Yamaha F60T - Changing Upper and Lower Dampers

[corruptibleseed]

Hi, I noticed a bit of fore-aft play on the engine and have been advised that the upper dampers on my 2011 Yamaha F60T need to be replaced.

Tried to get the local agents to do the work, but they have informed that they are too busy to even schedule the job! They've also advised that:-

1. The lower dampers will need to be removed to change the upper dampers, and so I should go ahead and change those as well; and

2. The oil pan will need to be drained since the mid section will need to be removed.

Could I please confirm that both of these statements are correct?

I have over 1600 hrs on my engine and to date, have done all the necessary maintenance and repairs myself. The engine has so far been faultless. But this would be the biggest job I've attempted so far. The head mechanic from the local dealer has been helpful. Between a few calls with him and going over the service manual/parts diagrams, I think the sequence would be as follows:-

a. remove lower unit
b. drain oil pan (not sure if this is necessary?)
c. remove power head
d. remove lower mount covers
e. remove oil pan (not sure if this is necessary?)
f. replace upper and lower dampers and bolts
g. replace powerhead gasket
h. reassemble.

Have I left anything out? The service manual does provide an easy to follow step by step on removing the powerhead.

Is there anything I should be particularly careful with? The mechanic has said that the lower damper bolts will almost always be seized so I should be prepared to have to cut and knock them out. Also, I'm guessing I need to ensure I don't get gunk in the oil pan while cleaning/prepping the surfaces for the new powerhead gasket.

Thanks in advance!

[99yam40]

Not any help on a F60, but here is a thread on a 40 2 stroke about removing the mounts that might help.
he finally got it done on page 3
I think about post#36 is where things started going his way.
good luck with your project.
Video - '99 Yamaha 2stroke 40hp - Way too much play, missing a bushing? - Yamaha Outboard Parts Forum

[fairdeal]

1. The lower dampers will need to be removed to change the upper dampers, and so I should go ahead and change those as well; and

2. The oil pan will need to be drained since the mid section will need to be removed.

Could I please confirm that both of these statements are correct?

Yes,
besides the upper motor mount being completely inaccessible due to the presence of the powerhead,
requiring its removal,
Yamaha chose to face the long bolts such that the entire midsection must be slid back ~3"
to extract them from the steering bracket;
and that of course means the lower bolts must be simultaneously removed.

There are several reasons to drain the oil first:
IMO the most important being, it allows you to wipe the interior of the oil pan clean,
and assure that it is so,
as you re-install the powerhead.

Particularly on an older engine used in saltwater,
there is a high chance that due to corrosion,
one or more of the bolts/nuts/washers/other parts
can not be re-used:
so personally I would be prepared for a delay of several days
between disassembly and completion,
to allow for acquisition of those specific additional parts...

[99yam40]

Fairdeal, good to see you still around from time to time

[fairdeal]

Thank you, 99

[corruptibleseed]

99yam40 - thanks for the thread! you're right about the eureka moment at post 36 and the first half of the video on the tilt tube removal was very instructive!

fairdeal - thank you for the confirmation and the explanation. It seems rather obvious now that you've explained it! The dealer had already advised me to replace all four mount bolts and most of the bits and bobs on them, so I'm hoping not to need any extra parts. They're shipping in some of the smaller parts from Japan by DHL which is scheduled to arrive tomorrow! Unfortunately, there's a chance that any other additional parts may also need to be couriered in so I have my fingers crossed! Shipping anything in will likely take weeks! I guess if I need more time, I'll more time... Based on the videos and diagrams so far, I'm hoping to get everything done within a day or two, but since it's the first time I'm attempting this, I won't hold myself to any schedule.

Thank you for the advice on wiping the oil pan clean - would not have thought of that! On a related note, is there anything else I should be doing while I have the powerhead removed and the mid section off? For example, cleaning out and repacking the the tilt tube? I have had no problems at all with my trim/tilt or steering and I do pump grease through the nipples regularly as part of the regular maintenance.

Finally, and just to be extra certain, I will not need to remove the steering tube, right? Is it worth replacing the circlip regardless to prevent possible issues further down the road?

Thank you so much again for your time and expertise... think I finally have a grasp of what will be involved! Almost excited to get started!

[corruptibleseed]

Hi everyone, just thought I'd provide an update.

Pulled the powerhead and took off the midsection/oil pan yesterday... Powerhead came off far easier than expected, midsection took a bit of work as the upper damper bolts were seized solid. End up cutting off the bolt heads with an oscillating tool which worked far better than expected! fairdeal - thank you for the about cleaning out the oil pan! A mechanic working nearby suggested I clean it out with some petrol.

The real problem came when I tried to dislodge the upper damper bolts from the steering bracket. They absolutely would not budge. I had two very kind marine mechanics come by separately and try their hand but both eventually gave up. Despite a LOT of pounding and plenty of heat, the bolts just seem to have fused in the holes. In addition, the steering tube appears to have fused with the lower steering mount. One mechanic offered to try getting the damper bolts out at his work shop with a hydraulic press but even he was less than optimistic that this would work. The other suggested I cut off the lower steering mount and replace, the tube, the bushings and the lower mount. Apparently, he had just performed the exact same procedure on a Yamaha F50 last week! After agonising for a night, I went with the latter.

So in the end, had the damper bolts not seized in the steering bracket, it would have been a reasonably straightforward job, easily completed within a day (even with cutting out the old bolts).

Based on the advice of one of the mechanics, I might as well change the upper main drive shaft seal as well since it is a common and catastrophic point of failure. Since I now have a wait for parts (one of the mechanics just bought the last steering bracket assembly available locally), I guess I will be doing so! The dealer was also spot on in advising that both sets of bolts as well as the various bits on the lower damper other than the front collar should be replaced.

Just a short note in case someone else is planning a similar job. Thanks again 99yam40 and fairdeal.