There is a product called 303. Soak the crap out of all your bellows once or twice a year and they will never rot or tear again. If you replace them soak them inside and out. I use this stuff on anything rubber and it makes it stay soft and pliable while maintaining the integrity. My windshield wipers last 4 and 5 years. I spray all my tires twice a year and they never dry rot and I have added 25 to 50 thousand miles to tire life. I tell you this 303 is the best kept secret ever.
Had my boat out yesterday.... water started pouring in. Could figure out where then found the shift cable bellow torn. You saved me lots of time and money. Thank you!!
I found out via Bayliner Owners club that my water leaking into the bilge is from a ripped shift cable bellow. As far as the damage to your bellows, a combination of rot from the water and heat from the exhaust bellow . Great video. I have a oil leak as well and I think its from the tube where the drive connects to the Gimbal. Thanks for this video.
Thanks for video. Did my Mercrusier v-8 twin engine this am. Worked like charm always use Mercrusier, Sierra name brand parts . Used white lithium grease with Mercrusier adhesive. Worked. Have your outdrive up turned to port side when doing. Thanks Again. Saved alot of work. A two man job done in 90 mintues.
Thanks for the video. Had the billows replaced fairly quickly. The flexible 1/4 inch drive tool is a must. Just need to remember to put the clamp on with the screw head facing up...
Great video, very helpful, I did buy the Sierra part was told it was made by Yamaha and very good quality, for $16 we will see. I just like that I was able to do it and save probably hundreds of $$$, plus good luck getting in any marine shop in less than 1 month, I was able to use an 8mm socket on a u-joint extension vs the bendable screwdriver, worked well. I also used dawn soap to slide the new bellow on, worked well and no extra grease on the tubing. Best of luck to everyone else out there trying it, I think every boat presents a different challenge, mine has the 5.0 V8 so fishing the cable back through took a few times, but it was worth it to me for the experience and knowledge.
I just replaced my bellows doing it the way your video showed. It was not hard. I did have to buy the bendable screwdriver and white lithium grease to get the bellows to slide up the cable. Thanks for the video.
I bought my 1996 Bravo III new and the shift bellow lasted until 2019. I did replace the drive bellows 3 times though. I was just too lazy and it finally caught up with me. Only thing I can think of is that a generic bellows may have been made by the lowest bidder. I've heard imports are cheaper but who knows. Every 'batch' of synthetic compounds can vary. Thanks for a great tip. edit: I never stored my boat with the drive up. Always down.
If you stored the boat over winter with the outdrive trimmed up it could be part of the problem. Mine looked brand new last year. I forgot to take a battery with me when i took the boat to storage so I left it in the up position. Those bellows are flexed all through the winter with all the freezing and thawing out im thinking is hard on the rubber. When I got my boat out of storage this spring ive already got cracks developing in the exhaust bellow. Just a thought I'm no expert and just learning. I just can't think of another reason why mine began to crack storage conditions where ideal for keeping the boat over winter.
Use a tight rubber grommet to keep a snug grip on the shift bellow. It will let is slide a bit, and not rip. Don't use a zip or a clamp. Let it slide a little.
Guessing you tightened down the front part of the bellows too far out and when the trim went up you tore the bellows off. As far as I know the only way to replace that bellows is to pull the cable out the transom. Make sure you trim all the way up before you tighten the front hog clamp
We just replaced ours and it was fairly easy. However one issue is the boat is now sputtering when we hit 3500 to 4000 RPMs. It was worse but we adjusted the shifter cable and it got a bit better but still sputtering. Is there a trick to know how to adjust it? Is there anything else we need to adjust when we reconnect the shift cable?
I'm a boat newbie and just got a 2000 Caravelle 188 yesterday and noticed tonight that the stern drive end is separated into 2 pieces. Ordered the quick silver bellow and bellow adhesive. Going to replace it this weekend. Was your stern drive all the way up when you tightened the stainless C clamp? Trying to decide when I want to clamp it tight to reduce the stretch stress on it.
