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Ball Gear Removal

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mcc67

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I recently purchased a boat from a friend that no longer had the time to work on it, the outdrive upper and lower are removed and the Ball gears needed to be removed and replaced. I was able to pull the shaft out with the ball gear on the sterndrive however I am having a tough time getting the Upper outdrive ball gear and shaft out. The manual said just to pry the shaft out, but it only comes out about 1 inch before stopping. I have pried and pried with no success. Any suggestions about how to get the gear off... Thanks Mike C.
 
You removed the 4 bolts that hold the bearing carrier ?

If yes then the shaft is stuck in the coupler there is a 0-ring that holds the grease in maybe that or rusted in.

You can put a flat piece of wood up against the transom and with a crow bar on the wood pry it out use one or 2 balls on the ball gear to pry against.

Use spline grease not regular grease when you reinstall and shine a light in the hole get a good peek at the coupler.

To be clear you want to remove the whole shaft, then you can put it in a vice and get the gear off.
 
If you can remove the shaft and Gear an inch, then I can't see the spline being rusted together.

Now, if the Ball Gear has a Welsh Plug in it that is about 1" in diameter, then you have the "Press-on" variety of Ball Gear, but if the Welsh Plug is nearly 2" in diameter, then you have the "Bolt-on" or actually "Nut-on"

You will need to remove the Welsh Plug to see if the Ball Gear is moving on the Spline, or the Shaft is moving. If it is the Press-on type.

When I removed mine, the shaft stayed in place as it was stuck in the Coupler.

Bruce.
 
Thanks, yes I was trying to get the whole shaft out to change the ball gear. It is the bolt on with a nut, would it be easier just to remove the ball gear and change it out while still attached as that seems like it would work. Thanks
 
It is a lot easier, and less stress on parts, to remove the Bolt-on type.

But, you say that it is moving an inch now, so there should be no reason the shaft cannot come out, seeing as it seems to be free in the spline.

To remove the Ball Gear from the shaft, all you need to do is remove the nut, and with a puller that holds the Ball Gear, and presses on the shaft, "Crack" the tapered spline in the Ball Gear, and it will "Fall" off. Then, simply put the replacement Ball Gear on, and tighten up the nut, whilst holding the outside diameter of the Gear, and reinstall the new Welsh Plug.

Bruce.
 
Thanks, that sounds easier, I will reinstall parts and then try and remove the bolts and R/R the gears. It seems like this will be easier unless I cannot get the Nuts off... I will get some lubrication and soak them first as this should help. Thanks
 
So you don't want to look at the splines ? Thats your call.

Quick one when i got my boat i did the water pump in the drive spline were good on the water pump shafts.

heres what did happen copied and pasted from another site. I don't want this to happen to anyone.

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica] Aug 5 2008 Tow of shame ! Posted on another website by me.

Ok I just clear the sail boats at Keyport NJ.

I'm running at about 3500 rpm 20 mph everything is perfect, oil pressure, temp, charging, all is perfect.

I'm in about 25 feet of water per my fishfinder/depthfinder.

It's a great day to be alive. I have my 13 year old son the fishing machine with me. Weather is perfect, tide is coming in, slight chop.

I get to the middle of the bay oh maybe 15 minutes, and boom, it happens.

A loud boom the boat feels like i hit a wall and it revs high like i'm in neutral.

Temp. goes to 200 and i shut her off.

I know i didn't hit anything.

I call my friend, he says i'll be there 2-3 hours.

Ok I throw out the anchor. And were fishing.

Put up the Bimini top, and wait.

I calm down, and start thinking, what happened, maybe not in those words.

After all this is a family site.

My friend gets to me and I pull the anchor and he starts to tow me in.

Longest ride in at maybe 1 mph past maybe a 100 boats.

Never been so red faced in my life. Dejected don't even comes close to how i feel at the time.

I get the boat on the trailer and home ok. I's in the driveway now.

OK thats my tale of woe it happened yesterday. Oh by the way i got a keeper and one short the fishing machine nothing.

Now to the question! I need the minds of omc owners and mechanics.

Never easy for me to ask for help!

Ok motor off throttle in gear, Drive fully down. I turn the prop and the ball gears move both of them.

I'm thinking what the ---. No way got to be the water pump shaft stripped out got to be.

I'm turning and turning the prop the ball gears both of them turning.

Has anyone ever heard or seen the ball gear strip on the shaft coming out of the intermediate housing. I don't think the shaft is turning just the gear.

I have not gone out to the boat this morning yet except to walk the hot dog, dog we have. I walked past it but have not touched it yet this morning.

Aug 16-here we go again. Same thread same website 2 weeks latter.
Ok a update and a tip for all stringer owners.

Was the coupler, very, very unusual for it to go. But got a used one and worked great.

Started it in the driveway no problem. Shifted good, Tattle-tale stream strong on the ball gears.

Go out to the bay cause i'm itching to see if i got any mechanical skills left.

Have on the boat me my 16 year old son who is the deer slayer but he don't like the bay to mush. His boy scout friend and farther, 4 people in all.

A perfectly gorgeous day 6:30 in the morning, Bay flat.

Boat is running perfect.

Get to spot one drop the lines, no fish, start her up, get to spot 2 about 1 mile away, drop the lines, no fish.

Start her up go 100 yards, and she strips out the water pump shaft. Shut her off 2 seconds.

Did I as a reasonable person bother to check the water pump shafts, when i was waiting for the coupler in the mail? No. I have to find out on the water.

Throw out the anchor.

Same guy in his bayliner comes for me in 8 hours cause he's working.

Heres the warning guys. If you have a stringer.

CHECK YOUR WATER PUMP SHAFTS EVERY YEAR.

Mine were good 3 years ago. I know i checked them.

Out drive apart waiting for the shaft i ordered. One goes they both go.

One i had.

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