Inner transom grease nipple coupler

[QBhoy]

Hi
Recently my local Merc dealer thought it would be the case that there is no greasing of the shaft, uj and gimbal bearing on my boat.
I'm pretty sure I have a grease nipple in there on the output shaft to inner transom assembly.
Am I wrong here ?.....maybe I'm getting confused with my old VP 290.
2003 alpha one gen 2 I refer to. Without the manuals at hand....seeking advice. I am led to believe that the new gimbal bearings are sealed, but would mine be and if not, should surely be open to a greasing ? A bit disappointed with myself that I haven't looked into this until recently and taken the advice. Maybe I'm wrong.

 

[alldodge]

They started going to sealed gimbal bearings a few years ago, if yours was prior to that I don't know. Sealed bearings do last a good while because they are sealed but sooner or later they will need changing. If one is greased at regular intervals it will last even longer, maybe as long as the boat. I currently have 2 greaseable bearings on the shelf.

 

[QBhoy]

Thanks AD
I'm asking because recently I've started noticing a noise that I'm pretty sure wasn't there before.
Hard to explain....but if you have ever been on a twin engine boat when the engines are running a tiny, tiny bit out of synch...it creates a "num..num...num" droning noise. If you know what I mean.
Only noticeable with the exhausts closed.
I'm pretty well tuned in to new or unusual noises after my old seafaring marine engineer days...living, eating and breathing engine room noises and changes in tone....it's a curse, haha.
It may well be the synchronised effect of the two side exits (which are always open a little bit, even when on silent) but I'm pretty sure it wasn't there before.
It's not a UJ noise and isn't more eveident when turning or trimming etc. Just at cruise rpms really @2200-2400rpm. Perhaps higher or lower in the rev range too, as most harmonics on rotational machinery do...but haven't tried or experimented any further since first noticed last time out.

 

[stonyloam]

Are you talking about the driveshaft? There should be a grease fitting on the coupler on the newer engines. It lubes the splines of the input shaft.

 

[QBhoy]

Yeah Stoneyloam. Pretty sure there is one there on mine. Equally sure I greased it last year, according to Merc dealer he reckoned there isn't one there. I'll be looking next time down though

 

[Bt Doctur]

You really need to remove the drive for service instead of relying on grease fittings

 

[QBhoy]

Can understand removing the drive to do this and is probably best practice. I just don't think I could be bothered removing the drive every year.
If I kept the boat at the house and had a big garage or shed with workshop....I might then...but I don't unfortunately.

 

[alldodge]

The best thing about sealed gimbal bearing is if the boot leaks some water it has a much harder time getting into the bearing.

 

[QBhoy]

Very true !

 

[Grub54891]

The best thing about sealed gimbal bearing is if the boot leaks some water it has a much harder time getting into the bearing.

​I have to disagree, A true sealed bearing has the rubber lip on the inner race. A gimbal bearing does not, weather grease able or not. If water gets in the boot, it will go in the bearing just as easily as a grease able one. I had this argument with the foreman at a workplace I was at, when we started using the bearings with the rubber lip to seal them, they lasted 4 times longer. Them tin covers are called a seal, but not a complete seal.

 

[alldodge]

​I have to disagree, A true sealed bearing has the rubber lip on the inner race. A gimbal bearing does not, weather grease able or not. If water gets in the boot, it will go in the bearing just as easily as a grease able one. I had this argument with the foreman at a workplace I was at, when we started using the bearings with the rubber lip to seal them, they lasted 4 times longer. Them tin covers are called a seal, but not a complete seal.

Guess we just differ there which is cool.

 

[QBhoy]

I'd think both have their place...but understand both arguments.
It's like my trailer. It's a superb SBS "sealed for life" bearing trailer....turns out you still need to replace them...but with great difficulty !