How to remove transmission drive shaft coupling?

[Triskele]

Have a leaking shaft seal on a Capitol HE 10200 drive shaft. Need to remove coupling to access the seal. Is the shaft tapered? Am trying to remove with an 8" spread pulley puller, but won't budge. Have applied copious amounts of PB Blaster. No luck. Any advise for removing this couple?

[whoover]

Have you tried blocking the two shaft ends apart with a large nut and then pulling the coupling faces together with longer bolts. I'm Interested in this as I think my rear seal on my Capitol gear is leaking too. Where are you getting the new seal from?

Walt Hoover

[Dan Mapes]

http://www.capitolmarinegear.com/manuals-part-lists

[Triskele]

Have you tried blocking the two shaft ends apart with a large nut and then pulling the coupling faces together with longer bolts. I'm Interested in this as I think my rear seal on my Capitol gear is leaking too. Where are you getting the new seal from?

Walt Hoover

Tried with a socket between the couple's to remove the prop shaft couple. That's what got me in trouble. After freeing prop shaft coupling, notice oil leaking from seal behind drive shaft coupling. Now trying to remove drive shaft coupling with a three jaw puller, but not getting anywhere. Am afraid of how much pressure/torque I can put on the drive gear shaft. Harbor Freight has a 5 and 12 ton hydraulic puller. Don't think there is room to get the 12 ton in without removing shaft and packing gland. May give the 5 ton a shot if I can fit it in. Have calls and emails out to Capitol Gear and other marine transmission shops, but no reply so far. Really want someone to tell me if there is something other than key way and shaft holding the coupling and if there is a method to removing the thing other than brute force. Was wondering if heating the coupling would help, but really don't want to risk a fire in my engine room. 😒

[Dan Mapes]

It is certain that it has not been removed before so it will be difficult. I had to work really hard on a prop shaft coupling. I thought I was going to bend everything before it popped loose.

Perhaps if you clean it up good with detergent and surround the area with fire proof mats a small flamed acetelane torch would loosen it a bit for the puller.

https://www.grainger.com/product/6NE...P7A1P:20501231

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Oatey-Solde...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Triskele]

Update: Received further advise today from a career marine diver whose primary job was removing props from tug boats. Recommended making a puller from flat bar stock carbon steel. Drill six holes in the plate concentric with the coupling and compress the two together with fine threaded bolts. Place a socket between the plate and resting against the drive shaft. This is where I originally screwed up and messed things up resulting in a leaking seal (and God only knows what else...hoping nothing more than a damaged seal). I placed the opened end of a socket the size of the shaft nut over the nut and against the coupling. The socket should only rest against the shaft, not the coupling. All you want is an object holding the shaft and plate apart while pulling the plate and coupling together with the bolts. Applying heat may help, but be careful not to over heat and warp the coupling. I did read that when installing the coupling the manufacturer recommended to heat the coupling in a bath of oil to 200 degrees so maybe a heat gun is sufficient.

According to a marine transmission shop referred to me by Capitol (see comments from Chris Johnson posted below) when the coupling gives it up, it releases like being shot from a gun. Therefore he recommends to leave the washer and nut threaded to the shaft. Stay clear of the potential line of flight.

Picked up my bar stock this evening. It is 1/2” steel. Will drill holes tomorrow. Need to order 1/2” fine thread 20 tomorrow. Once I get assembled and have a crack at it, will report back.

************

Hi Jay,
Your name came through the grapevine.
I am in Pearl River Louisiana
I’ve been rebuilding Capitol Marine Gears for 30 years
The output coupling is tough to get off, even for me.
I use a 10 ton sure grip puller that NAPA sells
I also use a Rosebud to heat it up.
When It comes off it will scare the poop out of you.
Keep the washer and castle nut on other wise it will break what ever is behind it.
I’d like to talk to you about this when you have time and answer all your questions.

Thank you, Chris Johnsen
Speedy Marine Supply, LLC
1-985-290-2826 Cell

*******

[Triskele]

It is certain that it has not been removed before so it will be difficult. I had to work really hard on a prop shaft coupling. I thought I was going to bend everything before it popped loose.

