Lower pivot bushing on FD 11

[shoestringmariner]

Yeah OK help….for the life of me I cannot get the clamshell assembly to come apart. I’ve taken off the acorn nuts and the two long screws and it will still not separate. Not even a fraction. This casting looks very fragile and I don’t want to force it.

Is there a trick to it? I do not have a donor, and I’m trying to see which part is that his failed. I don’t think it has a bushing in it at all. It appears that somebody has stuck a slice of rubber hose in it at one time but I can’t be sure until I get it apart.

Should I just soak it in PB blaster? Give it a go tomorrow, or is there something I’m missing higher up in this pivot system?

Thanks in advance

[Mumbles]

You’re only halfway undone. Now you have to go into the holes in the front of the clamshells and undo the screws or bolts holding the front mount. One on each side.

That rubber hose looking piece is the bushing.

[shoestringmariner]

quote Mumbles:

You’re only halfway undone. Now you have to go into the holes in the front of the clamshells and undo the screws or bolts holding the front mount. One on each side.

That rubber hose looking piece is the bushing.

Thanks Mumbles, I took out 2 long screws that passed through both clamshells and the bottom tube(?? Memory) flat head, maybe 5/16 or 3/8 x 3" +\- long. I did not see any other screws.
Are they hidden or am I missing the obvious?

[Mumbles]

Yeah, they are hiding out of sight. Look at the very front of the clamshells and you will see the holes I mentioned. The screw or bolt heads are inside there and must be undone.

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[frankr]

By "undone" he means a couple of turns, in this case. The mount they are holding is slotted.

[shoestringmariner]

Oh good grief, I even looked in there, but from the side as the motor is on the boat. But like you said, there, they are!!

thanks

[shoestringmariner]

And good grief was that easy to take off now. I feel a little foolish. Chris P was kind enough to send me exploded diagram and we determined it was rubber bushing.

I’m pulling out what appears to be the original bushing that had somehow turned 90° In the tube, affectively turning it from a wrap to a strip of rubber stuffed vertically in the tube. It’s pretty tattered and covered with black-as-night sticky stuff. looks like grease dried out. Should these things be lubricated with something? Or could that have led to this bushings early demise? I thought it read somebody said they last forever normally

[chris-p]

Scott,

What happened to you I would say is rare!

I don’t have any NOS ones. If it were mine, I would find a new material that is close is thickness and cut it to size? This is not a real critical piece in my opinion.

[shoestringmariner]

Thanks Chris, I cleaned it up the best I could and put it back in and has only a small amount of slop now as opposed to what it was. I don’t know if it was the right move or not but I put some silicone grease on it, I’m hoping that that means it doesn’t get dry and torqued around again. If it does I’ll go on the hunt for a new one. Thanks for all your help, I appreciate you looking. I did take all the measurements and write them down, I may just make one as suggested

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