Bellow replacement --please read-- repair screw job
 

Having the bellows replaced and when I tok it in last wed they said it would be ready either Friday or Monday. Well I check it out Fri and they said they would get to it on Monday. No call yesterday or today so I stop by and the drive is off. I asked the guy what the deal was and he said the shift cable bent when he took it out or was trying to put it back in (sorry I forget). He said he didn't wat to use it so he is waiting until tomorow until he gets a replacement. I have a feeling he is gonna charge me for what he broke. He said it was normal to have to replace the cable when taking the stuff off. This doesn't seem right to me at all. If he F'n broke it he should eat the part. Do any agre or is this normal to replace when doing this work??? I guess I found a place NOT to take my boat!!!
SC

The mechanic is full of BS if he's telling you its normal to break stuff when removing a drive. He plainly f----d up. I wouldn't trust him to replace the bellows because if he screws that up you could potentially sink your boat................for what its worth........gofastpilot

When doing a bellows job, most shops in my area replace the shift cable and cable bellows and the water intake hose. Also most of the time when the u joint bellows has been leaking, the gimbal bearing needs replacement too. and sometimes the u joints need replacement also.

To replace a bellows properly, the drive bell housing needs to be removed, when doing so it is next to impossible to remove the cable with out damaging it and the cable bellows too.

At the marina where I worked at last summer, when a customer brought his boat in for a bellows, the boat got a complete transom freshening that consisted of the bellows, shift cable and boot, water intake hose (some reason most Alphas need replacing) and a gimbal bearing.

I removed my bell housing last year, I did not break my cable. Just loosen the nut and release the clamp. no big deal.

I bet the guy forgot to remove the cable and dropped the bellhousing down and snapped the casing.

He is just trying to cover his ass.

The only bellow that had dry rot was the shift cable, the u joint was fine so thank god the gimbal bearing was ok. I'm having all replaced as I figure they will go soon. I guess I'll eat this one and chalk it up as a lesson learned.
SC

I agree with Biggus. While the drive is apart replace everything. It is cheaper to pay one labor charger for removing/replacing the drive & replacing everything then to replace just the bellows. I is no fun when you are out on the water & drive will not shift because a cable broke or you overheated engine because hose let loose

Ray, your right about the nut/cable on a Bravo!

Been doing a bunch of Alpha stuff lately, the cable threads into the bellhousing on them.