Exhaust Bellow Question

[0Gravity]

I raised my drives today to inspect the bellows and to replace my anodes and this is what I found. .... The exhaust Bellow is off at the front...... is there a way to get this back on without removing the drive?
Is my first year with this boat so I've never done the bellows on a Bravo 2 yet.
Any input would be appreciated,
Thanks,
Mike

[Kevlar7r]

I'm pretty sure you can do the exhaust with the drive on with a bravo 2. I know you can with an alpha.



I would take this as an alert that there may be other bellows issues. Do a careful inspection. I lost a drive to failed bellows a couple years ago.

[0Gravity]

The bellows are in great shape the lady I bought the boat from just did them recently...... evidently she didn't tighten the Clamp enough or it wasn't seated right when she did. She was very proud that she did the job herself!

[Kevlar7r]

Umm...drive bellows require special tools and special adhesives. Its not exactly a do-it-yourself project. Exhaust bellows, yea, but not drive.

[0Gravity]

Yea I guess she had somebody helping her but she insisted on doing the work herself. ....I will be checking it out good.

[mmwjr]

You can reinstall it with the drive lowered all the way, tight but possible.

Yes the Drive bellows requires a sealer and a tool for the rear sleeve but is still a DYI.

[itsabowtime2]

Before you do anything look at the bellow closely. Some are actually designed to only be attached at the transom and they are "free" on the drive end. This would be exhaust only. Not easy but bellows can be a do-it-yourself.

[mmwjr]

Phil is correct but it is not a bellows but a smooth tube of the newer exhaust that only connects to the transom end. However you can still use a bellows if you want.

[0Gravity]

Well I tried. ... But not in the cards. ....I fought with it for a couple hours, it appears that it is designed to be put on with the drive removed!

[Kevlar7r]

I don't think it would really hurt anything to run that way.. Just your exhaust wont be going through the prop, so might be louder.

[0Gravity]

Yea I figured it's been this way for a little while. ....I ended up ordering the plastic tube type bellow that only connects at the transom.

[Timbo]

Actually you can use a paint stirrer and some tie wraps to get it back on. Take a paint stirrer stick and cut it down long enough to stretch the bellow out you need to make two of them. Tie wrap them to the out drive side good and tight then put the tie wrap around the transom side loosely stretch the bellow out and sinch down the tie wrap this will hold it stretched out for you. have some one hit the down button on your outdrive to bring it down while you watch when it is close enough have them stop. This should give you enough room to work on it and get it back on. I saw this on you tube and I did it on my Sea Ray it actually wasn't that hard. Good luck.

[0Gravity]

Thanks Timbo.....I will have to try this when I pull out in the fall. ....I put the tube type on so I could get the boat in the water. ... But that side is definitely louder then the other side.

[0Gravity]

If you can find that YouTube video could you link me to it. ..I just looked and couldn't find it. ... Thanks