Can you pull Walter v drive out to remove prop shaft?

[CRope08 0]

Hey guys, I have a 2000 centurion eclipse v drive with the Walter v drive. I have to replace the bushings on my strut and am curious, can I remove the v drive and remove the prop shaft through the inside of the boat instead of going through the pain of removing the coupler and reinstalling the coupler. It appears if I remove the v drive I should have plenty of room to clear the shaft inside

[CRope08 0]

Any advise is greatly appreciated, thanks

[h20king 794]

Lots more work that way but yes you can pull the v drive if you have clearance. My advice if you do pull it spend the extra money and upgrade your shaft seal

to the dripless shaft seal system.also make sure you drain the drive before removal so you don't make a mess

[CRope08 0]

Thanks h20! Okay so if I didnt remove the v drive what way do I tackle getting my coupler off and back on. Have heard on some threads about having to heat to some 500degrees to reinstall coupler. That doesn't seem possible with the vdrive in the way. Or is it simply put shaft back in the coupler and it will press itself back on by tightening the big bolt?

[CRope08 0]

Or then again, how difficult is it to drop the strut instead. Then rotate strut and pull off from bottom leaving my prop shaft still in boat. Is that possible and how hard is it to align a strut again?

[h20king 794]

Depends on if you have an offset rudder or not. If it is centered you will have to drop the rudder to get the shaft out. If that's the case I would pull the drive and seal the pan on the drive while it is out.all the Walters leak over time.

[h20king 794]

Heat is to separate the coupler from the shaft. The shaft is a taper fit with a key way. To install put coupler on without key way then draw a line around the shaft where the coupler bottoms out. Remove coupler and reinstall with key way. Tighten large center nut tell coupler is bottomed out and touches the line that you made. Tighten set screws and your done. Unfortunately with the Walter you need to do all of this while standing on your head If you do not pull the drive.

[h20king 794]

Or then again, how difficult is it to drop the strut instead. Then rotate strut and pull off from bottom leaving my prop shaft still in boat. Is that possible and how hard is it to align a strut again?

DO NOT DROP THE STRUT

[CRope08 0]

Your a life saver H20. Well boat has straight up 1000 hours so dropping the drive might be the better way to go just to be able to reseal while I'm at it. Rudder is offset, so wouldnt have a problem there. Thanks for the help

[h20king 794]

If you are just planning to replace the cutlass bearings in the strut you should be able to pull the shaft back far enough without removing the coupler from the shaft if you pull the drive.

[CRope08 0]

Yeah that's what I'll be doing. It appears taking the drive out will be simple, 4 bolts on coupler and 6 bolts on back of drive. Which iv already read your thread on removing it, thanks for that! Haha Nothing on drive is leaking at the moment so was curious if you think I'll be alright with just pulling drive to fix bushings and put back together then replace the gaskets on drive this winter when I have more time and money?

 

Thanks, Cory

[h20king 794]

Yeah that's what I'll be doing. It appears taking the drive out will be simple, 4 bolts on coupler and 6 bolts on back of drive. Which iv already read your thread on removing it, thanks for that! Haha Nothing on drive is leaking at the moment so was curious if you think I'll be alright with just pulling drive to fix bushings and put back together then replace the gaskets on drive this winter when I have more time and money?

Thanks, Cory

if it's not leaking leave it alone.

[CRope08 0]

Iv got a question for ya h20, I bought new bushings for my strut that came in today. My prop shaft I have out of the boat, so I decided to see how easy my bushings fit around my prop shaft while out of the boat. Are they supposed to snug onto the shaft a little or anything, or should they slip right over the shaft and move freely?

 

Thanks -C