Offshoreonly.com - Used Drive Evaluation Before Purchase?

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Used Drive Evaluation Before Purchase?

Looking at purchasing a used drive. Is there anything a mechanic at a dealer could do to determine what type of shape it's in mechanically before I purchase it. Like.....how much life it has left? Everything looks pretty good in the pics...is that about as much evaluation as can be done?

Here some pics, looks ok i guess, don't really know what I'm looking at to be honest though (newb boater)

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...6/MVC-017S.jpg

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...6/MVC-012S.jpg

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...6/MVC-018S.jpg

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...6/MVC-015S.jpg

I am sorry to tell you, but th only way to get an idea of the condition , is to tear it all down and eye ball everything. Even then, things can fall apart, even though they look good. Its a crap shoot.

make sure you check that the prop shaft is'nt wroughted out. I puchased a drive from someone here on the boards that failed to mention that the prop shaft was bad, and It eats up seals (leaks). So I would be carefull where you buy it from. And I would stay away form drives sold in florida, they are all salt water and most likely have issues.