Great video. Going to do all the bellows but good to know this option for emergency times. Question how long did you use the boat for with the drive bellows as seen here with the rot cracks?
I had the same problem after 2 years mine rotted out to. I was pissed after spending 500.00 to fix it. I got another mechanic he said if you don't buy a OEM part the other are trash. He said only buy OEM you should get 5-7 years.
Gonna attempt this, do you think the Quicksilver 2-4-C grease will be ok instead of white lithium to slide the bellows? Thanks! Edit: I ended up using the 24C, seemed ok. Bellows changed out and good to go. Had a hard time getting the small hole in bellows over the coupling so I used a plastic cone shape tube from an inflatable pump nozzle.
My shift boot is less than a year old, boat is run often and stored on a lift and my seal is all split also, I think maybe they are not quite OEM quality!
Probably aftermarket. Also probably crimped the small side of bellow extended too far out so when you trim up, the shift bellow gets extremely over extended causing premature end of life.
Yep I did use OEM bellows. The only thing we can think of that would deteriorate them that fast is a chemical I use to clean the hull probably got sprayed on the bellow by accident
You’re supposed to store your boat whenever it is sitting with the pit drive down . I understand it’s a water so you have to have it up maybe that’s why
Don’t want to use any petroleum grease as it may react to rubber. Why did the other one not last? I have found some of the aftermarket ones are of poor quality. Quicksilver is the way to go.
Are those bellows oem. Aftermarket just do not last. Sierra is probably the best aftermarket lasting 3 to 5 years(some say longer) while some other lastb3to 5 months and are completely rotted
I just looked this up and this is what I found: "White lithium grease most often has a petroleum base. Due to its formulation, it's unadvisable to use it near or on rubber or plastic. This can cause premature degradation of the material.Mar 8, 2023"
This may sound crazy but me marina just stated last weekend that most issues with a bello leaking while a boat is in the water during the season is from Muskrats. We were discussing my bellos because they need to be changed. Cant wait... UGH...
Never heard of the muskrat issue. Haven't seen any around this lake but I'm sure they're here. Actually my neighbor and I believe that I sprayed the hull cleaner I use on the bellows and the chemical deteriorated the rubber. It's the only logical solution we could come up with. Enjoy the bellow replacement. The drive shaft bellow is quite a job but very doable.
@@brondostourguideservice8164 Anything is possible. My parts arrive Friday and Sunday. I have been studying the videos and it looks like a good challenge. I may do a video myself on it. I do have one question that hit me last night. Instead of installing the bellows on the transom side first why cant you install them on the gimbal side first while its off the boat? Install only the bellows on the gimbal and everything else on the transom side then tighten after the gimbal is placed against the transom. Its looks easier getting to the screws on the transom side once the bellows are installed. Just a thought..
I think it all goes together a little easier if you put the below on the transom side believe it or not but I just did it the way I saw on videos. You may be able to do it the way you are thinking also though. Let me know how it goes and it you need anything.
I watched this video a few weeks ago and it actually does work, BUT be careful. It was kind of hard to pull it out, but it eventually did. The only problem with this method is that you can easily stretch the shifter cable! Found this out the hard way. After being unable to get neutral, FWD, and reverse to work properly I spoke to a marine mechanic. He told me I stretched the cable and that is why the shops don't use this method. Lesson learned.... New cable just came in and tomorrow I'm going to pull the lower unit off and do it the right way.
could be chemicals in the water,i have a merc and all these exaust shaft cable bellows is a night mare i reccomend to every onenever buy a sterndrive!!!
There is a product called 303. Soak the crap out of all your bellows once or twice a year and they will never rot or tear again. If you replace them soak them inside and out. I use this stuff on anything rubber and it makes it stay soft and pliable while maintaining the integrity. My windshield wipers last 4 and 5 years. I spray all my tires twice a year and they never dry rot and I have added 25 to 50 thousand miles to tire life. I tell you this 303 is the best kept secret ever.
