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Bellows installation 1986 alha 1

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Bruce53

Member
I suspect there are many threads to my problem but I don't see them so:* I have a 1986 Mercruser Alpha 1 gen 1. *Apart from all boasting, I am an old,*competent mechanic, but this one has me stumped.* I have failed twice to install*a new U-joint*bellows*on the gimbal housing.** As the Clymer Shop Manual says, I*push the bell housing with steady pressure*to slide the bellows onto the GH flange.**I push it even past the hinge pin holes, but I can't determine when or if the ridge on the bellows goes into the groove in the GH flange.* Everything*is very smooth & clean.* Part of my problem I suspect is the adhesive.* The manual (and the Seloc Repair Manual) says to "let the Quicksilver Bellows Adhesive dry until it is NOT tacky".* The adhesive says to "allow the adhesive to dry UNTIL tacky".* The adhesive becomes tacky in a few seconds, almost by the time I have finished painting it on.
Questions:* How*and when do I know that the bellows is in place to tighten the clamp?* On exactly what surfaces do I apply it?* The text is very unclear about it.* How long should I wait to test the full range of the BH?* Do I really have to have dthe grounding clips on the bellows; the clamp rings *are SS. I suspect they caused dthe clamps to slip off once pushing the bellows lip back inside the BH.**How do I keep the clamp ring from sliding around while starting the tightening; if the ring is too snug it impedes the "slide".
Any help on this*thing will be most appreciated...
Many thanks,
Bruce
 
Re: Bellows installation

The ground clips are very important, they should have small pricks to dig into the aluminium housing, They are all part of the continuity circut. They go at the 12:00 position.

once the bellows is secured to the gimbal housing, you push the bellows over the lip of the transom side. push till you cant push any more. try to tighten the hose clamp enough to hold, release the push a bit and tighten the clamp some more. when the bellows appears to be holding release the gimbal housing and finish tightening the clamp.

For the inexperienced this may take a few tries.......good luck!!

The bellows clamp should be at ~ 1:00 I believe.

Note: the hinge pins should be removed when doing this...
 
Re: Bellows installation

To clarify my post, I mean "...surfaces do I apply the adhesive?" and "... impedes the slide of the BH into the GH".
Sorry...
 
Re: Bellows installation

Apply adheasive to the housing and the bellows and let luck/adheasive go where is will.....it is a messy job and someone has to do it.........lol

wear gloves that SH!T gets EVERYWHERE

As soon as the clamps are tight you are good to go. The adheasive will dry fast.

FYI, I can be done without the adheasive and work with no issues, but it is best to use it..........
 
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Re: Bellows installation

Put the adhesive on and by the time you get everything into place, it'll be tacky. As KG said, the bellow will bottom out. There should be a square protrusion at about 3 o'clock that the bellow will stop at. It just takes a little finese and patience to get the clamp in the right spot. Loosen it up quite a bit so it doesn't interfere with speading the bellow during installation. How's the exhaust bellow working out for ya?!!
 
Re: Bellows installation

Thanks for the advice fellows....
I will give the Sierra adhesive a go.
I haven't bothered with the exhaust bellows. I just let it exhaust. Thought about using the newer metal pipe but decided it didn't matter. Do you exhaust via the prop?
 
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