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Thread: Drive alignment?

  1. #1
    Craig
    I posted in this thread hoping someone will recognize the problem Went to put my outdrive back on and couldn't get it to go that last inch. I have the Mec alignment tool and thought I had it where it slips all the way in. I must be doing something wrong. Since you can't actually see the tool going al the way in, it's hard to tell if it's right! I've done it before and been OK, maybe I was just lucky I've run the stud nuts up and down trying to get a good alignment. I've even tried rotating the bearing a little thinking maybe that was off. Anyone got a secret????? Springs just about here, my drives fixed and I can't get the &^$#@ on!

  2. #2
    1stepcloser
    Try turning the shaft as it goes in (damn, that sounds sexual ), the splines may nt be lined up at hte engine coupler.
    also, make sure the point where the shift cable enters the drive is in the "up" position so the cable can enter the port.

  3. #3
    beer hunter
    You may try putting or taking it out of gear.

  4. #4
    Chase
    Try shutting the engine off while doing this...

  5. #5
    BADBLOWN572
    If you are trying to do this on the trailer, you might have a problem. The gimbal will be in the down position and it needs to be straight for easy access. Raise the gimbal just a hair and put the handle of a hammer between the pivot point and the part that attaches to the boat. Then put the drive in gear and go to install it. First run the alignment tool in the hole to make sure that the bearing in the gimbal is properly aligned with the motor coupler. Once the bearing is aligned attempt to put the drive on. Don't forget to lubricate the splines and O rings! If it won't get the last 1" to go in, take a pair of channel locks and turn the prop shaft which will in turn turn the yoke and the input shaft. Should slide right in once all of the splines align. Make sure that the shifter cable is securely installed within the jaws of the drive. What a bitch if you have to pull it off because you forgot to hook up the shifter. Good Luck!

  6. #6
    Craig
    I was under the impression that you always want the drive in neutral How to you get it to shift gears when it's not on the boat?

  7. #7
    Havasu47
    Originally posted by Craig
    I was under the impression that you always want the drive in neutral How to you get it to shift gears when it's not on the boat?
    If it is a Bravo leave it in neutral. The shift lever will be just out past the surface of the housing. Not going in the last inch has nothing to do with fwd or rev other that the shift cable contacting the shift lever. The last inch has to be the gimbal bearing out of alignment. The splines will already be in the coupler at this point. The gimbal bearing is a spherical bearing and is tricky to align with the coupler. If the tool goes all the way in the drive will too. Check the drive splines for a twist and check the internal splines of the coupler. The coupler splines at the inner diameter must be square and not rolled over.

  8. #8
    BADBLOWN572
    First you want to put the shifter in reverse so the cable is as far into the gimbal as possible. Take a pair of needle nose pliers and while turning the shaft on the drive, pull the shift cable jaws out as far as they can go. This will put the drive into reverse. Get the drive up and if the splines will not align, turn the prop shaft. Being in reverse it will spin the input shaft. When you get it to the point that the studs are extending into the hole, push your shifter forward until you have enough cable to extend into the jaws. Push the drive on until it is approx. 1/2 inch away from being completely up against the gimbal. Pull the shifter lever into neutral so the jaws are just inside of the drive and push the drive all the way on and bolt it down. All Done!

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