[C320-list] Prop shaft removal

[Melissa&Larry Leibman]

Hi Elliot,
I thought I'd offer an alternative approach that we used when we replaced our original bronze shaft with a stainless shaft last year. I was replacing the cutlass bearing at the same time so I started out trying to sneak the shaft out past the rudder. Although many have done this successfully, on my boat (Hull #609) I was not able to slide the shaft out without applying more bending than I was comfortable with. What I ended up doing instead was remove the transmission (8 bolts with easy access using a long socket extension). The transmission is relatively light and easy to remove (you also have to remove the transmission cable attachment which is two screws and the pin going into the transmission lever held in place with a cotter pin. Although this got me very close to sliding the shaft out forward I was still about an inch or so too long. So I took out the damper plate which is just a few more bolts and the shaft slides foward past the strut. Same for putting the new shaft in. 
While removing the transmission sounds like a lot of work, it really is quite easy, plus you get to know your engine a little better. This was on a Yanmar-equipped boat. The only caveat worth mentioning is on reassembly, there is a bracket that holds the engine wiring harness and mounts to the transmission housing. Make sure it does not get "pinched" between transmission housing and engine when reassembling.
Good luck whichever approach you take.
Larry LeibmanHull #609Easy Going