Quote:
Originally Posted by MAXUM
No never thought about it, is that something that needs to be checked every now and then? If the gears in the lower unit aren't disassembled then I would think everything should stay true. Boat has close to 300 hours on it now.
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It's supposed to be checked annually. Most DIYers don't do it because it looks like it would be complicated and/or it's hardly ever out of tolerance. Alignment is important for coupler longevity. When it goes out of alignment, it's almost always due to an issue with the engine mounts or the stringers. Having the drive off is a great way to check the bellows and the condition of the gimbal bearing and U-joints. It's also much easier to lube the drive shaft splines when they are out in the open, compared to laying on the engine reaching for the one of the zerks on the coupler.
There's some slick engineering on the Merc drives like the drive oil valves that close automatically when the drive is pulled. One valve prevents oil from leaking out of the engine compartment reservoir and the other prevents oil from leaking out of the drive itself. When the drive is re-installed, the two valves press against each other and open allowing oil to flow to and from the reservoir again.