My boat just completed its 7th season. According to PYI, the PSS shaft seal bellows, O rings, and set screws should be replaced at 6-year intervals, so I decided to do it now while I'm on the hard. It turned out to be a lot more tedious than I expected, partly because I did it alone. The hardest part is removing the shaft coupler, which was really stuck, and not made easier by the lack of working space in the aft bilge. I suggest, if you do this job, you first read Maine Sail's tutorial on his website - it describes a lot of what not to do.
I purchased a purpose-made plate puller, rather than attempt to use the transmission flange to pull the coupler off. This was a good decision, as the coupler was frozen on so tight that it would likely have bent or broken the transmission flange. Even with the puller, I needed a 24" pipe wrench on the coupler, and a 14" wrench on the puller bolt (and about an hour of time) to get it off - this after soaking it with PB Blaster for a week. I had to first cut off the old bellows in order to slide the shaft back enough to fit the puller in place. Once it was all apart, I cleaned both ends of the shaft (which BTW will NOT come out without dropping the rudder or moving the engine!), and reassembled with the new shaft seal parts and a new split coupler. The shaft is a really tight fit in the coupler, and I didn't have the right tools to tap it in without putting undue stress on the transmission shaft and bearings, so I'll finish that next trip.
Notable findings: 1. You can't remove the shaft without dropping the rudder. 2. The coupler is a bitch to get off, and should be done with the correct puller tool. 3. Even with the correct tool, it takes a LOT of force (big wrenches, push one with your foot while you pull the other with both hands). 4. There's very little space to work in; you have to cut the old bellows off to even get enough room for your tools (not to mention you're bent over in the aft berth for the whole process!).
I purchased a purpose-made plate puller, rather than attempt to use the transmission flange to pull the coupler off. This was a good decision, as the coupler was frozen on so tight that it would likely have bent or broken the transmission flange. Even with the puller, I needed a 24" pipe wrench on the coupler, and a 14" wrench on the puller bolt (and about an hour of time) to get it off - this after soaking it with PB Blaster for a week. I had to first cut off the old bellows in order to slide the shaft back enough to fit the puller in place. Once it was all apart, I cleaned both ends of the shaft (which BTW will NOT come out without dropping the rudder or moving the engine!), and reassembled with the new shaft seal parts and a new split coupler. The shaft is a really tight fit in the coupler, and I didn't have the right tools to tap it in without putting undue stress on the transmission shaft and bearings, so I'll finish that next trip.
Notable findings: 1. You can't remove the shaft without dropping the rudder. 2. The coupler is a bitch to get off, and should be done with the correct puller tool. 3. Even with the correct tool, it takes a LOT of force (big wrenches, push one with your foot while you pull the other with both hands). 4. There's very little space to work in; you have to cut the old bellows off to even get enough room for your tools (not to mention you're bent over in the aft berth for the whole process!).