Major stuck Gimbal Bearing

[sculbert]

Well I am at ends wits, I have spent two days trying to get the gimbal bearing out. I have used a three finger puller pushing against a 1/4 inch steel plate. I have tried pulling so hard it has severly bent the plate. I have tried heating it as much as possible without melting the bellows. Then pulled more. Guys it isn't coming out. I am about to remove all the bell housing and gimbal ring to take a sledge hammer to it! does anyone have a suggestion. The retaining pins for removing the side pins in the bell housing are froze also and I bet the pins are corroded and frozen also. This is getting to be a nightmare. I have put to much work in this boat to let this get me down. Please help!

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Major stuck Gimbal Bearing

Merc Blues, in looking ahead, do you have the proper alignment tool to align the engine on the mounts to properly align with the drive line????<br />If you don't have access to this, I feel it would be best for you to take it to a certified shop even for bearing replacement because they will align, and properly grease the unit.

 

[sculbert]

Re: Major stuck Gimbal Bearing

Yes I have a shaft from another outdrive that I use for the alignment. I am doing a complete engine swap form a 140 4 cylinder to the inline 6 165. I have had to change the outdrive and the engine. Modify the front mount as the engine is longer than the 4. I am ready to put eveything back together and right now it looks like I might have to consider the entire gimbal houseing being replaced. that will be a night mare. I might find it easier to find a boat with out a engine and outdrive.

 

[Northern Eclipse]

Re: Major stuck Gimbal Bearing

Don't know if this the right thing to do, but a boat buddy I know had the same delima your having with a gimbal bearing, mechanic had to drill the bearing case and split in half to remove, It cost him 2 hours to have it done.

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Major stuck Gimbal Bearing

I wish I could help more, but the tool we use to extract the bearing assemblyis simular to a bushing installing tool, threaded on the inside with a plate that slides over the studs on the rear to leep the assembly from turning while impacting (impact wrench)the threaded rod to extract a tough one...<br />I feel for ya...Good Luck, maybe someone will have a good idea.

 

[sculbert]

Re: Major stuck Gimbal Bearing

Dooh! Great idea! I was figuring on how to take my acytelene to it but you just saved me from a potential fire. I might can do that without stripping everything down!

 

[achris]

Re: Major stuck Gimbal Bearing

Probably worth mentioning. Have you removed the circlip from the housing, behind the gimbal bearing? Closest to you if you are looking in through the bell housing. The older housings have one. After 1969 they stopped putting them in.

 

[sculbert]

Re: Major stuck Gimbal Bearing

Thanks for the thought, but yes I have removed it. That was another story in itself. With all the corosion that was fun also. Apparently this boat came form florida at one time and it seems they like running in saltwater down there for some reason.

 

[qystan]

Re: Major stuck Gimbal Bearing

If you still have your engine out, try driving it out from inside the boat.<br /><br />It was quite easy to get out on mine using a hammer puller. If its not corrosion, the bearing might be out of position and has wedged itself into the housing, try driving it in to seat it properly, then try again. Use the installation tool or machine one (cheaper), you will need it to install the new bearing anyway.

 

[anesthes]

Re: Major stuck Gimbal Bearing

I used a snap-on GM axle bearing puller. TOok me about 45 minutes of pure beating and beating.

 

[sculbert]

Re: Major stuck Gimbal Bearing

I got it out finally! That was one of the worst I have ever seen. I took out the center core of the bearing by taking a punch and spinning it 90 degrees so I could pull out the center. there is two slots on the outer case that are notched so when you flip the bearing 90 degrees it will slide out. Then I was able to drill the two sicdes for the next 4 hours till I got it cut in too two pieces. I still wasn't able to pull it out. I had to take a really big cold chisel and BFH and bang on it for a while before they came loose enough to get out. Now I have to clean up alot of corrosion before I put the new one in.