Hey man, I just want to thank you for the video. I tried the last method you tried first with spacers between the prop and housing and I used a dewalt 1/2 inch impact with two washers and schedule 40 pvc spacers under the nut. I broke nothing and can clean all my parts up and install new seals and put it back together. TY!
I don’t have an optimax but and older 80hp but this lower was seized from several trips in the ocean and I did this trick with heat and it worked great thanks a lot
I watched your video other day before doing mine on a Mercury dfi 150 first I tried using a ratchet strap with 2 hooks on the carrier bearing and tied 1 strap to a fence post and tried wrenching it off didn’t work than I used a car jack with the straps like a pulley puller in the end of shaft didn’t work. Than I took a sledgehammer and tied the strap to the end of the hammer with Rachet strap leavin plenty of slack to swing the hammer I used 1 strap that has hooks on the ends to hook the bearing and it took about 3-4 swings and popped right out with zero damage to anything. Also to pull the seals out I had my kid hold a flat head pushing on inside of the oring while I took a long flat head inserting to other side and lightly tapping the other flat head pushed against the oring gently going around and zero damage to anything. Now just having a hard time finding the parts as the part numbers aren’t the same as new o rings I’m guessing. Seal #26-7080
Although I didn't show it in the video, I used the torch a few times to get try and that bearing carrier out, what a PIA lol. Sounds like you found yet another way to get the dang things out!
Man! You are the best!!! Believe I just saw this and started doing that hahahah, I know you said don’t recommend do this procedure but I tried with two puller(no the best expensive one) but it their blended and don’t move that carrier, so after see your video started working on it and boom 💥 it works. Thanks so much for share.
To remove the bearing carrier it's best to heat the outside of the gearcase housing. You heat on the outside of the gearcase inline with the first ring of the bearing carrier and on the outside of the gearcase inline with the second ring of the bearing carrier. The heat causes the gearcase to expand and allows easier removal of the bearing carrier, sometimes repeat heating is necessary. The heat is not going to cause any issues apart from burning the paint and even with heat some bearing carriers are still extremely hard to remove. I have had a couple that I have heated yet still needed to cut the carrier out to remove it. Another method is to remove the gearshift shaft and use like a heavy piece of aluminium or steel in the shape of a Top Hat with a hole in the top and place the base of the Top Hat against the mouth of the gearcase and use a nut on the prop shaft with washers and or spacers and gear to pull the bearing carrier out. The latter method is a good one to use if you have broken the bearing carrier. In using this method you need to make sure that the base of your top hat isn't going to cause interference between itself and the bearing carrier as your removing it. The 'TOP HAT' if your not sure - just think of a Gentleman's Top Hat made out of aluminium or steel with a hole in the middle of the top to suit the prop shaft. Obviously the Top Hat is sized to the gearcase. The 'Top Hat' that I use is made from aluminium and is part of an old hydraulic steering helm.
The chain thing actually works a little better with an impact driver. (Well enough to bust off the rest of anything to grip on to) So, just short of putting the prop on and prying with the nut here's what my "don't destroy the case" solution was. I drilled opposite of each other, 2- 5/16 in holes deep enough to know I was hitting Steel and tapped them both for a 7/16 in course bolt. This I believe helped relieve suction behind the carrier and then turning the bolts both in evenly pushed the carrier off the back of the lower unit.
That sounds like yet another way to get these pesky hubs out when they are stuck, I think I saw a video similar to what you are describing on Stu's channel, Dangar Marine
Best way to get a tight carrier out is with a puller that uses your origional idea of hooked bars but instead of bar use heavy threaded rod with a hook at the ends that go through a flat plate at pulls up against the round face of the unit. This will only allow a pull of 3/4 inch but thats enough. Pulling the propshaft loads the dog clutch and requires the gear select shaft to be removed, and the factory way of pushing on the propshaft is not great either IMO. I do that entire job while the unit is on the leg. The shift shaft wont get bent because the carrier isnt conected to the propshaft the carrier will slide out over the propshaft.
