This can't be good
 

Finally decided today to peel up the stickers for the heck of it. Not sure if this is a symptom or a cause of my swivel shaft leaks.
Actually, since I already figured these things were leaking, this helps motivate me towards Ron Bender's repair method.

Holy COW!!!!
There's a lot of corrosion going on to eat through that aluminum. Your outdrives are too new to be eaten like that.
There must be some powerful electrolosis happening while in the water. You run shore power when docked? Or anything generating a large amount of current?

If the upper swivel pin has become so lose that it caused the steering arm to be pushed aft, wearing a hole in the transom assembly, you got a problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think you may need more than just a gimbal ring repair.
Gary

Yeah, it looks like you may need 2 entire assemblies, strip the transom and start fresh. I can see rusty parts in there so water must have been intruding the top cap and worked on the brgs and shaft. Since the housing is rotted through there really is no good repair for it-but that is likely where your leaks were coming from (failed seals on the strg shaft)

Um, are those 2 different drives?

What is the repair method (Ron Bender) you referenced? I believe this is caused by a leak in the seal allowing water to sit in there all the time.

Dave

not good

I think the repair that they're talking about repairs the lose square cutout in the gimbal ring. It also cuts out the top area of the transom assembly, the area worn through, in order to access the steering arm bolts. I guess the plate could be used to cover the hole.
However, if the upper swivel pin is as corroded as it looks, and there's enough play to hit the housing, I got to wonder if the upper pin bushing and the hole it sits in are not badly damaged.

Yes, port and starboard.

Dave, check out www.jrmarine.com One of the links has a pictorial on their repair method.

And speaking of their method for those that aren't aware, their template has you cut out that part of the transom instead of drilling the two huge holes on each side. Of course I have to get the template on there and see how bad it is where it hasn't eaten through yet. But I've got my fingers crossed that I'd be cutting out most of these areas anyways. And yes, it looks like I'm in for tiller arms along with all the other parts x2 of course :(

As for electrolysis, the boat is trailered and the previous owner either kept it on a lift or on a rack at the marina. Over its entire life the boat probably hasn't spent 10 nights in the water. But at 1100+ hrs now, it's been in the water a bit :D

As for wear, the starboard drive is tight both laterally and vertically; the port side has maybe 3/8" total lateral and tight vertical. I haven't had anybody up inside while checking to see if there's play in the actual steering linkage, but I can see the swivel shaft is not loose in the gimbal ring.

Worst case scenario I need a couple outer transom assemblies and relevant parts. But at this point, in my best Spiccolli impersonation: "I can fix it..."

Whoa Dave, looks like we're in the same predicament. Check out:
http://www.jrmarine.com/instructions.htm
It looks like their cutout area might not be quite as big as what we're facing. But I'd bet if we needed a bigger plate they could do it for us assuming it wasn't a bad structural fix.

rdoactive, I agree there's something weird allowing it to wear from the inside apparently. But I'm thinking maybe the swivel shaft seal(s) go bad allowing water up & in. Perhaps it even pools there all the while eating up the tiller arm. Over time the tiller arm rusts up causing it to swell enough to the point it starts to wear into the transom. All that combined with in my case at least, salt water corroding the inside where it's probably raw aluminum.
Just another theory...

Looks like you have your handzfull!!! Hey I was just wondering if you have installed the exhaust system yet?Also I have two complete gimble housings that I started to completely refurbish,if you are interested let me know.

Thanks Anthony
Nordic95

Hey Anthony! Still got all your stuff in the boxes. I need to order the 3" spacers plus that bracket, plus whatever else I need for the swap (gaskets, bolts, etc). But something came up over the holidays that cut me off from spending that money.
At this point I gotta see if it's easily fixable using Ron's method. If I find that I've got to replace everything, then I'll be putting MPIs back in, probably with your housings :D But that'll be a huge nut and I won't have that for a while :(
But I'll keep in touch for sure. Hope yours is coming along nicely.

One of my housings had just had the Ron method installed just before I bought the boat.Its a good kit and works well if the upper housing is not corroded.Call me if you have any questions before you buy anything.

Thanks Nordic95
732-921-3355 cell

Slapped some duct tape over the holes this morning and went out for the day. Can you believe hardly enough water to fill the palms of your hands came out of the bilge? :D
I still have to fix all that stuff, but now I'm wondering just how bad the swivel shaft seals are actually leaking, if at all? I don't know where else the water would come from though...

2 new transom assemblies, just bolt right in, painful but no big deal.

Devcon and hydarulic steering will ease all of your pains.

Rene

MMmmmm, hydraulic steering, tasty :D :evilb: :drink:

Salt in the wounds Ted...salt in the wounds :p :D

BUT, I'd spend the money on full hydraulic steering before I bought two new transoms that's for sure. I wonder how much that would cost...

Oh yeah, what's devcon?

The problem is that if you have a corroded transom unit inside where the shaft seals insert you will need new transoms anyhow or else you'll still leak water. I really think you are going to have to remove the transom outer to properly inspect and/or repair anyway :( I know that's not what you want to hear but corrosion like that is not really what Ron's kit is supposed to fix.