Had my boat out yesterday.... water started pouring in. Could figure out where then found the shift cable bellow torn. You saved me lots of time and money. Thank you!!
That’s exactly what mines doing. Did that fix you’re issue?
Best step by step tutorial. Just saved a bunch of money.
And I didn’t switch to geico.
You missed out on even more savings.
I did it !!! , thanks to your video. I strongly recommend an flexible rachet screwdriver made finishing up a piece of cake
Thanks for sharing this. Gotta do all the seals and bellows and this is a HUGE help!
Thanks for posting this video, first time for me changing the shifter bellows. Took me a couple of hours and I saved a ton of money.
It works like a charm! I used some dish soap on the cable to slide the rubber on, other products can damage the rubber.
I found out via Bayliner Owners club that my water leaking into the bilge is from a ripped shift cable bellow. As far as the damage to your bellows, a combination of rot from the water and heat from the exhaust bellow . Great video. I have a oil leak as well and I think its from the tube where the drive connects to the Gimbal. Thanks for this video.
Greatly appreciate your video! Helped me ALOT! Got er done in half an hour. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!
Thanks for video. Did my Mercrusier v-8 twin engine this am. Worked like charm always use Mercrusier, Sierra name brand parts . Used white lithium grease with Mercrusier adhesive. Worked. Have your outdrive up turned to port side when doing. Thanks Again. Saved alot of work. A two man job done in 90 mintues.
Thanks for the video. Had the billows replaced fairly quickly. The flexible 1/4 inch drive tool is a must. Just need to remember to put the clamp on with the screw head facing up...
Great video, very helpful, I did buy the Sierra part was told it was made by Yamaha and very good quality, for $16 we will see. I just like that I was able to do it and save probably hundreds of $$$, plus good luck getting in any marine shop in less than 1 month, I was able to use an 8mm socket on a u-joint extension vs the bendable screwdriver, worked well. I also used dawn soap to slide the new bellow on, worked well and no extra grease on the tubing. Best of luck to everyone else out there trying it, I think every boat presents a different challenge, mine has the 5.0 V8 so fishing the cable back through took a few times, but it was worth it to me for the experience and knowledge.
I just replaced my bellows doing it the way your video showed. It was not hard. I did have to buy the bendable screwdriver and white lithium grease to get the bellows to slide up the cable. Thanks for the video.
I’m trying to get the shift bellow to slide over the metal grommet on the cable. Using regular grease. Is the white lithium really that much better?
This video just saved me 500 bucks thank brother 🤟🏻
A LOT easier than dropping the whole back end. Thank you!
Great video. Saved a lot of money. Other bellows in good shape, not worth a lengthy project at this time.
I bought my 1996 Bravo III new and the shift bellow lasted until 2019. I did replace the drive bellows 3 times though.
I was just too lazy and it finally caught up with me. Only thing I can think of is that a generic bellows may have been
made by the lowest bidder. I've heard imports are cheaper but who knows. Every 'batch' of synthetic compounds can vary.
Thanks for a great tip.
edit: I never stored my boat with the drive up. Always down.
Thank you for the video it halped me a lot it took me about 4 hours but i got it done.☺
Well you didn’t lie when you said this was surprisingly easier than it looked. Thanks for the video; that lithium grease sure needed
Wow, good to know. Thanks so much. Saved lots of money.....
Great video I was worried about pulling the cable out but it worked. We shall if I have done it correctly when I launch it next week. 🤞🤞🤞🤞
If im in your area anytime you can take me fishing cause you just saved me some bucks! Thanks !
Thanks man gunna try it out!
