheel for the access window. Just had to watch the depth and it was fine...plus didn't look like Godzilla chomped on it for breakfast. That's a good one.

I would think that you could use a die grinder, but you have to be very careful and follow the hole pattern closely because if you get too far over one way or the other, you will cut into something that you shouldnt and this could be a real problem. Drilling the holes isnt that bad especially after you center punch them all. You just cant let the drill go thru very deep or it will hit something behind what you are drilling thru and break off. The drill is only 3/32. Four of the holes will need to be drilled again with a larger drill that is furnished so that you can tap the holes for either the bolts of stud.There are three small disc furnished with the kit, but I would still recommend drilling the holes, then cut out the window after you have all the holes done.

Thank you for the clarification on that. Most of all, thank you for not taking offense to my wording. I tend to be a little sarcastic at times. Winter is getting a little long this year and I'm seeing tempers flare quicker than normal this off season. It's nice to be taken lightly for once.

Thanks for sharing the write up too.

Buck.

It ended up being one of those things where I was on a roll and I completely forgot to video some of the stuff...my bad. but the good news is...what I did video is all free... ). If you have any issue when you do yours...just holler and I will try to help you out.

No worries Buck...we're good.

I do have a few bozo's on this site that love to TRY to irritate me and they go out of their way to do it. They have a little boys club where when someone doesnt agree with them or worship them as some sort of GOD, then they get together thru emails and what-have-you and go after the person...usually me. They make all sorts of claims and assumptions that they are THE GREATEST, their word is the same as if GOD said it and I guess I am suppose to he THE DUMBEST. LMAO...they have no clue what I have as I have better things to do then worry about them however I do get a good laugh at some of their BS. Most of them are still mad at me because I am good friends with Jeff Murray...the guy that took the Cardshark boat a few years ago, and also the fact that I posted what was asked of me to post by the investigators and detectives resulting in almost everything that I posted becoming fact ahead of when it would have actually played out. Oh well.

No worries Buck...holler anytime and I will do what I can to help you out and keep that big "dina-sewer" chained up.

I understand. Hey I appreciate you taking the time to post all of it.

Would adding external steering fix this issue all together, or do you still have to have the swivel pin operational in order for the external steering to work?