Stern Drive Repair Manuals

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Stern Drive How-To's

mercruiser outdrive removal

How To Remove a Mercruiser Outdrive (Video)

Learn out to remove a Mercruiser Outdrive, presented by Cutthroat Jake. ... read more



Video Transcript

What I’d like to do is show you the parts of the sterndrive. You can watch the videos on YouTube no one seems to show you the whole process. If people talk about the wide pipe, that’s this part along here. So your exhaust flows down there and then out through the transom into your exhaust and down through the hub. This particular application a through hull exhaust, so the previous owner blocked them off with new pipes. Normal setup exhaust pipe goes through there.

The steering mechanism is connected to the top, while this drag link and this lead here. If you have got slop in the steering, it’s the back of that lever there you have to replace the bush. To do that involves pulling the whole catastrophe. Okay from the transom pipe that’s inside the boat and that space there would normally be taken up by the transom, is connected by 8 bolts or dials connected to this.

To remove these and replace them with new ones you may need to use heat. I found the easiest way to do it is running a whirl out of the boat. The localized heat comes through the element and frees it up easier. You are not using a blow torch and doing any other damage. That’s your so-called transom assembly on the outside. What that does; there is a pivot point here at the top that’s where your steering goes. Typically if you’ve got water coming into the boat, it would be because that bush which sits up in there is worn and allows water to enter the boat. They are steel and they do rust away. So there’s a pin at the top and a pin at the bottom that will facilitate your turning.

Then you have your gimbal ring. Now the gimbal ring fits under that top and bottom and it pivots here on these so that they can go up and down, in and out, very simple. Your dreaded billows are up inside in there. Not a big deal to replace. To pull the drive, undo these six screws. Once you undo those six screws that drive assembly will pull away and the input shaft and all will come out with it.

If you want to remove to lever link, it’s the same setup as an outboard. Three bolts this side, three bolts that side. You might find there is a hidden one down in here and one up in here or down that way. Check your manual, that just slides straight off. These drives are simply a right angle drive there and right angle drive here, that’s all they are. There is no mystery to it. These particular ones the TR2 are similar size to a Bravo screens up to a 20 inch prop for larger applications. Once you understand that you have got three components; your leg, your gimbal housing, forget about your gimbal bearing everybody seems terrified of them it’s just a bearing. I’ll show one in a second. There is your gimbal bearing, nothing special about that, by another one and replace it. To pull them out use a slide hammer. Some of the new ones turn, check your manual before you start.

And here we have the universal joints and your input shaft. This is inside the boat. Imagine you’re inside the boat, this piece here is what connects on the back of your flywheel. The TR2 leg fits on the back of the gearbox. So that’s how it works. That uni joint will take up any turn left or right or any tilt up or down. Once that’s in the boat this is all sealed with a simple flex assembly unit so that no water can leak in there. Your exhaust flows out here. The two pipes, the trim and tilt rams go down and into that cavity. Remember that’s sealed up watertight and come here underneath. So if you wonder where those disappear to, unblock that, they are just two hoses in the top. Until next time safe boating.



Video courtesy of Cutthroat Jake.
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About Stern Drive
If you don't have any repair manuals for your stern drive (i/o) boat motor, you're probably paying the dealership too much for some repairs you can do yourself. Stern drive tune-up and repair manuals published by Seloc cover most models of Mercruisers from 1961, most OMC models from 1964, and most Volvo-Penta models from 1968. Additionally, Ken Cook Publishing has made many previously obsolete boat motor owner's, service and repair manuals available for OMC motors dating back to the early 60's. Keep some of that cash in your pocket and tackle some of those stern drive repairs or tune-ups yourself. Seloc manuals feature clear instructions and photos for repairs such as fuel systems, cooling systems, drive maintenance, lubrication points, winter storage, fluids and lubricants, ignition, trim and tilt, and much more.