Logo
FULL SITE MENU

U-joint bellow retaining ring

J

jmfcva

New member
Been searching for answer since last night. I installed the bellow off the boat to the bellhousing. everything looked good, confirmed it is home with the tool and hammer. However during outdrive install attempt number 600 the ring came off. I can install and remove it by hand. That doesn't seem right given all the trouble people seem to have installing the thing. I also tested the OG ring I pulled out during outdrive removal and it is the same. Am I missing something here?
 
jmfcva said:
Been searching for answer since last night. I installed the bellow off the boat to the bellhousing. everything looked good, confirmed it is home with the tool and hammer. However during outdrive install attempt number 600 the ring came off. I can install and remove it by hand. That doesn't seem right given all the trouble people seem to have installing the thing. I also tested the OG ring I pulled out during outdrive removal and it is the same. Am I missing something here?
Click to expand...
the bellow is probably not into the bellhousing far enough? I thought there was a ridge in there.

If installing the drive popped it off it wasnt fully seated, as to remove the original I had to beat the piss out of it with a big screwdriver and a BFH.

Are you using OEM or aftermarket parts? Have read comments that some of the aftermarkets stuff doesnt fit for chit
 
Dieter - It is fully in there...2 7/8". SEI marine parts. The original popped off when I removed the outdrive as well.

Doc - According to SEI Marine, that is how they designed it! Now the question is do I roll with it or remove this and install a quicksilver bellow and ring.
 
jmfcva said:
Dieter - It is fully in there...2 7/8". SEI marine parts. The original popped off when I removed the outdrive as well.

Doc - According to SEI Marine, that is how they designed it! Now the question is do I roll with it or remove this and install a quicksilver bellow and ring.
Click to expand...
Personally I would stick with OEM. I never had a ring come out when pulling the drive. makes no sense that it would come out when you remove drive for annual maint.

My original 2004 bellows made it 18 years and were still water tight, just getting a little stiff and chaffing at gimbal ring contact points. Given how long the OEM ones lasted why mess around with anyone elses.
 
Dieter said:
Personally I would stick with OEM. I never had a ring come out when pulling the drive. makes no sense that it would come out when you remove drive for annual maint.

My original 2004 bellows made it 18 years and were still water tight, just getting a little stiff and chaffing at gimbal ring contact points. Given how long the OEM ones lasted why mess around with anyone elses.
Click to expand...
Yea I appreciate that. I do have a quicksilver bellow and ring ordered. If it looks like I can install the bellow with the bell housing connected to everything else I might just swap it to be safe. Lesson learned though...Even if a company has great reviews they can't really be trusted. Same company supplied a new gimble bearing and I had to throw that in the trash due to a machine defect.
 
jmfcva said:
Yea I appreciate that. I do have a quicksilver bellow and ring ordered. If it looks like I can install the bellow with the bell housing connected to everything else I might just swap it to be safe. Lesson learned though...Even if a company has great reviews they can't really be trusted. Same company supplied a new gimble bearing and I had to throw that in the trash due to a machine defect.
Click to expand...
There used to be a guy named Chris from Dockside marine services in NJ that would regularly post here. This guy seemed to know his chit, and he said he had no issue installing SEI drives but he would replace their supplier impeller with an OEM merc one before he installed the drive...

there is such a big diff in cost between the OEM bellows kit and the SEI it cant just be merc gouging us.
 
Back
Top