Gimbal Bearing Replacement Post-Mortem

[cjflanagan]

I want to make sure I have done my Gimbal bearing replacement correctly on my 89 Mercruiser Alpha One Outdrive, this is what I did: I pulled my outdrive; pulled the Gimbal bearing; drove a new replacement bearing home by the race till there was a change in the sound of the hammer (from hollow to solid); made sure that the grease holes lined up, greased the u-joints,splines, and all zert fittings; replaced all the o-rings, replaced the gasket, made sure the shift slide assembly engaged the shift shaft lever, and that the shift shaft coupler engaged the coupler slot; put the drive back onto the Gimbal housing; and torqued all the bolts down to 50 lbs with a torque wrench.<br /><br />Here are the hitches: I was careful to drive the bearing by the race but one stray whack did hit the bearing face putting a dent in it (toward the top).<br /><br />Also, when I put the drive together it didn't just fall together I had to jiggle it around and smack it a few times with a rubber mallet just so that I could get a nut started, which then allowed me to start another, and another etc. till everything finally seated. <br /><br />Normally I would just start it up and see how it worked but I don't want to get water in the engine till things warm up in March. Does it sound like I did things right? Will the dent in the bearing wreck it right away? Should the outdrive have to be squashed together with the Gimbal housing by the nuts ( now that's a quote!), or should it just slide together? Finally, is it possible to set up a remote oil reservoir for my outdrive, I understand that some of the newer boats have this feature. Can I retro fit something? I really like the idea of a sight bottle for keeping tabs on outdrive oil. Any input is appreciated. Thanks in advance -

 

[fireship1]

Re: Gimbal Bearing Replacement Post-Mortem

Hello, Sounds like you didn't have too bad of a time changing your bearing. I know I sure have had my share of troubles just trying to pull them out! OK here's what I think.....How bad of a whack did that bearing take? Was it a bad dent in the face of the bearing? That bearing really is a precision assembly. If you bent anything up it could stick or bind. The result wouldn't be good. I know I can't see it from here, but it's better safe than sorry. Might want to pick up another and replace it. It's always a good idea to use a gimbal bearing driver to install. Or a large socket. Keeps you from buggering the bearing up. You also need to align the bearing with an alignment tool. That's the reason you had to fight the drive back in place. The gimbal bearing has to be properly aligned to the engine coupler for the driveshaft to track properly. This is a step that will keep all your hard work from turning into a mess! If you skip this step you risk ruining the new bearing or worse (gasp) the engine coupler (engine needs to be pulled to change that rascal). The remote reservoir is defiantly able to be adapted to your drive. They sell kits all over the Internet. Can't remember exactly where, but I know one of the gang will jump in and give you a lead! It mounts on the inner transom and has a line that replaces the upper unit vent screw. As far as the drive goes....(hate to say it) pull it off, install a new bearing, align it with alignment tool and rest easy knowing it's done right. Sounds like you got the rest down cold. Good luck!

 

[BRIAN03]

Re: Gimbal Bearing Replacement Post-Mortem

After the gimbal bearing is installed I always grease the fitting going to the gimbal bearing. Once in awhile the bearing won't take grease. The bearing is dry when you install the gimbal bearing. If you run it dry it will fail right away. You need to make sure the bearing takes grease.(the grease come out around the center of the bearing). If you hit the steel cover on the bearing you should turn the bearing by hand to see if it interferes with the rolling of the bearing. I've have hit that cover befor some it worked fine others I had to remove and replace the bearing again. The reason the drive doesn't go on easy after a new gimbal bearing is that it needs to be line-up with an alignment tool when you install the drive without the tool it will by forcing the drive on line up the new bearing.

 

[djvan]

Re: Gimbal Bearing Replacement Post-Mortem

Search e bay "mercruiser oil reservoir" I haven't checked lately but they have been selling there for about 45.00. <br /><br />DougV>

 

[mercrewser]

Re: Gimbal Bearing Replacement Post-Mortem

yeah, definatley make sure that engine is aligned. That tool is cheaper than a tow in.

 

[cjflanagan]

Re: Gimbal Bearing Replacement Post-Mortem

Ok, I asked for advise and I got it, but sometimes advise begs more questions, and this is no exception. The manual (Clymer)makes no mention of an alignment tool when replacing the bearing. It only said to make sure that the carrier and tolerance ring grease holes line up. If the bearing finds its way home (definite change in sound as it bottomed out against the chamfer); and the drive did go together; why do you have to add this step?<br /><br />BRIAN03- While I pumped away on the grease gun I did see grease piling up behind the bearing but it wasn't coming through the center. This makes me more nervous than the ding or the alignment.<br />Does anyone have one have a Mercruiser 91-31220a5 Gimbal Bearing Drive Tool I can borrow for the weekend? Does anyone rent this stuff?<br />Thanks.

