Hello all, I have been boating for many years but just joined this forum today in hopes of geeting some answers to my gimbal bearing problems.
Let me start by describing my boat. I have a 2003 Maxum 3300 SCR with twin 5.7L carb Merc's with Bravo III outdrives. I purchased the boat new in the spring of 2004. I didnt even know what a gimbal bearing was until spring of last year when I started the boat up for my spring decommissioning cruise and heard a grwling coming from my port engine. After having the local mechanic come listen to it he told me it was the gimbal bearing going bad and would need to be replaced. He recommended that since the boat had to come out of the water for this that both engines be done at the same time as well as the bellows. So thats what I did. I had the boat pulled and had all this work done. The boat goes back in the water and all is grand.
Keep in mind that only one motor was making this noise but had both done anyway. About a month later one of the bearings (not sure if it was the port or starboard engine) starting making noise again. I told the mechanic and he said "Well i used Sierra bearings and not OEM Merc berings so maybe it was a faulty bearing." So he pulled the boat again and replaced the one bearing with a Merc bearing and relaunched the boat. 2 weeks later the other bearing started making noise again as well. I told him about it and he said "Thats odd, what are the chances of having 2 bad Sierra bearings?" So he pulls the boat out again and replaces the other bearing with a Merc bearing.
2 months goes by and everything is fine until one day I start the boat and guess what? You got it. The port bearing is making that growling noise. Well by now its Memorial Day weekend and he is so booked up that he cant get to it for about a month. By this time now the starboard bearing is growling too.
He pulls the boat and we examine the bellows for water but there is none yet the bearings are rusted. So he replaced both bearings yet again and greased the crap out of both of them and put everything back together. It was good for a couple of months but by the end of last season they were both growling again.
Well now its spring time again and I want to get the boat ready and these bearings are going to need to be replaced AGAIN. The mechanic has been great as I paid him one time to do the job and he has replaced them several times now at no charge but this is getting out of hand. I dont expect him to work for free but at the same time I know he doesnt enjoy replacing these bearings every couple of months. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions as to what could be causing this or what to look for? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Let me start by describing my boat. I have a 2003 Maxum 3300 SCR with twin 5.7L carb Merc's with Bravo III outdrives. I purchased the boat new in the spring of 2004. I didnt even know what a gimbal bearing was until spring of last year when I started the boat up for my spring decommissioning cruise and heard a grwling coming from my port engine. After having the local mechanic come listen to it he told me it was the gimbal bearing going bad and would need to be replaced. He recommended that since the boat had to come out of the water for this that both engines be done at the same time as well as the bellows. So thats what I did. I had the boat pulled and had all this work done. The boat goes back in the water and all is grand.
Keep in mind that only one motor was making this noise but had both done anyway. About a month later one of the bearings (not sure if it was the port or starboard engine) starting making noise again. I told the mechanic and he said "Well i used Sierra bearings and not OEM Merc berings so maybe it was a faulty bearing." So he pulled the boat again and replaced the one bearing with a Merc bearing and relaunched the boat. 2 weeks later the other bearing started making noise again as well. I told him about it and he said "Thats odd, what are the chances of having 2 bad Sierra bearings?" So he pulls the boat out again and replaces the other bearing with a Merc bearing.
2 months goes by and everything is fine until one day I start the boat and guess what? You got it. The port bearing is making that growling noise. Well by now its Memorial Day weekend and he is so booked up that he cant get to it for about a month. By this time now the starboard bearing is growling too.
He pulls the boat and we examine the bellows for water but there is none yet the bearings are rusted. So he replaced both bearings yet again and greased the crap out of both of them and put everything back together. It was good for a couple of months but by the end of last season they were both growling again.
Well now its spring time again and I want to get the boat ready and these bearings are going to need to be replaced AGAIN. The mechanic has been great as I paid him one time to do the job and he has replaced them several times now at no charge but this is getting out of hand. I dont expect him to work for free but at the same time I know he doesnt enjoy replacing these bearings every couple of months. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions as to what could be causing this or what to look for? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
