Got a problem. Too much wear showing on outdrive

[SST]

(Sigh). I had hoped for a non-issue start of the season but to no avail. I picked up the boat from storage and inspected the drive for any tinkering like I found last year. All is good. But…..

I found some excessive wear between the starboard side of the drive and its guide (don’t know what’s it’s called). The port side is fine. It appears that 1/2mm has been grinded away on the drive. Nothing was hit last year. I don’t even know when this started. I had the impeller changed and new gear oil. I wanted to touch base before I drag it to the mechanic for another 2 month delay. See pics:

Port side:

Starboard side:

Thoughts?

 

[Iggy]

If I had to guess, the first thing I would do is inspect all the bolts holding the drive on. Have you hit anything? Are those arms square, mean the one on the right is not bent, or is it.

 

[SST]

If I had to guess, the first thing I would do is inspect all the bolts holding the drive on. Have you hit anything? Are those arms square, mean the one on the right is not bent, or is it.

Checking my logbook and other pictures, the last time I hit anything was during the 2018 season. The arm above is a replacement as you can see in the picture below that the arm is broken off. I will check for loose nuts and bolts. What is the torque requirement for these nuts?

I've read many posts over the years and have seen mentioned engine alignments......is there a outdrive alignment?

 

[Iggy]

Checking my logbook and other pictures, the last time I hit anything was during the 2018 season. The arm above is a replacement as you can see in the picture below that the arm is broken off. I will check for loose nuts and bolts. What is the torque requirement for these nuts?

I've read many posts over the years and have seen mentioned engine alignments......is there a outdrive alignment?

I can not answer your questions. I know there is a alignment for the drive as a whole. But on that part of the drive I don't know.

 

[SST]

When I got home this afternoon an idea pops into my head. Take a piece of paper and see if it will slide In between the drive and the arm. Surprisingly, it did. So that means they are not touching. When the weather clears later this week I will tape a piece of paper in between them and raise and lower the drive and see what happens to the paper.

 

[Phillbo]

Does not look like an issues to me.....

 

[SST]

That's what I'm hoping for. It may not be, but I've never seen one side worn and the other not. This weekend we'll see.

 

[Doc]

How's your gimble bearing? Can you move the outdrive much from side to side?

 

[SST]

Finally we are into the beginning of a full week without rain! Here is a short video. There is slight movement. There is no movement of the drive within the gimble. But the drive AND the gimble move a little bit. I will do some other testing this morning.

 

[SST]

I took a couple of videos but they are too large to post here. I’ll load it up to YouTube at some point. Anyways, I put a slip of paper in between the drive and the arm, raised and lowered the drive several times and the paper didn’t tear. So I guess I’m ok, at least on the trailer. I will get some paint and cover the grinded area and monitor it after each run. Fingers crossed🤞

 

[SST]

I launched for the first time yesterday. I launched into the Erie Canal. Nice and calm. Spent 2.5hrs, cruising around. Raised and lowered the drive. Inspected the drive when I got home and the paint I applied is untouched. So, I'm thinking this was part of the repair in 2018,

But I did find out that the trim gauge is no longer working and the fish finder/sonar is inop now. Always somthin'.

 

[SST]

After 20 hours of boating the paint is still in place no evidence of grinding. Thankful for that.

 

[chappypete]

I'm pretty sure those are the

Mercury Bravo Outdrive Wear Pad Kit 805261A 1​

I have the Bravo 3x model and that's my part number. Here's a pic.