Bell housing help
 

I was told by the shop that my bell housings were loose and would need to be replaced without taking them apart, sound right? I had no symptoms of a problem in for routine service. Has any one else had this issue? 1991 Merc 465's Bravo 1's 250 hours. Thanks

Seems odd, especially both. Even if they were loose as long as the mating surface to the block was good they should just tighten up. They serve no other purpose on a Bravo than just the rear mount, so if they are loose you would want to check your alignment.

Bellhousings are also the pieces the drives bolt to. The side pivot pins get loose at the threads. Thats why merc offers HP gimble rings that use different bellhousings with no threads. Dual tie bars will eat gimble rings and bellhousings.
Jim

Sorry wrong housings. I thought it odd the ones bolted to the engine would be loose.

I have only one tie bar and it is internal. Is the bell housing removed from the transom or the engine compartment?

Thanks

I was thinking engine bellhousing also... :D

The drive bellhousing is removed from the outside. The actual drive is bolted to the bellhousing. Behind the trim senders/limit switches are the pivot pins that the bellhousing tilts up/down around. The pivot pins connect the bellhousing to the gimbal ring. The knee bone is connected to the shin bone...:D

If those pivot pins have opened up the holes on the bellhousing, then like Mobilemerc says, bad things can happen. But if that's the case, i don't see how it gets fixed without taking it apart. The bellhousing usually gets replaced but can sometimes be repaired: http://www.jrmarine.com/products/bellhousing.htm

Thanks for the help! Would I feel this when driving the boat? Because the boat drives great (I thought)

I have an external tie bar off my 311, left over from when I switched to hydraulic steering. I do think it helps stabilize the drives. It was on my boat forever and my housings are still in good shape. If you're interested in it make me an offer, I don't need it any more.

If you add an outer tie bar the inside bar needs to be removed or have a slotted end installed.
Jim

Never knew that was the correct way with two bars but it makes sense when you think about it. When I ran two bars I always worried about keeping both drives trimmed/tilted even so one bar wouldn't work against the other.

Thats what happens when the drives are not perfectly even. Some thing has to give. So the the swivel bushings and pivots give.
Latham makes a slotted end for their inner tie bar. Merc used to make one for their steering system years ago.
Jim

Jim, help me overcome my ignorance. So if I want to add an external tie bar (IMCO, Latham, etc.) I should disconnect or modify the linkage that extends the steering arm to my port drive?
I understand the geometry of uneven tilt/trim. But I never considered how the internal steering would be effected...hmmm.

So a full hydraulic cleans this problem up, and also allows eliminating all that stock steering stuff?

Michael, The inside steering doesn't know how the two are connected. Either way it steers through the tiller arm and gimble ring on the stb side. You ultimately load one tiller or two. An outside add on system works well and is easy to install. It uses the inside stuff but actuates the outside cylinder instead of the one on the inner plate. Of course the full system is nice but how practical is it.
Jim

I went with a full hydraulic system. By far the biggest single improvement I've made.

Is the outer tie bar better than a inner? Would it be worth the change from inner to a outter?