Yes, I should have invested in a better puller TBH. I did use this method as a "last resort". Wasn't too happy to used the prop shaft out. If puts a lot pressure on the rear gear bearing and the thrust washer in the hub. I plan on replacing them anyway seeing as I had to beat the bearing out with a puller and figure they are cheap enough, as is the thrust washer. The reversing gear I'll keep though.
I realize this video is over a year old and I am late to the discussion. I do not know if this "tip" would have helped in this case but it is something I saw here on CZcams that I thought was interesting. The "tip" involves adding compressed air into the lower unit, from the lower unit oil fill/drain hole, with the idea of creating internal pressure against the bearing carrier to help force it out. Again, with how stuck that bearing carrier was, I do not think by itself that "tip" would have solved the issue. Two obvious issues with adding compressed air would be damaging, blowing out, the oil seals. But, if you had to replace all the oil seals anyways, that is not such a huge issue. The other issue would be safety and safety is a big deal. Too much pressure might launch the bearing carrier like a bullet with the same potentially lethal consequences or rupture the whole lower unit like a fragmentation grenade. If you kept the pressure to the same amount specified my the manufacturer when pressurizing the lower unit while doing a leak test to test/verify the integrity of the oil seals you would be safe. But then at 10-15 PSI (whatever the manual limit is) you are not providing all that much "push" either. Any thoughts?
Dude you just saved me from drilling the carrier out of the lower unit!
Glad I could help!
This is a helpful vidz as far I'm concerned facing this issue as we speak. Thank you very much Mr Jo DIY. Libs from Singapore....
You are very welcome!
Hey man, I just want to thank you for the video. I tried the last method you tried first with spacers between the prop and housing and I used a dewalt 1/2 inch impact with two washers and schedule 40 pvc spacers under the nut. I broke nothing and can clean all my parts up and install new seals and put it back together. TY!
BTW, I did this on a 1998 Mercury 225 XL lower unit that's been used in saltwater it's whole life.
Nice work, Great to hear!
Very interesting video. Thanks for showing all of the steps you tried to get it off. How aggravating it must have been.
Yes it was but in the end got it done. Thanks for checking out the video
I don’t have an optimax but and older 80hp but this lower was seized from several trips in the ocean and I did this trick with heat and it worked great thanks a lot
Glad you could get it going again, thanks for sharing!
I watched your video other day before doing mine on a Mercury dfi 150 first I tried using a ratchet strap with 2 hooks on the carrier bearing and tied 1 strap to a fence post and tried wrenching it off didn’t work than I used a car jack with the straps like a pulley puller in the end of shaft didn’t work. Than I took a sledgehammer and tied the strap to the end of the hammer with Rachet strap leavin plenty of slack to swing the hammer I used 1 strap that has hooks on the ends to hook the bearing and it took about 3-4 swings and popped right out with zero damage to anything. Also to pull the seals out I had my kid hold a flat head pushing on inside of the oring while I took a long flat head inserting to other side and lightly tapping the other flat head pushed against the oring gently going around and zero damage to anything. Now just having a hard time finding the parts as the part numbers aren’t the same as new o rings I’m guessing. Seal #26-7080
Oh I also let pb blaster soak on there for awhile and than I heat up the outside of lower with a little torch. Because aluminum expands with heat.
Although I didn't show it in the video, I used the torch a few times to get try and that bearing carrier out, what a PIA lol. Sounds like you found yet another way to get the dang things out!
Man! You are the best!!! Believe I just saw this and started doing that hahahah, I know you said don’t recommend do this procedure but I tried with two puller(no the best expensive one) but it their blended and don’t move that carrier, so after see your video started working on it and boom 💥 it works. Thanks so much for share.
Glad you got it out and that my video was helpful to you!
To remove the bearing carrier it's best to heat the outside of the gearcase housing. You heat on the outside of the gearcase inline with the first ring of the bearing carrier and on the outside of the gearcase inline with the second ring of the bearing carrier. The heat causes the gearcase to expand and allows easier removal of the bearing carrier, sometimes repeat heating is necessary. The heat is not going to cause any issues apart from burning the paint and even with heat some bearing carriers are still extremely hard to remove. I have had a couple that I have heated yet still needed to cut the carrier out to remove it.
