Bellows Life Expectancy

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Rick D

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Hello all.

My boat is a 1997 with Alpha 1 Gen 2 stern drives on them. They have the original gimbal bearing, exhaust and drive shaft bellows and shift cable. While I am having no problems with them, I'm weighing the idea of replacing them so that I can replace my drive trim sender switch. The alternative is to not do anything of course including the sender switch.

While I don't see cracking on the bellows and they appear to have plenty of flex to them, I wanted to hear if there is any sort of life expectancy on these things. I don't want to wait until they are leaking... but if I here they can go another 10 years, I will likely forgo this project for now.

Next, is there anyone here with Alpha 1 Gen 2 drives that actually replaced the bellows, tubings and bearing themselves (as opposed to hiring it out)? Want to hear how much effort it is. They sell kits on ebay to allign the shaft, install the bearing and stretch the bellows out... but need to know how big of a project this is going to be.

Thanks,
--Rick
 
I've pumped out plenty of boats after the bellows failed, if that helps your decision.
 
quote:
Originally posted by November Charlie

I've pumped out plenty of boats after the bellows failed, if that helps your decision.

Click to expand...

That is cold, true but cold nonetheless :D
 
Anything in the lower unit area, I typically replace after a few seasons just as preventative maintenance.

When in doubt I replace. Rather get it out of the way instead of getting a head ache later on

Ahhh, the joys of owning IOs
 
quote:
Originally posted by November Charlie

I've pumped out plenty of boats after the bellows failed, if that helps your decision.

Click to expand...


I'm well aware of what will happen if the bellows fail. If they fail on a 30 year old boat or 1 year old boat, the result is likely the same. What I'm asking is, are a set of 16 year old bellows ripe for replacement or do they last considerably longer than that?

quote:
Originally posted by BoatCrazy

Ahhh, the joys of owning IOs

Click to expand...


Out of earshot of my wife, I've muttered many times my next boat will NOT have stern drives.

--Rick
 
quote:
Originally posted by Rick D

Click to expand...
We're in fresh water and I'd say at least every 10 years.. that said, if you're in salt or brackish I'd say you've done well w/them and should do it now before launch. I'd do a bellows kit (all) and shift cables as well while you're at it.. I'd probably opt to do ALL Trim Senders (labor and $$ intensive tho)

It's not hard pulling the drives.. if doing it yourself a 'drive stand' is handy.. (as opposed to the grunt of lifting and trying to get all shaft & cables all lined up etc..) Getting them off is no problem.. getting them on by yourself is a handful without a helper or drive stand to help hold it as you free up 1 hand to line things up. (2 guys is a nice alternative)

If your motors are in alignment, the drives should slide on/off.. While you can certainly get the drive alignment tool, my brother & I have found, it can be nearly impossible to get the drives back on if they are out of alignment. (just saying)

Hopefully, that helps assist.. btw, the Alpha Drives are a lot lighter than the Bravo and BIII drives..

merc stuff dot com has a pretty handy & helpful website for the Merc Drives.. on/off etc.
*** Don't forget your water pump (Impellers) while you have them off.. & gear lube as well.
 
If I read this correctly, your Bellows are about 15-years-old...? It depends a lot on how the boat is stored, to a degree how it's used, how often to replace but I gotta say you're overdue if it's 15. In the water, drive down, if no barnacles forming, you'll probably get decent life out of them. Out of the water, out of the sun, drive down, probably decent life. Drive up and in the sun, not good.
I can only guess, but if you got 15, replaced with genuine MerC parts, gave it the same use... I'd still cut that in half or so. The Exhaust Boot has nothing to do with water getting into the boat or damaging anything.
The Drive Boot can ruin the Input Shaft, the Universal Joints, and the Gimbal Bearing, but doesn't let as much water into the boat as...
That little Shift Boot lets water ruin the Lower Shift Cable (a pain to change!) and it lets the most water into the boat.
 
I'd say that at 16 years, its more than due, given the downside of it leaking. I have 8 years on mine now and this spring I'm going to change it before using the boat. We do get barnacles on boats kept in the water here so they will not last as long. On a freshwater or trailer kept boat I'd say use it till you start to see little cracks in the rubber then its time. If its stored with the drive down it will last longer. The Cobra/Volvo SX style bellows can be removed without taking off the bell/pivot housing, but the Merc Alpha I think has to have that removed to do the bellows.
As far as stern drives vs other power packages, well they all have pros and cons. I used to think for sure my next boat would be an OB but after hearing of corrosion problems on nearly all brands of 4 stroke OBs I'm not so sure. I have the I/O maintenance thing more or less down now after owning one for 10 seasons kept in the salt water and it is work but not high tech per se compared to modern OBs. I pull the drive each season to check the bellows, gimble and u-joints and do all the maintenance in the fall. In the spring I reinstall the drive and do a tune up. I do have a good local mechanic to do the things I can't do but I have not had to take it in for a long time.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Rick D

quote:
Originally posted by November Charlie

I've pumped out plenty of boats after the bellows failed, if that helps your decision.

