Need advice to pull drive shaft

[ADuke]

I have a new drive shaft from the original owner and am thinking to change it out to address excess vibration. I have a custom slide hammer but am nervous about pulling against the transmission to release the shaft from the coupling inside the boat.
Any good options would be most appreciated!! Especially if you’ve encountered the same concern.

 

[Justin_NSA]

I just did this. I used a handmade puller that one of our members made to press the shaft out of the coupling. Nothing else would have worked!
If you have a new shaft, why not just cut the old one? You can try to press out the old one from the coupling on a bench vise. I would recommend a new coupling but that is a whole story in itself.

 

[LeslieTroyer]

Don’t use the slide hammer. You’ll destroy the transmission. Either cut the shaft or cut the coupling. Be sure and fit and face the coupling going in and face the trans coupling

Look at Marinehowto.com for an article on it.

Les

 

[Justin_NSA]

And you may as well change the cutlass bearing while the shaft is out. Especially if you are having vibration issues.
You may need to drop the rudder like I did to remove the shaft.

 

[Meriachee]

slide hammer

This is spelled and phrased wrong. It should read removal and replacement of the aft transmission bearings or transmission case.

 

[Maine Sail]

I have a custom slide hammer

NOOOOOOOOO! NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cut the shaft before destroying your gear box !

 

[Claude L.-Auger]

Slide hammer will ruin the tranny. Unbolt the coupling, Here is what worked for me:
1 - Remove the wire and 2 securing bolts from the coupling.
2 - Remove 4 bolts holding both ends of the coupling together.
3 - Slide shaft and coupling back from tranny
4 - Squeeze some PB blaster around the shaft on both sides of the coupling and let it work
5 - Get 4 longer bolts and a dowel a tad smaller in OD than the shaft but long enough to push shaft out of coupling.
6 - Put the dowel on the face of the shaft and the tranny side of the coupling, and bring together.
7 - Install the 4 longer bolts and tighten alternately and evenly to bring the 2 faces of the coupling together.
8 - Shaft should slide out without any banging needed.
If this doesn't work, then cut the shaft. It's cheaper than a tranny and you want to change it anyway.
Good time to replace cutlass bearing and also the hose from packing gland to housing
Good luck

 

[chuckwayne]

As Stated by MainSail! NOOOO!
be especially careful - I don't know your specific Hunter, but on the 356 there's a shaft nut inside the flange - taking out the setscrew won't do anything

 

[Tally Ho]

Here is how I did it, but I was trying to save the shaft and coupling. In the end, I replaced both, but I wanted to inspect them before ordering new....

In your case, if you are going to replace the shaft, cut it in half and remove the pieces. You will want to replace the coupling too.

You may also want to check to see if you can clear the rudder...won’t make a difference getting the old pieces out if you cut it up, but you want to know if you can get the new shaft back in.

When I did mine, I removed the cutlass bearing and stuffing box to get as much lateral play in the shaft as possible...and I just barely got the old shaft out past the rudder...took off some of the paint. Getting the new one in was even more a challenge, trying to work the shaft along the rudder, through the strut, and then into the stern tube opening...was worried about bending my strut...

Good luck!

Greg