What is a gimbal bearing on a boat

Replacement of the bearing requires special tools. It has a long tube to the bearing.

That can indicate additional damage involving the gimble bearing and the U-joint bellows.

What is a gimbal bearing on a boat. Gimbal bearings are specialty ball bearingsraces. One of their main marine uses is in boat engine drive shafts where the bearings maintain alignment using gimbal technology. A gimbal bearing and a driveshaft arrangement is shown below.

The Gimbal Bearing The gimbal bearing is press-fit into the gimbal housing. Look in through the bell housing the large hole and you will see the bearing. The center portion should turn smooth with no crunchy feel sticking or loosness.

Replacement of the bearing requires special tools. Read below for Gimbal Bearing Replacement Procedure. The gimbal bearing is in the gimbal housing bolted directly to the transom if all transoms were perfectly perpendicular to the engine coupler you would not need a gimbal.

Since different boats have different transom angles other than 90 degrees to the coupler the driveshaft support bearing inside of the gimbal bearing has to change its angle to allow the driveshaft to pass through directly. Bearing and Gimbal Ring This chapter covers removal overhaul and installation of theMetCruiser I includes Models I-R and I-MR and II-TR Drive bell housing and the I includes Models I-R and I-MR II II-TR and II-TRS Drive gimbal bearing and gimbal ring. MerCruiser has used a considerable number of slightly different bell housing and gimbal.

This is the first in a series of a Mercruiser outdrive service. I show you how simple it is to change your gimbal bearing. I will give you an overview of t.

New bearing design are sealed. Older bearing design are greasable if a tech puta in a new bearing into an older design they are supposed to remove the zerk and install a plug. If there is a loud noise while driving that might also be a sign of trouble.

It can mean there are issues with the gimble bearing or the U-joint bellows. If you notice any shifting issues this likely means an issue with the gimble bearing or the U-joint bellows. If your boat overheats it means that there is a problem with the exhaust bellow.

Took the boat out today and started to hear the typical gimbal bearing gone bad noise. I headed back to the dock and the noise ofcourse started to get real bad. I dropped down to no wake speed and before I got to the dock the engine quit.

Now it doesnt start. Im pretty sure the engine is. The gimbal grease zert is on the starboard side of the gimbal close to the bottom.

It has a long tube to the bearing. Give it six to eight shots of grease. If you can put it on muffs do it with the engine running in neutral.

The two most common symptoms noticed first by customers are water constantly leaking into the boat and noise coming from the back of the enginedrive area. Its important to note that once these things are noticed that some damage has already occurred. The grumbling noise that so many customers hear is from a rusted gimbal bearing.

The gimble bearing isnt likely to cause shifting issues or fuel use problems. When the gimble bearing goes you get a LOT of noise from the back of the boat. A growling grinding noise that sounds terrible.

If your motor isnt Clunking into gear You. If you find water inside the cabin there is likely a hole or crack someplace. A loose gasket or clamp may also be responsible.

You may notice a loud noise when youre driving it. That can indicate additional damage involving the gimble bearing and the U-joint bellows. Shifting problems would point to this one.

Your gimbal bearing will make the most noise when turning the boat. Will be a low pitched growl. Noise will usually subside some after several shots of grease to the gimbal zerk on the starboard side of the transom housing.

A bad gimbal bearing will make noise anytime engine is running. Mercruiser Sterndrive Gimbal Bearings. Spark Plugs 2-Stroke Carburetor Kits.

Lower Unit Gearcase Seal. Usually if you have bad boots then you would also do a gimble bearing other boots cable etc while you are in there. However to just do a bearing the drive must come off then you would remove the bearing with either a slide puller or a special reverse press merc tool to pull the bearing out.

Hi I have a 1994 OMC Cobra outdrive on a 58 motor. While underway if I turn the boat left or right I get vibration. I removed the outdrive and the gimbal bearing and.

A gimbal is a pivoted support that permits rotation of an object about an axis. A set of three gimbals one mounted on the other with orthogonal pivot axes may be used to allow an object mounted on the innermost gimbal to remain independent of the rotation of its support eg. Vertical in the first animation.

For example on a ship the gyroscopes shipboard compasses stoves and even drink. Signs of a failing Gimbal Bearing. I had a few days of fishing last week and noticed that when the drive was fulling turned either way there was a knocking sound coming from the leg.

I recall reading a while back that this is a sign of a worn gimbal bearing. Dac if key word IF this is a serviceable gimbal bearing you will want to lube it while the engine is running at idle. Always lube bearings dynamically.

This increases the odds of new lube expelling the old giving the bearing a more complete exchange of old for new grease. Fitting the new bellows boot over the gimbal bearing. In temperatures above 60 degrees the epoxy takes 24 hours to cure.

Below 60 degrees allow 32 hours cure time. Either way the epoxy provides about 90 minutes of working time before it gets too hard to spread with the brush. The output shaft from the engine runs through it from the gimbal housing to the where the pinion meshes with the upper gear set.

An exploded view of a Mercruiser Bravo 2 sterndrive assembly. When bellows crack water can seep into the boat and soak your output shaft and gimbal bearing. Being a GEN II type the bellows is glued and clamped at the transom and has an inner ring that seals the gimbal housing side.

Correctly installed should not leak. The think rubber ring in the mounting kit must be glued into the housing first. 07-22-2015 0608 PM 6.