Another method is to remove the gearshift shaft and use like a heavy piece of aluminium or steel in the shape of a Top Hat with a hole in the top and place the base of the Top Hat against the mouth of the gearcase and use a nut on the prop shaft with washers and or spacers and gear to pull the bearing carrier out. The latter method is a good one to use if you have broken the bearing carrier. In using this method you need to make sure that the base of your top hat isn't going to cause interference between itself and the bearing carrier as your removing it. The 'TOP HAT' if your not sure - just think of a Gentleman's Top Hat made out of aluminium or steel with a hole in the middle of the top to suit the prop shaft. Obviously the Top Hat is sized to the gearcase. The 'Top Hat' that I use is made from aluminium and is part of an old hydraulic steering helm.
Good advice, thanks for the input!
@@ExtremeDIYGuy For a big motor, I suggest using a weed burner.
The chain thing actually works a little better with an impact driver. (Well enough to bust off the rest of anything to grip on to) So, just short of putting the prop on and prying with the nut here's what my "don't destroy the case" solution was. I drilled opposite of each other, 2- 5/16 in holes deep enough to know I was hitting Steel and tapped them both for a 7/16 in course bolt. This I believe helped relieve suction behind the carrier and then turning the bolts both in evenly pushed the carrier off the back of the lower unit.
That sounds like yet another way to get these pesky hubs out when they are stuck, I think I saw a video similar to what you are describing on Stu's channel, Dangar Marine
Best way to get a tight carrier out is with a puller that uses your origional idea of hooked bars but instead of bar use heavy threaded rod with a hook at the ends that go through a flat plate at pulls up against the round face of the unit.
This will only allow a pull of 3/4 inch but thats enough.
Pulling the propshaft loads the dog clutch and requires the gear select shaft to be removed, and the factory way of pushing on the propshaft is not great either IMO.
I do that entire job while the unit is on the leg.
The shift shaft wont get bent because the carrier isnt conected to the propshaft the carrier will slide out over the propshaft.
Yes, I should have invested in a better puller TBH. I did use this method as a "last resort". Wasn't too happy to used the prop shaft out. If puts a lot pressure on the rear gear bearing and the thrust washer in the hub. I plan on replacing them anyway seeing as I had to beat the bearing out with a puller and figure they are cheap enough, as is the thrust washer. The reversing gear I'll keep though.
Nice job. Yeah i would just get frustrated and buy a new lower unit lol
That was my next step lol
Did you install that Kiel anode on your lower unit? I've never seen one like that?
No it was on the lower unit when i purchased the boat.
Silly question probably but was the whole point to replace bearing and/or seals ?
Both actually.
I realize this video is over a year old and I am late to the discussion. I do not know if this "tip" would have helped in this case but it is something I saw here on CZcams that I thought was interesting. The "tip" involves adding compressed air into the lower unit, from the lower unit oil fill/drain hole, with the idea of creating internal pressure against the bearing carrier to help force it out. Again, with how stuck that bearing carrier was, I do not think by itself that "tip" would have solved the issue. Two obvious issues with adding compressed air would be damaging, blowing out, the oil seals. But, if you had to replace all the oil seals anyways, that is not such a huge issue. The other issue would be safety and safety is a big deal. Too much pressure might launch the bearing carrier like a bullet with the same potentially lethal consequences or rupture the whole lower unit like a fragmentation grenade. If you kept the pressure to the same amount specified my the manufacturer when pressurizing the lower unit while doing a leak test to test/verify the integrity of the oil seals you would be safe. But then at 10-15 PSI (whatever the manual limit is) you are not providing all that much "push" either. Any thoughts?
That sounds interesting, I would be afraid of blowing it up though!
How bout shifting problems of J90ML
Not sure I can help you with that, sorry