Alignment issues

[fixxxer22]

Some of you may have viewed my thread on me putting in new stringers.... well we all know that being perfect is hard. my stringers are obvioussly different now. I have the alignment tool from a buddy that sued to own a shop in the mid 90s. the tool number is 91-57797. i think it is ok for the bravos. i got it in and it spins freely. the drive will not go in! any tips? i need this thing on the water monday. any advise would be greatly apprecieated. :driving:

 

[phragle]

did you bump anything,the shifter and the drive need to be in foreward. Have someone stick their head in the bilge and see if the driveshaft is stopping at the coupler. The alignment tool has to actually slide in and out with very little effort.

 

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

i got it in and it spins freely. the drive will not go in! any tips? i need this thing on the water monday. any advise would be greatly apprecieated. :driving:

It should slide in and out freely. How it spins means nothing.

Not sure where to start. Position the drive on some blocks of wood or the likes so that the input shaft on the drive is at the same height as the center of the gimble bearing and the prop shaft is parallel to the bottom. It is very difficult to impossible to install it as if it is trimmed out. About the time the drive begins to slide over the studs you will need to rotate to engage the splines. Once you have engaged the splines you'll need to ensure the shift linkage engages. At this point I will grab cav plate with my fingers and thumbs over the cylinders near the forward end and squeeze. Sounds silly but it will help to push the drive in evenly. It will shimmy forward until the point you need to overcome the resistance of the o rings { which should be greased} penetrating the gimble bearing. At this point it may need a little persuasion. I drive it in with my shoulder. Occasionally, A kick or a "love tap with a heavy block of wood is necessary.

I hope this is more helpful than confusing.

 

[Buoy]

It should slide in and out freely. How it spins means nothing.

Not sure where to start. Position the drive on some blocks of wood or the likes so that the input shaft on the drive is at the same height as the center of the gimble bearing and the prop shaft is parallel to the bottom. It is very difficult to impossible to install it as if it is trimmed out. About the time the drive begins to slide over the studs you will need to rotate to engage the splines. Once you have engaged the splines you'll need to ensure the shift linkage engages. At this point I will grab cav plate with my fingers and thumbs over the cylinders near the forward end and squeeze. Sounds silly but it will help to push the drive in evenly. It will shimmy forward until the point you need to overcome the resistance of the o rings { which should be greased} penetrating the gimble bearing. At this point it may need a little persuasion. I drive it in with my shoulder. Occasionally, A kick or a "love tap with a heavy block of wood is necessary.

I hope this is more helpful than confusing.

Wow, that's a great description of when I was 17 and met a virgin.
And for your final line, No, it's no more helpful than being just as confused as I was that night.

Jim, just making a co-relation.
I'm pretty happy going on 11 years with the wife (well, 7 official), but I remember the old days before her, and I don't miss them.

Sorry Fixxer for the hi-jack.
Just doing what I do and throwing out completely unrelated topic any chance I get. It was actually unintentional.

Actually, I have quite a few questions about setting my boat back up too.
Show us more of your project!

 

[Seafordguy]

If the alignment tool goes in than the drive should go in relatively easy. Make sure when you remove the alignment tool, and put the driveshaft in that you aren't shifting the Gimbal Bearing.

I assume you are doing this with at least 1 or 2 other people? I usually get two people to lift and one to be in charge of shoving ths shaft through the gimbal bearing and getting the shift cable installed. Make sure you have some spline grease on that SOB.

I have ALWAYS installed my bravo's in neutral. You might want to get someone to look down the backside of the engine and determine where it is getting hung up. Make sure it isn't getting hung up on the studs. Someone on the front side could also rotate the shaft slightly if you think the splines are actually hanging up.

 

[fixxxer22]

the tool slips in and out. i get the drive jnust about to where i could start nuts on the threads (i know i do not what to suck it in with the nuts). i have 2 helpers but we are confused. it is just hard going in. i put the drive in gear and can rotate the engine if i really twist. i get in the boat and it is in the coupler almost to the pint of the o-ring on the shaft. i have replaced the gimbal bearing a few times on it and she never went in and out this hard. now i fix the stringers and i fight it.

