aldoavme
New Member
just replaced exhaust and u-joint bellows and it sucked , that is all.
just replaced bellows
- Thread starter aldoavme
- Start date
berth control
New Member
bummer, I am planning on replacing mine soon. Any tips or suggestions for me? I have a guy that will do them for 800 each, but I have two motors so it's gonna run me 1600. Is it worth it to do them myself?
jwws007
New Member
800 each!!!!!!, you've got to be kidding. do it yourself or get some more quotes. I didn't think it was that bad
aldoavme
New Member
its actually not that bad at all, my boat is salt water so that just makes everything thats already difficult 10x worse. the only special tools you need are:
special tool to remove gimble housing bolts out of the stern drive. (make sure you tap it in all the way and then remove there in there pretty good with red loc-tite)
bellows install tool you will need this to install exhaust bellows i cant imagine doing this job without it. but i believe it could be done providing you have the Patience of a god.
the one thing no one told me about is if you have a later alpha drive or bravo on the u-joint bellows there is a metal sleeve that has to be installed from the back this locks the bellows in a grove to keep it from moving. i did not have the tool or feel like getting one (sunday eve) so i made one to do it, very easy heres what you need
4 inch pvc about 2 feet and a 4 inch coupling then cut one peice at 6 inches put it into one side of coupling and put the other half in the other side. then get some masking tape and wrap the the short side of the pvc right at the coupling esentically to increase the size of it just enought that the ring is nice and centered and loose not to tight then insert into the bellows make sure to put liquid soap on it and tap the back of the pvc with hammer it was so easy.
i know that might sound a little confusing i will try to get you a pic.
other than that you should be able to do it no prob. and since you get to do two you will be an expert on the second one or you have learned you lesson and its worth someone else doing it, good luck!
special tool to remove gimble housing bolts out of the stern drive. (make sure you tap it in all the way and then remove there in there pretty good with red loc-tite)
bellows install tool you will need this to install exhaust bellows i cant imagine doing this job without it. but i believe it could be done providing you have the Patience of a god.
the one thing no one told me about is if you have a later alpha drive or bravo on the u-joint bellows there is a metal sleeve that has to be installed from the back this locks the bellows in a grove to keep it from moving. i did not have the tool or feel like getting one (sunday eve) so i made one to do it, very easy heres what you need
4 inch pvc about 2 feet and a 4 inch coupling then cut one peice at 6 inches put it into one side of coupling and put the other half in the other side. then get some masking tape and wrap the the short side of the pvc right at the coupling esentically to increase the size of it just enought that the ring is nice and centered and loose not to tight then insert into the bellows make sure to put liquid soap on it and tap the back of the pvc with hammer it was so easy.
i know that might sound a little confusing i will try to get you a pic.
other than that you should be able to do it no prob. and since you get to do two you will be an expert on the second one or you have learned you lesson and its worth someone else doing it, good luck!
- Oct 3, 2006
- 4,404
- Boat Info
- 280 Sundancer, Westerbeke MPV generator
- Engines
- twin 5.0's w/BIII drives
Yes, if you replace one or two, replace all three.
The shift cable bellow can sink your boat if it fails. Replace this one regardless of how nice it looks. Don’t just replace the others.
All your labor is in getting this far. It’s like $20 maximum more to do this third bellow.
Ouch! :smt021
$800 each!
Eric, I have the tool to remove the hinge pins and I no longer have outdrives. If you PM me with an address you can have it. I will send it to you no charge.
Shawn
Alibuma
New Member
A shift cable bellows WILL sink your boat. I just paid the marina to replace my bellows and they didnt do the shift cable correctly. I didnt spot it until the boat was in the water and had water pouring into the bilge as the wife was pulling the trailer up the ramp.
Mistakes happen and the marina made good on it, but I will always be checking my bellows now. I cannot believe how much water got in there in such a short amount of time.
Mistakes happen and the marina made good on it, but I will always be checking my bellows now. I cannot believe how much water got in there in such a short amount of time.
MaddyDean
New Member
- Nov 25, 2009
- 545
- Boat Info
- 280 Sundancer, 1991
- Engines
- Twin 5.7 Mercruisers w/alpha drives
I tried it myself; bought the complete kits with bearing for $175 each. started out and took 6-six hours just to get the port side off and clean the old glue--I cleaned it real good.
after that I tried to put things back together and gave up--called my mechanic and he is addressing them as I write.
there were other issues like gear oil in the bellows and rust on starboard U-joint so i figured just give it all to the mechanic. Also did not have the alignment tool.
bottom line--one side job on a Saturday pays for the bellows and mechanic time--a second side job pays for all the work done--No brainier for me going forward. let my Mechanic do the work--he is real good so I know it is done correctly.
after that I tried to put things back together and gave up--called my mechanic and he is addressing them as I write.
there were other issues like gear oil in the bellows and rust on starboard U-joint so i figured just give it all to the mechanic. Also did not have the alignment tool.
bottom line--one side job on a Saturday pays for the bellows and mechanic time--a second side job pays for all the work done--No brainier for me going forward. let my Mechanic do the work--he is real good so I know it is done correctly.
berth control
New Member
wow, thanks for all the good advice guys! I had my mechanic look at it yesterday while it was in my barn, and he said the exhaust bellows look like they are about done, but the others all looked really good. Maybe the PO had the others changed and not the exhaust, or maybe the exhaust just aged faster, but I think I am going to run it another year or two before changing them. Apparently the exhaust bellows are not that big of a deal. I am really paranoid about getting a leak and letting water run into my transom and starting some rot...
berth control
New Member
good way of thinking of it
berth control
New Member
thanks for the very generous offer, I'll let you give them to someone who is actually doing the job though, looks like I can skate by for another year or two.
de nada
