92 SPI drive shaft stuck

[Irrumater]

Trying to remove the drive shaft from 1992 SPI, the PTO boot is toast ( Found it loose in the bottom of the engine bay). The Shaft will pull a couple CM in and out but that's it. Is there a Clip of some sort on this one I need to remove. There is an audible metal to metal sound when pushed in ( of Course) and pulled out(?). Not sure how long the boot has been gone, just purchased the ski and came this way from previous owner so splines have prob been dry for awhile.
Any thoughts or tips on getting this loose without damage would be greatly appreciated.

 

[rusty nail]

Splines are shot. You will need to replace the pto as well. Trying to pull out the driveshaft with smashed splines on both the driveshaft and pto cannot be done IMO. There are Feeds on how to pull the pto off. You will need to possibly do it in the hull then maybe pull the engine out to pull the driveshaft and pto out in one shot. Trying to cut the driveshaft would not be easy. Maybe a grinder. Others may have different advice for you

 

[Irrumater]

Finally ended up cutting the drive shaft with a sawzall and removing the PTO. The end left in the pto would move remove easily from the back and go in from the front but not come back out. Also noticed it did not have the bumper pieces in the ends of the drive shaft.
No to replace and re assemble

 

[Irrumater]

Reassembling and I hope I didnt mess things up somehow.
I reinstalled the pto, spun till hand tight.
Slid the carrier seal and hose backnon the through hull hole and the pto boot in place.
Pushing the driveshaft in is very hard. I got it pished through the bearing and lined up into the boot but it didnt want to go any further. I lightly tapped the shaft with a block of wood and it seated just into the pto but over half the splines still show. The shaft and pto turn together by hand with plugs out but i can not pull it free.
Should it be this hard to push in? Inam afraid maybe the slpines didnt line up correctly so I dont want to tap it in any further.
Advise please

 

[mikidymac]

Sadly you need to align the engine with the proper tool.

The driveshaft should slide in easily.

 

[Irrumater]

ThTs what i was afaid of. I never loosened the engine so it must have benn out of alignment all along

 

[mikidymac]

It is very common for these to be out of alignment.