New Bellows
- Thread starter Chrisvw1
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2002
- RO Number
- 10314
- Messages
- 850
If you're doing it the right way (removing the drive and pivot housing) I'd say 2 hrs total per engine for R&R for labor time plus parts.
It depends on:
Your local labor rate
If the mechanic runs into any problems (drive won't come off due to lack of maintenance, or pivot housing won't come off because the pins are seized up) this can greatly increase labor time
If the mechanic finds other problems that need repair (if the bellows leaked you might need to replace the gimble bearing and maybe the ujoints), this adds parts cost and labor cost
If the mechanics uses aftermarket (not advised) or OEM bellows (advised but costs more)
how long have you owned the boat and has this job been done before?
in my experience the Volvo style OEM bellows lasts at least 10 years as long as the drives are down when the boat's in storage.
It depends on:
Your local labor rate
If the mechanic runs into any problems (drive won't come off due to lack of maintenance, or pivot housing won't come off because the pins are seized up) this can greatly increase labor time
If the mechanic finds other problems that need repair (if the bellows leaked you might need to replace the gimble bearing and maybe the ujoints), this adds parts cost and labor cost
If the mechanics uses aftermarket (not advised) or OEM bellows (advised but costs more)
how long have you owned the boat and has this job been done before?
in my experience the Volvo style OEM bellows lasts at least 10 years as long as the drives are down when the boat's in storage.
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2002
- RO Number
- 10314
- Messages
- 850
Those bellows aren't that expensive; I bought a few spare OMC Cobra ones (Volvo and Cobra used to use the same exact bellows) for 60-80 bucks IIRC.
Now if you have to get into other things like the gimble bearing, or ujoints the price can REALLY go up, not so much due to parts but labor time
I have done this job myself, (bellows only) as long as the drive and pivot housing come off easily, then it's not a hard job, I can get it done in 2 hrs taking my time and checking everything else along the way.....
Now if you have to get into other things like the gimble bearing, or ujoints the price can REALLY go up, not so much due to parts but labor time
I have done this job myself, (bellows only) as long as the drive and pivot housing come off easily, then it's not a hard job, I can get it done in 2 hrs taking my time and checking everything else along the way.....
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2002
- RO Number
- 10314
- Messages
- 850
this is the last one I changed, used in salt water, as you can see....the design has one extra ridge that faces down to allow the rubber to stretch when the outdrive is up that helps avoid cracking
There is also a lip on the flange on the side that goes onto the gimble housing, the lip or ridge has to fit into the groove that's on the gimble housing flange. Very important to get that right
I tilt the drive up at the end of each season and check the bellows for cracks, as soon as I see any I replace it. Doing that, I have avoided getting water in the bellows for over 20 years.
Volvo apparently changed from this design to a different one that uses stiff plastic for the center section, I don't know if these are the same to install or more difficult, but OMC stuck with the original all rubber style, which to me was fine as far as longevity.
I use an outdrive jack to make the job of pulling it easier.