1991 Alpha 1 Gen 2 Bellows and Gimbal Bearing Job

[Roadblock007]

Starting the job this weekend. I figured I would start this thread now so that anyone interested in following could hop on board and be ready when my questions start.

I have the Mercury kit that came with :
21906 Gimbal housing bearing
39622 Outdrive installation gasket kit
47110 3/4 inch water hose
891800 Drive shaft and shift cable bellow
85910 Oil seal
89181 Sleeve
89100 Exhaust Bellow

I also have the engine alignment tool, gimbal bearing installation tool, perfect seal, power tune, bellows adhesive, hinge pin tool, and new trim senders.

I'm sure I have more stuff, just can't remember right now.

Wish me luck!

 

[Boater31]

Here is a write up I did when I did mine last year.

I used all OEM parts, didnt have to do gimble bearing but if you do make sure it's oriented the right way. Lots of posting on how to do gimble bearings for both sealed and not sealed.

If you doing trim limit/sender make sure you run wires before reassembly.

Make sure you use a wire or at least string attached to lower shift cable before removal so it's easy to reinstall I'm correct spot.

Here is the forum h
Https://forums.iboats.com/forum/eng...drives/10751921-bellows-replacement-questions

 

[Roadblock007]

Here is a write up I did when I did mine last year.

I used all OEM parts, didnt have to do gimble bearing but if you do make sure it's oriented the right way. Lots of posting on how to do gimble bearings for both sealed and not sealed.

If you doing trim limit/sender make sure you run wires before reassembly.

Make sure you use a wire or at least string attached to lower shift cable before removal so it's easy to reinstall I'm correct spot.

Here is the forum h
Https://forums.iboats.com/forum/eng...drives/10751921-bellows-replacement-questions

Is there a confusion about the wire hook up? I think they are all the same colours.

 

[Boater31]

When you pull the lower shift cable, I replaced mine when I had everything out since I didn't know when it was done last and was at max adjustment, the cable needs to follow a specific path from the transom up to the shift plate. If you tie a string or wire to the old one before you pull it out, you can use that to pull the new outer core back in.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Your better off using an old control cable core, available for free at most shops

 

[Roadblock007]

When you pull the lower shift cable, I replaced mine when I had everything out since I didn't know when it was done last and was at max adjustment, the cable needs to follow a specific path from the transom up to the shift plate. If you tie a string or wire to the old one before you pull it out, you can use that to pull the new outer core back in.

I meant the wires on the limit switches.

 

[Boater31]

Yes the trim sender and trim limit are the same rubber jacket, if you get the OEM each one will have half the grommet to seal in the transom. You do need to keep track where they go in the boat since limit and sender wires go to different things but should be easy. The spot they go threw the transom is behind the bell house and above the water tube so can really only get it when everything is apart.

 

[JASinIL2006]

It's been awhile, but don't the limit and sender wires have slightly different bullet connectors? I thought one of them has two male connectors and the other had one male and one female connector. I thought that was the easy way to keep them separate.

 

[Boater31]

I think you are correct. Now that you mention it I think all 4 of my connectors are in a holder attached to the trim pump. Not sure if that's standard or not.

 

[Roadblock007]

I have everything off. Couldn't get the grounding screw off so I am letting the assy hang on bungees. I have a part on the ground that I can't identify.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... I believe that little clip, holds a wire, to the water hose,....

 

[achris]

Ayuh,..... I believe that little clip, holds a wire, to the water hose,....

Yep. Holds the limit switch wires to the water hose on the port side. Stops them getting crushed by moving bits during turning and trimming.

 

[Roadblock007]

Thank you

 

[Roadblock007]

Oil seal and gimbal ring installed.

 

[Roadblock007]

First day is over. About 4hrs in. Water hose, oil seal, gimbal bearing, and 3 bellows installed (some more than once ). Tomorrow after work is a new day and will do both trim senders.

 

[Roadblock007]

How do I know if my gimbal bearing was a sealed bearing or not? It looks the same as the old one here. If I rotate the outer sleeve I can see a hole so just to be safe I pointed that hole towards the grease zerk.

 

[achris]

Greaseable, not sealed.

 

[Roadblock007]

Thanks again. Guess it was a good thing I pointed the hole towards the zerk then..

 

[Roadblock007]

I took a break yesterday to get the new shift cable since the old one broke. I greased the gimbal bearing to make sure I had the zerk lined up and thankfully grease started appearing around the inner race so I rotated everything while greasing and all seems good. I wasn't happy with my adhesive job on the bellows so I took them off again. Will clean them and reinstall tonight. I went to grease my u joints while I had the grease gun out and the fittings are flat with no hole. I guess non greaseable?

 

[Rick Stephens]

I took a break yesterday to get the new shift cable since the old one broke. I greased the gimbal bearing to make sure I had the zerk lined up and thankfully grease started appearing around the inner race so I rotated everything while greasing and all seems good. I wasn't happy with my adhesive job on the bellows so I took them off again. Will clean them and reinstall tonight. I went to grease my u joints while I had the grease gun out and the fittings are flat with no hole. I guess non greaseable?

That's getting more common. See it on John Deere combines that cost half a mil and have sealed bearings all over them. Reason they do that is to sell a low maintenance major investment. Problem is, when you hit so many hours, they need tens of thousands of dollars in labor to replace them.