JLAY

What is involved in changing the u-joints on a bravo 1 outdrive. It is a one day deal or should i free my whole weekend up?

oldandtired

It should be a half day job for a do-it-yourselfer as long as things go well. You just need to pull your drive, pop the c-clips on the joints, pull the joints and put it back together in reverse order. Make sure that you grease things up and inspect your gimble bearing and bellows while you're in there.

Good luck,

Rene

bowtie

Thats true if it's an older drive but if there are no grease fittings and the clips are on the outside of the yoke instead of inside, you better have the right tools or just order the entire assembly.

JLAY

How hard is it to disconnect all of the steering cables etc. Should i get the joints from a mercury dealer or can i get it from an automotive shop?

cloudmaster_321

why would you disconnect steering cables?

1. Pull prop so it doesn't get dinged up during handling with out a stand.
2. Pull off plastic caps, take off one nut and slide out trim ram shaft while supporting drive weight.
3. Loosen up the six nuts holding drive on, then slide back about 1 inch
4. Disconnect shift linkage by opening up jaws.
5. Slide off drive, get ready to hang on to the drive shaft otherwise it will fall out of the coupler and hit.


As far as changing the u-joints, my mechanic i use told me that i shouldn't try it, that i could screw up the yokes, said they were pressed in, but there was someone on here that said the early drives had c-clips. So not sure now. I have a 90 bravo 1, clips or pressed in?

Pure Energy

Let me know if you need this...http://www.offshoreonly.com/classifi...2&cat=5&page=9

JLAY

Thanks i saw it in the swap shop. Probably about the same price as just the u joints. I have a '93 B1. Wanted to change the joints just to stay on top of things. It does not seem that it is to involved. Now i just have to find a mercury dealer around that is open. I meant to say shifting cables not steering cables, sorry about that.

oldandtired

If you can't find a mercruiser dealer, I am almost 100% that those are automotive universal joints. I am sure that NAPA could help you for about 1/3 the price. I had already bought mine when I looked at the new ones and realized that I should have gone to NAPA.

Rene

MnFastBoat

How old is this joint? what year?

Thinking it would be a good quick thing to have around

Pure Energy

I bought it for my 1990 Bravo drive but never used it. It's about 3 yrs old. Been sitting in my garage.