How do you align your drives? Not to the coupler but with each other.
 

Last yr. I had new HP gimble rings installed. I now have about 1/8 inch of play in the drives up and down. Side to side is tight. Should there be no play at all?

Also while sanding down the bottom, I noticed the drives are not facing staight forward. One is pointing outward more than the other. Can this damage the gimbles? What is the best way to get them straight? Do I use a 90* straight edge off the stern?

Thanks

I will take a guess on the side to side....If you put both drives over to one side, wont they both be at the same angle?

I measured from the center of the prop shaft on each one and the center of the drive "bullet". There are some that say toed in or toed out is better. Do a search on the tech area and you will find the thread.

Measure from the 'exact same' point on the transom assemblies; such as upper left corner of port, to upper left corner of stbd. This will be the your TRUE center to center distance. Adjust the tie rod until your prop shafts are the same distance. This will make both drives exactly parallel with each other. Then you can tweek the toe in or out as wanted. I find it is easiest to go from an edge than trying to go from a centerline of a part.
I noticed last yr when I installed a complete new drive that it also had about an 1/8" up/down play. Finally seen it was coming from where the trim cylinders mount on the end of the drive. The new drives have an oval shaped hole and use a plastic spacer for taking up the slack in order to postion the trim cyl. in 2 different locations, depending on application. It's not as tight fitting as older round hole models, hence the slop. Check that.

Thanks for the help.

YOUR UP & DOWN PLAY SHOULD BE .007-.010 OF AN INCH.SWIVEL SHAFT NUT & TILLER ARM BOLT COULD USE TIGHTEND UP SOME.LOOSENESS WILL ONLY CAUSE GIMBAL SO WEAR SOONER.I SET DRIVES ON DEAD CENTER. NO TOE IN OR OUT.WHY CAUSE DRAG,IT ONLY SLOWES YOU DOWN & PUTS PREASSURE ON DRIVE & GIMBAL'S. RON BENDER

Ron, where should the .007-.010 be measured at?
Jerry

Or are we talking about a straight verticle 1/8" slop?