gimbal bearing slos in or out

[nailem]

im replacing my gimbal bearing in a 1986 sunrunner with alpha 1 gen 1.
i have the old bearing out and the bearing had the slots facing in. i understand the reason for facing the slots out but is there anything else i need to do if i re-assemble this way. or is it better to face them in?

i am also replacing all the bellows and the shift cable. everything is out and so far so good. i did have to hut one of the hung pins to get it out but its all cleaned up and hopefully i will be assembling tonight.

 

[mikeneal]

Re: gimbal bearing slos in or out

I believe the slot was to allow you to remove the bearing from the carrier while installed in the housing. Other then ensuring the grease holes line up, I think you have all the details covered.

 

[imported_TheMan]

Re: gimbal bearing slos in or out

Apparently the bearing used to be installed with the slots facing aft. The MANUAL (which you should be following) says to install it facing forward.

I believe the change is just so that you can not replace just the bearing. You are supposed to replace the whole assembly.

Does it matter if you have it facing fore or aft? No, but make sure you replace the whole thing and have the grease hole lined up like mike said.

 

[ShaneCarroll]

Re: gimbal bearing slos in or out

I just installed my gimbal bearing, with the slots out. I mean, as long as the alignment is okay, there shouldn't be an issue. Some old timers said they did the slots out, that way they could just replace the center piece as opposed to the whole thing in the future.

Do yourself a favor, as I have just recently found out, get that exhaust tube instead of the exhaust bellows when you go to put that back on. I have been working out of town, so I only have about 2-3 hours a week to work on the boat, but it's been 8+ hours trying to get that thing on the outdrive side, and no luck. So I am just gonna get the tube and go that route.

 

[nailem]

Re: gimbal bearing slos in or out

ShaneCarroll, thanks for the advice but i already bought the bellows kit that comes with the full exhaust bellow. if i have trouble with it can i just cut it short and make it like a tube?

thanks everyone else, i think i will go with slots in. i only plan on keeping the boat another 3-4 years and if i had to replace the bearing again i would do the whole thing not just the inner bearing.

so far me and a buddy have about 1.5 to 2 hours in to tear down and cleaning everything up. and like i said the one hing pin had to be cut which took some time.

tonight we assemble.

 

[ShaneCarroll]

Re: gimbal bearing slos in or out

if i have trouble with it can i just cut it short and make it like a tube?
.

No, you can't cut that one shorter. Either way, you can pay for the bellows expander tool, or the tube. I plan on doing the tube, it lasts longer, and easier to put on. People have informed me that the job is still a pain in the rear even with the expander tool.

 

[ziggy]

Re: gimbal bearing slos in or out

http://www-alt.mercurymarine.com/mnetdata/Service/Cruiser/Bullet/85/85_26.pdf

 

[JustJason]

Re: gimbal bearing slos in or out

Ziggy, did you have that bookmarked or can you somehow still browse the site?

 

[ziggy]

Re: gimbal bearing slos in or out

bookmarked.... sorry..

 

[nailem]

Re: gimbal bearing slos in or out

thanks ziggy, i went with slots in. thats the way it came out so thats the way it went in.

tonight's progress:
gimbal bearing went in real easy. put in freezer for a few hours and used a 3" pvc pipe to hammer it in.

water hose was not that bad. i used a heat gun to soften the hose and it went on fairly easy.

shift cable, well the little bushing the goes through the haul. if it goes in from the inside out (thats how i did it) it was a big pain. i could hardly get my hand in to pus it into the boat but i finally got it.

i put the drive bellows on the boat side first heard the snap and tightened clamp. exhaust and shift bellows all on boat side no problem.

i got the hose on the bell housing?? side with a little fight. then came the drive bellows on the bell housing. i got it on but i dont fell real confident i snapped it into the ring. so i pulled it off cleaned it up and tried again. the bottom is definitely on but i cant tell if the top is. if i fell from the inside it feels like it is or maybe even farther than the bottom but i cant tell. im not sure if i am just over paranoid but there is no way to tell. i need a longer screw driver to tighten the clamp so im done for tonight.

i can not see how you could possibly do the exhaust bellow without the expanding tool so im going to see if i can borrow or rent one.

also can lake erie zebra muscles from last year move around still? i swear i cleaned every last one off and the next day i find more

 

[nailem]

Re: gimbal bearing slos in or out

after a few hours of sleep and a clear head i now see i did the u-joint bellow wrong. i put it on the boat side first and then the bell housing.
sould i re-do? also the u-joint bellow has two flat spots, those should go toward the boat and should the be on the sides or top and bottom? thanks

 

[ziggy]

Re: gimbal bearing slos in or out

i put it on the boat side first and then the bell housing.
sould i re-do?

i don't know how you'll know one way or the other. if you think you got it glued and clamped on good. i think i'd splash it and see if it leaks. the flats are towards the boat and on the sides.
even after i've done the deed. i still wonder weather i got it right. it's very hard to tell in such a confined space that you can't even see into... so far. the method i've used to see if i got it right is to put it in the water and see if i got any water leaks... kinda a hard way to tell though. maybe someone else has a better way of checking... i'd like to hear it too..