Short answer: Harbor Marine repairs sterndrives for Flowery Branch boats in our nearby Buford shop, including bellows, gimbal bearings, gear housings and anodes. Call or text (770) 967-8495.
Drives that live in the water
Many Flowery Branch boats stay in the water at docks and slips for the whole season. For a sterndrive, that means months of the rubber bellows sitting in sun and lake water, the gimbal housing exposed to corrosion, and the drive staying trimmed down. Those parts wear whether the boat is used or not, so a yearly drive inspection is worth it on any boat that lives in the water.
Signs to watch for
- A clunk when shifting, or shifting that feels stiff.
- Grinding or rumbling that changes with speed or steering.
- New vibration at cruising speed.
- Water in the bilge that you cannot explain.
- Milky gear lube when the drive is serviced.
Drive work happens in the shop
Inspecting bellows, U-joints and the gimbal bearing properly means pulling the drive, so the work happens at our shop at 6516 Lanier Islands Parkway in Buford. Flowery Branch is close by. If the boat is at your dock or in a slip, ask about boat transport in Flowery Branch. If you have a trailer, call ahead and drop it off.
What we replace
Bellows are usually replaced as a set: the U-joint, exhaust and shift cable boots. The gimbal bearing and U-joints are replaced if they are rough or noisy. Gear housings are opened on the bench when the symptoms point there. Everything goes back together with new seals and gaskets.
Trimming up at the dock
When a boat sits at a dock for long stretches, many owners trim the drive up to keep it out of the water and reduce growth. That is a good habit, but check what your drive's maker recommends, because trimming fully up for months can stretch the bellows on some drives. We are happy to talk through the best storage position for your boat.
Anodes and corrosion
Drives use sacrificial anodes to protect the metal parts from corrosion. On a boat that lives in the water, those anodes wear away over time and need replacing. Worn-out anodes leave the gimbal housing and drive more exposed. We check them as part of a drive inspection.
Gear lube on dock-kept boats
A drive that sits in the water at a Flowery Branch dock for months has plenty of time for a small seal leak to let water into the gear housing. That is why a lube check is part of every drive inspection we do. Clean lube is good. Milky lube means water is getting in, and catching it early keeps a seal replacement from becoming a gear rebuild.
What affects a drive repair
Pricing is set when you call for a quote. These are the things that change the size of the job:
- Inspection versus bellows replacement or a gear rebuild.
- Drive model and parts.
- Whether the boat needs transport from the dock.
After a strike near the dock
Shallow water near docks and in coves around Flowery Branch can catch a drive when the lake is low. If you feel a bump, inspect the prop before the next run.
Related and nearby
If the engine is due too, see engine repair in Flowery Branch. Everything we do in town is on our Flowery Branch boat repair page.
Next door, see sterndrive repair in Buford, or sterndrive repair on Lake Lanier for the whole lake. Our main sterndrive and outdrive repair page explains each part we inspect. Contact us with questions.