 

[fireship1]

Re: Gimbal Bearing Replacement Post-Mortem

Hello! Read my last post, I explain why it is a real necessity to align the bearing with the alignment tool. You might be able to take a chance and force the drive back on. But why take a chance? The alignment tool sure is cheaper than an engine coupler! When you filled the bearing with the grease gun grease should have oozed out between the bearing and the race. That's where the grease needs to be. In between the rollers. If it's not lubed properly it will fail within minutes! As far as the tools go, some Merc dealers will rent or loan for free if you buy your parts from them. Otherwise try the net. Ebasic power.com or Mercstuff.com. Two places where you can get all the tools to do drive maintenance. Or try eBay. People sometimes buy, use to repair their drives and sell. Good luck!

 

[BRIAN03]

Re: Gimbal Bearing Replacement Post-Mortem

There is a hole in alumium housing that the bearing is held in. That hole has to be lined up with the hole from the grease fitting on the transom bracket. Once the bearing is all the way in. You need to see if the bearing part of the assemble takes grease if it doesnt you have wasted you time. I have had to pull them back out and relocate them so they will take grease. Alignment of the gimbal bearing is key to the easy installation of the drive after you have installed a new bearing. The gimbal bearing will rotate 360 degrees in the alumium housing when you align the bearing you are aligning it up with the coupler on the flywheel. I dont like aftermarket service manuals They never have all the correct infomation.

 

[djvan]

Re: Gimbal Bearing Replacement Post-Mortem

Mark the bearing with a black marker and the housing. Make the marks where the grease holes are, then align the marks when installing. Check to be sure the bearing takes grease. This isn't all there is to it but a handy way to help align the grease holes.<br /><br />DougV>

 

[cjflanagan]

Re: Gimbal Bearing Replacement Post-Mortem

Fireship1 & Brian03<br />I know I have the gimbal bearing carrier grease hole lined up with the gimbal housing grease cavity hole in a port starboard orientation. That part I'm sure of. However, I'm not sure about fore and aft orientation.<br /><br />As I mentioned in my post, as I pumped grease into the gimbal housing zert fitting, I could see the grease(with the drive off)piling up behind the bearing (in the cavity between the gimbal bearing and the engine coupler). I did not see it coming out between the bearing and the race. However, theoretically, if I were to continue to pump grease into this finite cavity, would it not eventually fill up the cavity, thus forcing grease into both the engine coupler, axle splines, and eventually back out through the bearing and the race, thus lubricating three major friction points instead of just one? Of course the outdrive drive would be in place, with new O rings on the drive shaft, thus keeping the grease from coming out from between the axle and the bearing bypassing the ball bearings.<br /><br />Or, does this just prove that my fore and aft alignment of the gimbal bearing carrier grease hole is not lined up with the gimbal housing grease cavity hole? <br /><br />Or, do I just have a lemon of a bearing?<br /><br />P.S. I will get an alignment tool (I hear you).

 

[garycinn]

Re: Gimbal Bearing Replacement Post-Mortem

I was very happy with the alignment tool I got from www.mercstuff.com for $70.

 

[cjflanagan]

Re: Gimbal Bearing Replacement Post-Mortem

Right On- thanks Garycinn

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Gimbal Bearing Replacement Post-Mortem

Boiling point 212:<br /><br />Sorry boiling point, The only thing I can say other than what has been said is to tell you to replace the bearing that you damaged as suggested. Even a slight dent will cause the bearing to fail shortly. Sorry.

 

[fireship1]

Re: Gimbal Bearing Replacement Post-Mortem

Hello, I agree. Better safe than sorry. Doesn't sound like the bearing is taking grease in all the right places. If the grease pushes out from behind it will lube everything but where it's needed most. In between the rollers. This bearing will fail either from lack of lubrication......... quickly. When you reinstall make sure the grease hole in the gimbal housing and the bearing are aligned as close as they can be. Make sure the tolerance ring is lined up with the hole in the race as well. Make sure the bore of the housing and the bearing outer race is lubed with grease before you start. Tap her in nice and easy. Pump it up and make sure it takes grease. See if the grease exits from the center between the bearing and the race. Use the alignment tool at this point. Make sure it slides in and bottoms in the coupler. Tap the alignment tool with a plastic dead blow hammer. lightly tap up, down, left, right. This is to move the bearing so it will line up with the coupler. The alignment tool should slide in at this point without much resistance. You should also be able to rotate it with little resistance (two fingers and not the whole hand) Make sure you grease the splines of the drive shaft and lightly grease the shaft itself when you reinstall the drive. Take your time and you will be fine. Good luck!