Alpha 1 Gen2 - Gimbal ring tabs cut off

[Jeedee5]

Hi,

I recently bought a boat that has an Alpha 1 Gen2 fitted to it;
Seems like the previous owner has replaced the upper gearcase at a certain moment. During the replacement, they seem to have cut off the lower tabs of the gimbal ring, to make the gearcase fit... I guess this is not healthy situation...

Does anybody have an idea of the effects of these tabs missing? added stress to the gimbal?

 

[alldodge]

Those need to be there to reduce the load on the hinge pins. Have a feeling that the bell housing will be the next thing to crack

 

[Rick Stephens]

Only reason I can think of that one might do that is to fit a Gen2 drive on an Earlier Alpha1 gimbal housing. The Gen2 drive is wider there than the Alpha 1. So whacking off the guides would allow it to bolt up.

 

[Jeedee5]

Only reason I can think of that one might do that is to fit a Gen2 drive on an Earlier Alpha1 gimbal housing. The Gen2 drive is wider there than the Alpha 1. So whacking off the guides would allow it to bolt up.

That is indeed what I think has happened... Several parts thrown together to get something fixed, without checking for the correct parts... "It looks like it wil fit!"
I'll have to get the whole outdrive off the boat anyway (some cleaning up). I will know more afterwards of what I am working with here...

 

[Jeedee5]

Is it possible that they just replaced the gimbal ring with the wrong model (Gen1 model)? Because all the rest of the gimbal housing looks to be GEN2. The GEN1 housing looks much smaller on top (see image)...

 

[alldodge]

Is it possible that they just replaced the gimbal ring with the wrong model (Gen1 model)? Because all the rest of the gimbal housing looks to be GEN2. The GEN1 housing looks much smaller on top (see image)...

That is a good point, the PO didn't want to buy the correct part and went cheep. Is the boat a 1991 or newer?

 

[Jeedee5]

That is a good point, the PO didn't want to buy the correct part and went cheep. Is the boat a 1991 or newer?

It's a bayliner 2250 SS from 1996

 

[kenny nunez]

All that had to be done was to shave off 1/8” off of each side to fit the drive on instead of butchering the gimbal ring.
There is a large boat and drive part salvage yard in Marrero,la.
The Boat Yard. It is located on the West Bank across from New Orleans.
I have been there many times and could not believe the amount of parts and engines that are still in good condition.