 

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

I have found more people to be more difficult. Prop it up the the proper height don't lift. Too much happening at once. Also over the years I have found some drives need a swift kick. I only say this after I trust the alignment is right. The tool slides in and out easily and completely. It will slide it and bottom out.

Debris and sludge tends to build up in the splines as they wear. Grease on the end of the shaft will make a air pocket adding pressure to the process.
If the u joints are loose { old and worn}it can be more difficult too.

 

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Is there an old o ring jammed in the coupler hidden in the grease?

 

[fixxxer22]

i fust put the engine back in the boat yesterday and when i had it hanging from the crane i lubed the splines of the coupler to help aid in getting the drive in. i also checked my other drive (the drive i used to use) and all o-rings are intact. i just feel like the mercruiser tool is crap on simulating a drive. i am half tempted to go get the shaft off of the other drive and use that for alignment. also is that tool #91-57797 correct. if i am using the wrong tool.... well that would explain alot.

 

[fixxxer22]

Grease on the end of the shaft will make a air pocket adding pressure to the process.
If the u joints are loose { old and worn}it can be more difficult too.

the u-joints are good. but i was wondering if there was too much grease having that effect. i was told by that old mercruiser tech that i should put a light film of grease on the end of the shaft and pull it back out to see where it is hitting in the coupler. so i bet there is an excessive ammount of grease in there.

 

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

You have the correct tool number.

Grease on the end of the outside diameter. Not on the end surface.

 

[fixxxer22]

I don't recognize that tool number. it doesn't s/s to 91-805475a1. I will check mine it is about 25 years old and has never miss led me.

Grease on the end of the outside diameter. Not on the end surface.

Yeah, i am putting the grease on the end of the shaft where the splines would ride (diameter) but i did it about 30 times to see if i could make anything of it so i bet there is a good ammount of grease in the coupler. it just gets so close to being in but i do not want to "force" it.

 

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

so i bet there is an excessive ammount of grease in there.

That will make it difficult.

 

[Trim'd Up]

To much grease will definitely make things difficult, it won't compress. That's how I remove pilot bearings in cars, grease behind the bearing and round stock driven through the hole. If you're getting it that close to being on are your sure it's not your shifter hanging up?

 

[fixxxer22]

no it is not the shifter. i have her in the reverse ( think) all the way in. i like to click her in when it is close. but there was not contact with the shifter at that time due to the fact that i was test fitting.

also, here is the tool

 

[Knot 4 Me]

no it is not the shifter. i have her in the reverse ( think) all the way in. i like to click her in when it is close. but there was not contact with the shifter at that time due to the fact that i was test fitting.

also, here is the tool

That is the tool I use and if it easily slides in all the way then your alignment is good. I always leave the shifter in neutral when I pull the drive. That pulls the shift cable out, placing the drive in forward when it releases. That allows for plenty of cable length to easily reengage the jaws on the drive and also allows you to rotate the propshaft to get the splines properly aligned. Try to snake something up into the coupler to remove any excess grease. You should be able to fully seat the drive to the bellhousing without a ton of force or by way of torquing down the nuts.

 

[fixxxer22]

I took what you guys said and used it. The tool slid in and out very very well. i would wipe it off each time to remove some of that excess grease. i tried to get out all that i could. then i took the shaft off of another bravo that i have and i slid it in. no problem. the o-rings are a little tough but that was the problem. i oiled the shaft instead of greasing. i got the drive in and all is good.

I am guessing that there is a stackup of tolerances when trying to align the drive and as long as that tool goes in and out the drive may need a little persuasion but she will go.

 

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Does your coupler have grease fittings on it?

I am glad you got it on but, a little concerned about the oil.

 

[fixxxer22]

yes the coupler has a zerk on it. should i grease it now. i tried to clean off the excess. there is still a good ammount of grease in there. want me to grease the coupler?

 

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

Yes, think the oil will help wash the grease away. If not now after you run it first for sure.