Method and apparatus for determining the thickness of shim required for properly loading and positioning the bearing assembly of a marine propulsion device drive shaft

An apparatus for use with a device including a first wall surface, a second wall surface, and a removable, rotatable shaft having thereon a reference point, the shaft also having thereon a first bearing assembly including a first surface supported by the first wall surface with a first shim between the first bearing assembly surface and the first wall surface, and with a first fixed distance between the first wall surface and the reference point when the first bearing assembly is axially loaded in the device, and the shaft further having thereon a second bearing assembly including a second surface supported by the second wall surface with a second shim between the second bearing assembly surface and the second wall surface, and with a second fixed distance between the first wall surface and the second bearing assembly surface when the second bearing assembly is axially loaded in the device, said apparatus measuring the required thicknesses of the first and second shims without inserting the shaft into the device, and said apparatus comprising a frame, first means connectable to said frame for axially loading the first bearing asembly with the shaft out of the device, second means connectable to said frame for axially loading the second bearing assembly with the shaft out of the device, third means connectable to said frame for measuring the first existing distance between the first bearing assembly surface and the reference point, and fourth means connectable to said frame for measuring the second existing distance between the first bearing assembly surface and the second bearing assembly surface, whereby the thickness of the first shim is determined by comparing said first existing distance to the first fixed distance, and whereby the thickness of the second shim is determined by comparing said second existing distance to the second fixed distance, and, if the second wall surface faces in the same direction as the first wall surface, adding the thickness of the first shim, or, if the second wall surface faces in the opposite direction from the first wall surface, subtracting the thickness of the first shim.

A method for use with a device including a first wall surface, a second wall surface, and a removable, rotatable shaft having thereon a reference point, the shaft also having thereon a first bearing assembly including a first surface supported by the first wall surface with a first shim between the first bearing assembly surface and the first wall surface, and with a first fixed distance between the first wall surface and the reference point when the first bearing assembly is axially loaded in the device, and the shaft further having thereon a second bearing assembly including a second surface supported by the second wall surface with a second shim between the second bearing assembly surface and the second wall surface, and with a second fixed distance between the first wall surface and the second bearing assembly surface when the second bearing assembly is axially loaded in the device, said method measuring the required thicknesses of the first and second shims without inserting the shaft into the device, and said method comprising the steps of axially loading the first bearing assembly with the shaft out of the device, axially loading the second bearing assembly with the shaft out of the device, measuring the first existing distance between the first bearing assembly surface and the reference point, and measuring the second existing distance between the first bearing assembly surface and the second bearing assembly surface, whereby the thickness of the first shim is determined by comparing said first existing distance to the first fixed distance, and whereby the thickness of the second shim is determined by comparing said second existing distance to the second fixed distance, and, if the second wall surface faces in the same direction as the first wall surface, adding the thickness of the first shim, or, if the second wall surface faces in the opposite direction from the first wall surface, subtracting the thickness of the first shim.