Perhaps if you clean it up good with detergent and surround the area with fire proof mats a small flamed acetelane torch would loosen it a bit for the puller.

https://www.grainger.com/product/6NE...P7A1P:20501231

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Oatey-Solde...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

Dan, great suggestions. Thank you.

[whoover]

That will work for sure, I did not realize that you already had the prop side of the coupling off as there is your plate with six matching holes that you could use. Make sure you do everything you can to protect the threads on the output shaft. I think you will need heat so lay a welding blanket under and around it. Its going to come off like a rocket so be ready. Also keep us up to date on the seal replacement.

Walt Hoover

[oscarvan]

Update: Received further advise today from a career marine diver whose primary job was removing props from tug boats. Recommended making a puller from flat bar stock carbon steel. Drill six holes in the plate concentric with the coupling and compress the two together with fine threaded bolts. Place a socket between the plate and resting against the drive shaft. This is where I originally screwed up and messed things up resulting in a leaking seal (and God only knows what else...hoping nothing more than a damaged seal). I placed the opened end of a socket the size of the shaft nut over the nut and against the coupling. The socket should only rest against the shaft, not the coupling. All you want is an object holding the shaft and plate apart while pulling the plate and coupling together with the bolts. Applying heat may help, but be careful not to over heat and warp the coupling. I did read that when installing the coupling the manufacturer recommended to heat the coupling in a bath of oil to 200 degrees so maybe a heat gun is sufficient.

According to a marine transmission shop referred to me by Capitol (see comments from Chris Johnson posted below) when the coupling gives it up, it releases like being shot from a gun. Therefore he recommends to leave the washer and nut threaded to the shaft. Stay clear of the potential line of flight.

Picked up my bar stock this evening. It is 1/2” steel. Will drill holes tomorrow. Need to order 1/2” fine thread 20 tomorrow. Once I get assembled and have a crack at it, will report back.

************

Hi Jay,
Your name came through the grapevine.
I am in Pearl River Louisiana
I’ve been rebuilding Capitol Marine Gears for 30 years
The output coupling is tough to get off, even for me.
I use a 10 ton sure grip puller that NAPA sells
I also use a Rosebud to heat it up.
When It comes off it will scare the poop out of you.
Keep the washer and castle nut on other wise it will break what ever is behind it.
I’d like to talk to you about this when you have time and answer all your questions.

Thank you, Chris Johnsen
Speedy Marine Supply, LLC
1-985-290-2826 Cell

*******

I have seen that "gun shot" (without being forewarned). Needed fresh underwear after that. Please post pictures of the setup.

[Triskele]

Okay...was able to remove drive coupling today. Attached pics of the puller. Used a 10 ton mini press (ram) from Harbor Freight and a 10 ton hydraulic pump I picked up on eBay. Both can be bought on eBay, but be sure to get the male fitting on one and female on the other. I could only find pumps with male fittings. Therefore a female fitting was required for the press. If you prefer the rams with male fittings, I think couples are made.

Back the nut off the shaft so that there is about a 3/8" of room between the couple and shaft washer. The travel on the ram I purchased was 1/2". There are rams with travel up to 6". You don't need it. You are only trying to bust the couple free from the shaft. A 1/2" travel will do it. In my case, in total I only had about 7" of space to work in between the drive shaft and my raw water intake. The ram is about 2" wide and the socket was about an 11/2". The backing plate that the ram and socket fit between was 1/2" plate steel. I cut six 8" all thread rods that were used to hold the backing plate in place and connect to the drive coupling. So in order, it was coupling, 5/8" socket resting inside castle nut between shaft and ram, and then 1/2" steel backing plate...all tied together with the six all thread bolts. Washers were used on both the couple and plate to help spread the load. When tightening down the nuts, be sure everything remains aligned and squared. It helps to have an extra set of hands to get it all aligned and assembled. It's kind of a two person job.

In addition to the hydraulic press, I used a mini cooking torch to heat the coupling. Once we began to apply heat and pressure, the coupling gave it up in about five minutes. Didn't take long. You'll know when it comes free. Makes a loud shot sound. Hope pics help add clarity to the narrative. My plan is to replace the quad ring and oil seal. The oil seal is resting over the shaft in the retaining cover and the quad ring is on the end of the couple between the bearing and couple. Good luck.