Alpha 1 gen 2 outdrive trim sender and limit issue.

[steve the farmer]

Hi.
The trim is working fine, but I have noticed that the cables to both sender and limit behind the leg up into the transom are in not too good condition. There is bare wire showing in places. This has obviously been like it for a while and water has not affected the trim operation.
Is my thought that I can simply re insulate with heat shrink or something, pointless? The reason I ask is so far bare wire has not been an issue and if I hadn't seen bare wire I would't be doing it. From what I have read, replacing them is a bit of a pain in the butt job, and the new units are a bit pricey.
Thanks Steve.
Edit. I have been scrolling the web and found replacements from a UK company for £50, so I will buy new. Thought i would just say before anyone replies. Thanks.

 

[sogood]

There are also videos on YouTube showing how to replace them without dismantling the outdrive/transom assembly. It involves drilling a hole to create a short cut. Worth looking into?

 

[spannerman]

I have replaced dozens of these, I don’t take the drive off unless I am doing a service or changing the bellows which is when its very easy. With the drive on you need a long 1/4 drive extension with a U/J and 7/16 socket, with the drive hard to starboard you can undo the bolt holding the clamp and pull the wires out, refitting is reverse but put some tape around the U/J to stop it flopping over and wedge the bolt in the socket with some paper. Smear a bit of grease on the outside of the two half round segments which sit in the transom as this helps them centre. If its all working you can cut and splice with heatshrink solder connections.

 

[steve the farmer]

Thanks Spannerman
I am doing a bit of a service of the leg, that is how I noticed the frayed trim and sender wires. I have the leg off to check gimble and bellows. So took the opportunity to split upper and lower units and replace pump impeller, and generally check it over. I was thinking of replacing both the bellows in the bell housing anyway, but when I looked inside the drive bellows there was no evidence of water ingress, good flexibility, and original lubrication, and externally only minor cracking, see pic, so I thought I would just replace the exhaust bellows. But is this a bad idea?
But as I have removed the sender and trim units, and had access to the pivot bolts that attach it to the gimble, I bought the special socket and removed the bolts, so the bell housing is now only held on by the exhaust bellows, shift cable and oil line, so I have plenty of movement and fairly good access to the retaining nut for the trim/sender cables on the transom.
But I do wonder though, after doing all this if I should replace the drive bellows, and shift cable rubber anyway? The gimble bearing itself is nice and smooth running, so that's fine, and generally this outdrive is in really good clean condition. The boat has only been in salt water a few times, having lived on lakes in Southern Ireland, and even then kept out the water in the winter.
I have rubbed down paintwork and going to enamel spray it with new decals, and don't want the mechanic to let the side down so to speak.
But I am really unsure as to how far to go mechanically with this leg strip down.
Photo of inside of drive bellows <a href="IMG-6146-1">
Photo of outside of drive bellows <a href="IMG-6144-1">
Photo of shift cable bellows <a href="IMG-6147-1">
Your advice is most appreciated. Thanks Steve.

 

[spannerman]

I would definitely take the opportunity to do as much as poss while its in pieces, then you have peace of mind for years to come. Be careful with the oil pipe as the plastic elbow where it comes out the transom breaks very easily so don’t let any weight hang on it. Its worth checking the hose as they crack with time and the plastic clamps can come loose so they leak oil, if you need to take the oil hose off just cut it length ways with a stanley knife as tugging it will break the plastic elbow. Also double check the little orange seal between the two halves of the drive is still in its recess just before you finally drop the upper part onto the lower part as they can get dislodged during re assembly. If you change the shift wire bellows don’t use the metal clamping ring in the kit as they rust away, we always use two nylon tiewraps.