jr marine.com has a video you can watch,on his web site

no, PB is best rusted-in bolt freeing agent there is. but loctite wants acetone or heat. DON'T use both at same time! heat first to release the bond then acetone or laquer thinner to dissolve some of the loctite gunk. carb cleaner works too cause you can spray it. and it is definatly an american allen wrench size. pre-alpha gimbal housings are cheap and easy to find-worst case...

Check out Heartland products, Made in the USA no issues, nice stuff. http://mbsmfg.com/marinetools.html

If your doing belows you will need,
1 hing pin tool(merc only)
2 shift cable socket (will want to replace this whyle your in their)
3 if your installing a new exhaust bellow then you will need the exhaust bellow tool or you will never stretch it far enough to clamp it in place.
4 aleignment tool
5 gimbal bearing puller and instlation tool..


all mine are merc tools,

http://www.mercstuff.com/parts.htm

I did use heat and a 5/8" allen in a socket with a breaker bar and a piece of pipe.

is the gimbal bearing puller same as a 3 jaw slide hammer??

if i going with thru hull and block off the hole inside the transom with a plate do i need to even put the exhuast bellow on ?? i know part of the shift shaft runs inside it will it matter with water being sumerged on it as water is on it anyways in the exhuast ?

I don't think you need it.

what i was thinkin as well... got my pins out earlier today 5/8s allen on three of course the 4th was stripped out couldnt beat the next size up in it had to beat a snapon extractor in it then heat with propane torch finally gave way... i know snapon tools are high but these screw extractor set about 30 peice has saved my ass enough to justify buying it.. all on stuff i had nothing to do with until it needed repair.. of course ill be installin new pins..

exhaust is underwater already at that point. bellows is to route the noise thru prop. not needed at all thru-hull. make sure you get correct block-offs. Craftsman is also lifetime guaranteed. but with Sears stuff, you are guaranteed to use the guarantee.