Click to expand...


I'm well aware of what will happen if the bellows fail. If they fail on a 30 year old boat or 1 year old boat, the result is likely the same. What I'm asking is, are a set of 16 year old bellows ripe for replacement or do they last considerably longer than that?

quote:
Originally posted by BoatCrazy

Ahhh, the joys of owning IOs

Click to expand...


Out of earshot of my wife, I've muttered many times my next boat will NOT have stern drives.

--Rick

Click to expand...


Sorry. What I meant was - if there is any question, replace them. They're important. at 15 years old, they're likely on borrowed time already. Up, down, hot, cold, seawater, no water. Bellows have a very finite lifespan, and it's generally less than 10 years.

But it wouldn't be any fun to just say it outright like tha.t
 
quote:
Originally posted by November Charlie

quote:
Originally posted by Rick D

quote:
Originally posted by November Charlie

I've pumped out plenty of boats after the bellows failed, if that helps your decision.

Click to expand...


I'm well aware of what will happen if the bellows fail. If they fail on a 30 year old boat or 1 year old boat, the result is likely the same. What I'm asking is, are a set of 16 year old bellows ripe for replacement or do they last considerably longer than that?

quote:
Originally posted by BoatCrazy

Ahhh, the joys of owning IOs

Click to expand...


Out of earshot of my wife, I've muttered many times my next boat will NOT have stern drives.

--Rick

Click to expand...


Sorry. What I meant was - if there is any question, replace them. They're important. at 15 years old, they're likely on borrowed time already. Up, down, hot, cold, seawater, no water. Bellows have a very finite lifespan, and it's generally less than 10 years.

But it wouldn't be any fun to just say it outright like tha.t

Click to expand...


Yeah... the responses have made me decide it's time to change them. Not something I look forward to doing but will have peace of mind once it's done.

Thanks all.

--Rick
 
I suggested 10 year as a Max timeframe.. but we're in fresh water, store indoor heated w/drives in the down or upper trim (limit) position.. (ie: not all the way up) Our season might be slightly shorter than yours at ~6-7 months in water.. so the suggestions for more frequent than every 10 years is a good one. I would typically do our impellers and shift cables every 5.. (which was fine for our area) and then inspect the bellows and other components and judge accordingly.

As for your Inboard note.. I took it literally & did just that.. So, NO MORE Drives.. that said.. i do sometimes miss them.. but not much when it comes to the extra yearly maintenance.. Last fall, I was somehow wishing I could bring them up some to get to the haulout lift.. (& not possible w/v-drives) :)

As for performance & handling.. I found the drives much more responsive when it comes to maneuverability. (at speed) Some say the inboards are better around the dock.. It took me a while to adjust to the different pivot point.. (being under the boat as opposed to behind) But for the most part.. I don't miss those darn things hanging off the back.. lol
 
If it helps I have an alpha one gen 2 on a 2005 Trophy and replaced bellows this year. Mechanic showed them to me when he had it off. Not torn, yet, but definitely some thinner looking dodgy spots.
 
Rick: I have a 1997 boat with Alpha I Gen I and I just replaced the bellows for the first time last year. Since I trailer, the potential for a sunk boat is less, however, my mechanic has been telling me for years that I am on borrowed time with the bellows. I think the 10 years others have suggested is probably a good idea.
 
I'm in the same spot - 1999 Mercruiser Alpha I belows never changed. I inspect every year and they look fine. Boat is in a covered boat dock on a lift. You'll never find a specific maintenance interval for bellows replacement. How and where the boat is used has a large bearing on how long they last. I think a lot of bellows get replaced prematurely in the 3-5 year range, but would have to say 10+ years is probably getting to end of life under even the best conditions.
 
Well, get you slings and arrows ready... I bought my 1988 Wellcraft (Merc, Alpha 1) a couple of seasons ago and it still had the original bellows... still does to this day but they are getting changed before spring as well as the trim wires, etc. I had my mechanic check them last year and he said that they could go another season. The boat was always stack stored indoors and then stored in a garage unused for 10 years before I bought it. I keep it in the water in season and in the garage off season. My mechanic quoted $550 for the job.

BTW, while the bellows have outlived the normal lifetime by a factor of about 3, I've had to replace the fuel pump, steering (helm and cable), starter, solenoid, assorted wireing and bilge pump all thanks to the long storage history. Somehow, the bellows were the least of my problems.
 
quote:
Originally posted by MikeeH

Well, get you slings and arrows ready... I bought my 1988 Wellcraft (Merc, Alpha 1) a couple of seasons ago and it still had the original bellows... still does to this day but they are getting changed before spring as well as the trim wires, etc. I had my mechanic check them last year and he said that they could go another season. The boat was always stack stored indoors and then stored in a garage unused for 10 years before I bought it. I keep it in the water in season and in the garage off season. My mechanic quoted $550 for the job. BTW, while the bellows have outlived the normal lifetime by a factor of about 3, I've had to replace the fuel pump, steering (helm and cable), starter, solenoid, assorted wireing and bilge pump all thanks to the long storage history. Somehow, the bellows were the least of my problems.

