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6 Easy Steps to Remove the Driveshaft on a Jet Ski [Video]

6 Easy Steps to Remove the Driveshaft on a Jet Ski [Video]

You can easily remove the driveshaft on your jet ski by following these six simple steps:

  1. Read the service manual
  2. Remove the reverse bucket
  3. Remove the C-Clip (on Sea-Doos)
  4. Pull the pump out
  5. Pull the driveshaft out
  6. Remove the mid-shaft (if required – on WaveRunners)
If you want to find out more about the process, keep reading. We at JetDrift have compiled all you need to know under one roof!

8 Easy Steps to Remove the Driveshaft on a Jet Ski

1. Read and Understand the Service Manual

As a first step, it’s highly recommended that you read your ski’s service manual for instructions.

The drivetrain on jet skis varies depending on the make and the model, so it is essential to study your craft before maintaining it.

We’ve compiled some general tips that work on most stock jet skis into this post.

As a rule of thumb, the direction of driveshaft removal depends on the brand:

  • Kawasaki: You have to pull out the engine, as the shaft can only be removed towards the engine bay.
  • WaveRunner: You have to remove the pump to which the driveshaft is connected. (The pump sits on a thread on the rear end of the shaft.)
  • Sea-Doo: The driveshaft can be removed towards the rear side of the ski after you’ve already removed the C-clip and the pump.
In a nutshell, we briefly characterized the driveshaft design of each brand:Kawasaki Jet Skis

Kawasaki jet skis come with a one-piece driveshaft. The PTO (front) end of the shaft is threaded while the rear end is splined. The impeller is attached to this splined end, while you can find a coupler on the threaded end. The shaft also goes through a “shaft holder,” which houses the bearing and ensures proper sealing.

Due to the design of this assembly, it can only be removed towards the engine compartment. Unfortunately, this means you have to pull out the entire engine before starting the process.

Sea-Doos

Although modern Sea-Doos come with a one-piece driveshaft as well, this shaft doesn’t feature a coupler. Instead, it comes with a splined connection on both ends.

Thanks to this design, the driveshaft of Sea-Doos can be removed towards the rear side of the ski if you’ve previously removed the jet pump and the C-clip.

Sea-Doo driveshaft designYamaha WaveRunners

You can remove the driveshaft on a WaveRunner by simply pulling the pump out.

This is because, unlike competitor models, Yamaha WaveRunners feature a two-piece driveshaft. This means the system features a shorter mid-shaft connecting the “main” driveshaft to the coupler. The rear end of this mid-shaft is housed in a shaft holder (shaft housing).

If you want to remove the driveshaft, best practice is to pull out the pump and the driveshaft towards the rear.

If you want to learn more about the steps in this process, keep reading!

WaveRunner driveshaft design

2. Remove the Reverse Bucket

If your ski features a brake and reverse system, you must remove the reverse bucket as the first step.

On certain models, this bracket comes off with the pump, while on others, it has to be disassembled separately. For the exact process, please refer to your ski’s service manual.

Also, you may find this step-by-step guide useful:

3. Remove the C-Clip (On Sea-Doos)

If you have a Sea-Doo, you have to remove the C-clip from the driveshaft before pulling out the pump. How is this done?

The C-clip sits under a metal support ring, also known as a “hat” or “driveshaft collar.” This ring sits on the driveshaft inside the hull, pressed against the carbon ring. Grab the support ring and slide it towards the shaft. The C-clip will appear under the support ring. If you push hard enough with a flat screwdriver you can remove this clip.

Since the rubber boot provides some flexibility, the ring can even be moved towards the rear end of the shaft by hand.

But let’s face it, forcing the support ring and removing the C-clip at the same time can be quite tricky.

This is where special removal tools come into play. You can invest in an OEM Sea-Doo Carbon Seal Tool, or you can make a simple DIY pry bar tool:

4. Remove the Jet Pump

On WaveRunners and Sea-Doos, the only way to pull out the driveshaft is to remove the pump in advance.

Remove the right bolts, disconnect the steering cables, and pull the pump out. On WaveRunners, the driveshaft will instantly come off with the pump since it’s attached to the mid-shaft with a simple splined connection.

Here’s a great video on how to remove the driveshaft on a WaveRunner:

In contrast, if you remove just the pump on a Sea-Doo, you’ll find that the shaft stays stuck inside the ski. This is why you have to remove the C-clip before removing the pump!

If you do the opposite, you won’t be able to remove the C-clip as the entire shaft will move back and forth (since the pump doesn’t support its rear anymore).

When it comes to Kawasaki jet skis, as we discussed, you have to pull out the engine to remove the driveshaft.

5. Pull the Driveshaft Out

As the final step, you have to pull out the driveshaft.

On a Sea-Doo, if you’ve removed the C-clip and the pump, you can simply pull the shaft out towards the rear of the ski.

If it’s stuck due to rust, try to smooth it down as much as possible and spray some penetrating oil on it.

The support ring (hat) will simply fall into the hull when you pull the shaft out.

On a Kawasaki, after pulling the engine out, you have to unbolt the shaft holder as well. Then you can easily remove the driveshaft, as you can see in this video:

6. Remove the Mid-Shaft (on WaveRunners)

If you want to replace the driveshaft bearings or the rubber coupler damper on your WaveRunner, this means that you have to remove the mid-shaft (intermediate shaft) with the shaft housing as well.

The bad news is that the mid-shaft is connected to the crankshaft with a coupler, so the entire engine has to be moved forward to remove the mid-shaft.

Just remove the bolt from the shaft housing, slide the engine forward, and you can pull out the entire mid-shaft assembly.

Conclusion

The exact process of removing the driveshaft on a jet ski varies from one model to the next:
  • On a Yamaha WaveRunner: You have to remove the pump to which the drive shaft is attached. If you want to remove the mid-shaft for some reason, you have to move the engine forward. (WaveRunners feature a two-piece driveshaft system.)
  • On a Sea-Doo: As the first step, remove the C-clip from the driveshaft and pull out the pump. Once the pump is out, you can simply pull out the driveshaft by hand towards the rear side of the ski. Please note that vintage 2-stroke Sea-Doos featured a coupler, just like competitor models, while their modern counterparts come with a one-piece driveshaft.
  • On Kawasaki Jet Skis: On these machines, the only way to remove the driveshaft is if you pull out the engine. This is because there’s a coupler mounted on the front of the shaft, which can only be removed by using a removal tool and a bench vise.
As a final word, make sure to read your jet ski’s service manual before you do any maintenance on your ski!