I have a river jet boat. One of the northwest style thick aluminum with a v8 and a jet drive. On the weekend, was a whine from the drive train. Figured a Ujoint was going bad. So loosen up the jet input shaft and try to slide the Spicer connector off. Stuck! Can not get to all the bolts on the flywheel to remove the front of the spicer and / or slide the coupler enough to beat the splined part off the input shaft. If it slides I can pull the shaft out the back of the drive. So I decide I have to move the engine forward. Had a heavy pipe the required 84 inches long to clear the side rails and some square tubing I got with some used hand rails for a job I did for my handicapped neighbors wheelschair ramp. Angle grinder with cutting blades and shortly I have the uprights. Swap the mig welder over to steel from the spool gun and weld together this sort of A frame. Well, actually T shaped uprights. Worked well to hoist the engine and slide if forward enough to get everything apart. The grinder and a flap disk to clean up the splines and all is well. Sure handy to have a welder.
- posted
13 years ago