Thank you for the tip. Very usefull 👍
Great video👍
If you stored the boat over winter with the outdrive trimmed up it could be part of the problem. Mine looked brand new last year. I forgot to take a battery with me when i took the boat to storage so I left it in the up position. Those bellows are flexed all through the winter with all the freezing and thawing out im thinking is hard on the rubber. When I got my boat out of storage this spring ive already got cracks developing in the exhaust bellow. Just a thought I'm no expert and just learning. I just can't think of another reason why mine began to crack storage conditions where ideal for keeping the boat over winter.
Worked like a champ, saved money lived better without walmart
I wonder if a warm water dunk on that part would help make it side over the bellows more easily plus the grease after the water.
W00T! Pulled this off yesterday! Little more work up and down a ladder to a trailered cuddy, though. LoL
Could the lithium grease be what’s causing the rubber to break down and deteriorate faster than normal?
Use a tight rubber grommet to keep a snug grip on the shift bellow. It will let is slide a bit, and not rip. Don't use a zip or a clamp. Let it slide a little.
Guessing you tightened down the front part of the bellows too far out and when the trim went up you tore the bellows off. As far as I know the only way to replace that bellows is to pull the cable out the transom. Make sure you trim all the way up before you tighten the front hog clamp
Good call trim up
We just replaced ours and it was fairly easy. However one issue is the boat is now sputtering when we hit 3500 to 4000 RPMs. It was worse but we adjusted the shifter cable and it got a bit better but still sputtering. Is there a trick to know how to adjust it? Is there anything else we need to adjust when we reconnect the shift cable?
u da man!
I'm a boat newbie and just got a 2000 Caravelle 188 yesterday and noticed tonight that the stern drive end is separated into 2 pieces. Ordered the quick silver bellow and bellow adhesive. Going to replace it this weekend. Was your stern drive all the way up when you tightened the stainless C clamp? Trying to decide when I want to clamp it tight to reduce the stretch stress on it.
I was going to say dont store it with the outdrive up but you said you leave it in the water. So ..... i have no idea. Thanks for the video though
What bellows kit did you have that went bad so quickly?
Thank you I'm going to try it new bellows and 3 trips out on it and ripped the shifter bellow... worried to kink it though any one kink it ??
thanks
Great video. Going to do all the bellows but good to know this option for emergency times. Question how long did you use the boat for with the drive bellows as seen here with the rot cracks?
How the heck does that black price pull off the shift cable?
I had the same problem after 2 years mine rotted out to. I was pissed after spending 500.00 to fix it. I got another mechanic he said if you don't buy a OEM part the other are trash. He said only buy OEM you should get 5-7 years.
If that boots torn will it make water constantly flow in? Damn near had my boat sinking other day.
Also what cleaner u use
Did you had to squeeze small clamp on front of the bellow
Gonna attempt this, do you think the Quicksilver 2-4-C grease will be ok instead of white lithium to slide the bellows? Thanks!
Edit: I ended up using the 24C, seemed ok. Bellows changed out and good to go. Had a hard time getting the small hole in bellows over the coupling so I used a plastic cone shape tube from an inflatable pump nozzle.
My shift boot is less than a year old, boat is run often and stored on a lift and my seal is all split also, I think maybe they are not quite OEM quality!
Do you stretch the new one out and clamp it, or just clamp it in its natural position, tight enough to let it slide a little?
I just clamped mine in a natural position
Did you use adhesive on bellow or just clamp only
What brand parts did you use? Are those Mercruiser/quicksilver parts? 2 years seems really low.
Probably aftermarket. Also probably crimped the small side of bellow extended too far out so when you trim up, the shift bellow gets extremely over extended causing premature end of life.
Did you replace them with OEM bellows or aftermarket. OEM is the way to go if you want them to last
Yep I did use OEM bellows. The only thing we can think of that would deteriorate them that fast is a chemical I use to clean the hull probably got sprayed on the bellow by accident
meh. either way they only last 5 or six years lol
You’re supposed to store your boat whenever it is sitting with the pit drive down . I understand it’s a water so you have to have it up maybe that’s why
mine did the same thing just bad rubber i have to change mine now
Spray them with AT200 oil works wonders on rubber prevents dryrott
Don’t want to use any petroleum grease as it may react to rubber. Why did the other one not last? I have found some of the aftermarket ones are of poor quality. Quicksilver is the way to go.