Click to expand...
lol, Mike, I definitely think you got your money's worth on them.. Think of how much you saved by not changing them 3 times already!! Btw, $550 seems like a great deal..get the shift cable & impeller while you're at it..
 
SO I know this is up to me but is there a fresh water in the water 24X7 recommendation from folks who work on fresh water only boats? I replaced all Bellows Spring 2008 or 2009 (Need to check my files). I assume it is about time but this is about a 2k Job for two alpha one drives. If they are in there might as well replace impellers or anything else that looks worn so I am pretty sure it is a minimum 2K job. If I can last through this season that would be 5-6 years I would be happy and will replace them next year before the 2014 season starts. I would rather hold this 2K to be prepared for anything else that could happen this season.....
 
quote:
Originally posted by jlee815

SO I know this is up to me but is there a fresh water in the water 24X7 recommendation from folks who work on fresh water only boats? I replaced all Bellows Spring 2008 or 2009 (Need to check my files). I assume it is about time but this is about a 2k Job for two alpha one drives. If they are in there might as well replace impellers or anything else that looks worn so I am pretty sure it is a minimum 2K job. If I can last through this season that would be 5-6 years I would be happy and will replace them next year before the 2014 season starts. I would rather hold this 2K to be prepared for anything else that could happen this season.....

Click to expand...
hi Jason, I'd suggest you do a good visual on the bellows, but would bet they are fine.. I would suggest new impellers & shift cables if at the 5 year mark tho.. The drive have to come off for both (impellers & cables) so I would recommend doing them at the same time... But think your bellows are probably good for a few more seasons if in fresh water as you note. Be sure to look them over good.. Impellers & cables are pretty reasonable.. Your cables may be fine, but we found them to last ~5 years before we started getting stalls (when docking) so I liked doing those when we did the impellers. Hope this helps. -j
 
I'm getting ready to do both alpha 1 gen 2's myself. Removed both drives today and tested the hinge pins to see how tight they are... I tried one and had no problem turning it with a 3/8 th's drive... No breaker bar needed. Next week will likely remove the upper part and remove all 3 bellows on each drive. Hope to locate a gimbal bearing removal rather than buy one. Then will try to install the new bearing as well and pay the yard to check the alignment. Then it's just a matter of waiting for a relatively warm weekend to reassemble. Already purchased new trim limit/sender switches to do those while I'm in there.

On a different note, I used a grease pen to mark where I am going to be installing my new Seablaze 3 blue underwater lights...looking forward to that.
 
Rick,
I can tell you from first hand experience, bellow, bearing, trim sensor, and shift cables should be replaced every 4-5 years at least for an alpha one drive which I have. Please read my story.

When we purchased our 1985 21ft Chris Craft in 1989 I new nothing about scheduled maintenance that one should look for outside of the normal tuneup, belts, thermostat etc. In 1993 or 1994 on a Sunday we were out on the lake boating and enjoyed the day with family, docked the boat in the evening and went home like any normal boating weekend. On Wednesday my wife gets a call saying our boat sunk, and I started to laugh and say that's funny dear but I am in a meeting in NY right now. Her response was our boat sunk, it still did not register in my head until she gave me the marina number to call. So of course I call and got the news which I still could believe. I was told the boat was afloat the night before as the dock master walks the docks every night before they leave for the evening. in the morning they do the same thing, and saw our boat sitting in its slip with the dock line still tied to the cleats and its stern sitting under water. Lucky for me they pumped the water out, and hauled the boat ASAP. They started to de-pickle the engine by removing the starter, alternator and other electrical components, drained the oil 5 times to ensure all water was removed. Within one week she was back on the water looking as good as new. We were lucky. It turns out that the bellows had a hair line crack after trimming the stern up for the evening.

So I inquired as to what is the proper maintenance for stern drives and was told fluid change every year for Alpha ones and bellows changed every 4-5 years, and never trim you stern up into trailer position for a long duration and not in the water when you are away from the boat. With regards to changing the trim sensors and shift cable and bearing, they say to inspect it and if it looks questionable do it at the same time as all parts have been removed. Now, you may have others say you don't need to change the other part, nothing is wrong they will last longer, don't waste your money, well this may be true, however, if you change your bellows say every 5 years, that mean you will only change your bearing, sensors and shift cable every 10 years. If either one fails after the first bellows change in year 6-7, well you are changing the bellows again weather you like it or not.

So the moral of the story is PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE! It's not if they will fail, it's when they will fail. Pay me now or pay me later.
Don't wait till it breaks or you may have a fate worse than ours. Like I said we, were lucky and we had great people who worked at the marina and cared about their patrons. To this day we still own our 1985 21ft Chris Craft Scorpion, which will now be our children's boat this year! Below is a picture of her with her big sister.. Good luck!

117833390.jpg
 
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