Are those bellows oem. Aftermarket just do not last. Sierra is probably the best aftermarket lasting 3 to 5 years(some say longer) while some other lastb3to 5 months and are completely rotted
Perhaps sitting in warm water for months softens and weakens the bellows.
I just looked this up and this is what I found: "White lithium grease most often has a petroleum base. Due to its formulation, it's unadvisable to use it near or on rubber or plastic. This can cause premature degradation of the material.Mar 8, 2023"
This may sound crazy but me marina just stated last weekend that most issues with a bello leaking while a boat is in the water during the season is from Muskrats. We were discussing my bellos because they need to be changed. Cant wait... UGH...
Never heard of the muskrat issue. Haven't seen any around this lake but I'm sure they're here. Actually my neighbor and I believe that I sprayed the hull cleaner I use on the bellows and the chemical deteriorated the rubber. It's the only logical solution we could come up with. Enjoy the bellow replacement. The drive shaft bellow is quite a job but very doable.
@@brondostourguideservice8164 Anything is possible. My parts arrive Friday and Sunday. I have been studying the videos and it looks like a good challenge. I may do a video myself on it. I do have one question that hit me last night. Instead of installing the bellows on the transom side first why cant you install them on the gimbal side first while its off the boat? Install only the bellows on the gimbal and everything else on the transom side then tighten after the gimbal is placed against the transom. Its looks easier getting to the screws on the transom side once the bellows are installed. Just a thought..
I think it all goes together a little easier if you put the below on the transom side believe it or not but I just did it the way I saw on videos. You may be able to do it the way you are thinking also though. Let me know how it goes and it you need anything.
I AM DOING THE SAME JOB WITH A 2 YEAR OLD BELLOWS
How long did this take you
I watched this video a few weeks ago and it actually does work, BUT be careful. It was kind of hard to pull it out, but it eventually did. The only problem with this method is that you can easily stretch the shifter cable! Found this out the hard way. After being unable to get neutral, FWD, and reverse to work properly I spoke to a marine mechanic. He told me I stretched the cable and that is why the shops don't use this method. Lesson learned.... New cable just came in and tomorrow I'm going to pull the lower unit off and do it the right way.
Good to know, be nice if there was a treatment for rubber to keep it pliable like Armorall!
AT-205 Reseal. Put it in a spray bottle and spray liberal on all the rubber. It reconditions it.
Armorall is alcohol based and will deteriorate it faster. Use the ATP at205.
After a quick Google serch it's your lithium grease that is deteriorating your bellows 😅
Buy OEM kit!
could be chemicals in the water,i have a merc and all these exaust shaft cable bellows is a night mare i reccomend to every onenever buy a sterndrive!!!
Counterfeit or just Amazon china
for the 10 minutes it takes to drop the leg you just bent and most likely cracked the outer liner of your shift cable
taking it off is not the problem, putting the drive back on suuuucks. lol
This video doesn't have any visual to watch anymore.
Don't store it with the drive up buddy
Drive is always stored down. Starbrite hull cleaner is what was used
Video is meant to be taken horizontally not vertically, you loose too much video up and down
My pet peeve also LOL Great info video so I’ll just say thank you for the video. My boat will be back in the marina soon.
Cheap Chinese rubber.
Find some manufactured in the US.
OEM may be Chinese these days.
That's not good for the cable, to bend it like that. You'll be replacing it next.
Happened to me. I didn't kink the cable, but stretched it out. Replacing the cable tomorrow.
FYI - You are probably aware, but each one is called a bellows, not "bellow."
5 minute videostreached over 13 minutes. Could .....he .......talk.......any .......slooooowwwweeerrr.......no