Alpha one gimble swivel pin (lower) removal

[Benny67]

Has anybody cut one of these out with a sawzall? just the lower swivel pin...not the gimble housing

I need to change my lower bearings in my gimble housing and cannot get that damn cotter pin out to press the steel pin out to remove the housing.

It would have been nice if they positioned that cotter pin in a way that you could drive it out with a punch if you couldn?t pull it out by hand.

anyhow...anybody ever attempt it?

It's bad enough that I am going to have to drill into the top of the transom housing to get to that nut off but this BS with the frozen cotter pin is really annoying me.

Any tips?

 

[alldodge]

Never tried that but if you can get the blade in there it should do it. I'm seeing your pin might be aluminum

 

[Bondo]

I need to change my lower bearings in my gimble housing and cannot get that damn cotter pin out to press the steel pin out to remove the housing.

Ayuh,.... Ain't been there but, Ox/Ac heat comes to mind,..... Heat, 'n Quench,...

Is this a saltwater boat,..??

 

[Benny67]

Ayuh,.... Ain't been there but, Ox/Ac heat comes to mind,..... Heat, 'n Quench,...

Is this a saltwater boat,..??

Saltwater...yes.
I cut through the pin tonight with the sawzall..took 10 min and ran down 2 batteries but it went through. Didn't have much time after work to get into it further.

Tomorrow I will drill the top holes and loosen the nut and attempt to lower the gimbal housing enough to sawzall the top end of the pin off.

I am hoping to be able to replace the bearings without fully removing the ring.

I also noticed in the directions it does not say anything about the steering.I assume that I need to set both drives to steer simultaniously .Is that steering shaft in the upper part of the housing in a fixed position or is there another procedure I need to find to set both drives to turn at the same time in the same direction.

 

[stonyloam]

I don't think you can replace that lower swivel pin bearing without removing the ring. The bearing (assuming you have the roller bearing) is larger diameter than the holes for the pin in the gimbal housing, so I don't see anyway that you could drive the new bearing (and seals) into the ring. Besides since you are going to all of this trouble you might as well replace the upper bushings and seals while you are at it. When I drilled mine I saved the cutouts, epoxied thin (like flashing) rectangular aluminum backing plates inside the holes and used JB Quick to epoxy the cutouts to the backing, then filled the space around the cutouts with JB Weld (used plastic wrap and duct tape to hold it in place while it cured). Sanded and painted, can't tell it was ever touched, has held up nicely for past 6 years. Good luck.

 

[Benny67]

I don't think you can replace that lower swivel pin bearing without removing the ring. The bearing (assuming you have the roller bearing) is larger diameter than the holes for the pin in the gimbal housing, so I don't see anyway that you could drive the new bearing (and seals) into the ring.

I wanted to just pull the housing out enough to change the grease seals and bearings....only way to do it is by removing the pin and having enough room to slide the ring forward enough to clean and install the seals and bearings. I was not stating that I thought I could do it n the fashion you are suggesting.

 

[Benny67]

When I drilled mine I saved the cutouts, epoxied thin (like flashing) rectangular aluminum backing plates inside the holes and used JB Quick to epoxy the cutouts to the backing, then filled the space around the cutouts with JB Weld (used plastic wrap and duct tape to hold it in place while it cured). Sanded and painted, can't tell it was ever touched, has held up nicely for past 6 years. Good luck.

I work in the Industrial Electronics industry managing assembly/prototyping and in some of our products we use this toughened epoxy called DP-460
I
This stuff is BY FAR....the strongest epoxy I have ever come across.. I mean if the wheel of your car fell off you could glue it back on and drive home with this s**t

3M makes a series of epoxies and I can promise you it's the best stuff out there...forget the jb weld and all the others. This stuff is the best.

 

[alldodge]

I also noticed in the directions it does not say anything about the steering.I assume that I need to set both drives to steer simultaniously .Is that steering shaft in the upper part of the housing in a fixed position or is there another procedure I need to find to set both drives to turn at the same time in the same direction.

The drives are connected together inside. Now if you have splined upper shaft you need to watch closer that the arm goes back on it the same. If you have the square shaft there should be no issue

 

[Benny67]

The drives are connected together inside. Now if you have splined upper shaft you need to watch closer that the arm goes back on it the same. If you have the square shaft there should be no issue

That's what I was figuring...if it's square it's not an issue but if it's splined I then need to remember the keying of the arm.

Does anyone know when they switched to the square? my S/N is 0B595968

 

[alldodge]

Fun Times might know that info

 

[stonyloam]

I wanted to just pull the housing out enough to change the grease seals and bearings....only way to do it is by removing the pin and having enough room to slide the ring forward enough to clean and install the seals and bearings. I was not stating that I thought I could do it n the fashion you are suggesting.

Yeah, the bearing is not in the housing it is in the ring. You can not pull the ring out far enough unless you remove the upper shaft. Once you remove the upper shaft the ring is free, and can simply be removed. So if you are drilling the housing and loosening the nut and steering arm, why not just pull the upper swivel pin and take the ring off? Besides you will need to remove and replace the cut swivel shaft, and that would be a lot easier with the ring off. BTW have you removed the bell housing, or are you trying to do this with it attached?

 

[Fun Times]

Though I seemed to have found a small discrepancies of the years and serial number the actual change happened between the splined swivel shaft to square shaft... Being that your serial number shows you to have a MERCRUISER 1987 MC1 model number 00013007, you'll most likely have the new square shaft design.

From service manual #6 (90-12934--2) section 4B page 4B-5 titled Upper Swivel Shaft:

Transom assembly serial number 6666130 and above....(Which Serial Number 6666130 is actually an MERCRUISER 1984 MC1 model number 00010004 R/MR ALPHA ONE STERNDRIVE )
A new square swivel shaft steering lever provides a square connection at both the steering lever and gimbal ring for improved durability. In the past, a splined connection was used between the steering lever and swivel shaft. To facilitate this change, a new swivel shaft seal and two (2) new bushings were required. The gimbal housing also is machined differently. The new swivel shaft and steering lever components can not be used on older models..http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/6/6B4R3.PDF

While the manual says 1984, the parts serial number descriptions put the change to be early 1983 with serial number 6225577 (not 6225576 like noted in the links below) comes up as MERCRUISER 1983 MC1 model number 01846013....6225576 comes up as an MERCRUISER 1983 228 model number 02287343 228 ENGINE (G.M.)
^, Just thought I'd point that out for future reference if ever needed...

Between two of the links below would be the visual info covering the changes,
http://mercstuff.com/gimbalringparts.htm
http://www.mercstuff.com/gimbalrings.htm
http://www.outdriveshop.com/merc/dri...mbalrings.html

 

[Benny67]

Stony,

I have the bellows and all the other items in the way removed. I was trying to avoid removing the ring at all costs due to the extra drilling and other nonsense involved.

I will most likely take the ring out and replace the LOWER bearings and whatever is needed.That being, roller bearings or nylon sleeve.

My issue right now is removing the lower pin...the cotter pin is stuck and I cannot drill it out because of it's location.

I sawzalled trough the BOTTOM of the pin last night hoping that I could maybe push the pin out the top...that's not gonna happen...tried it tonight.

My plan of attack now will be to just drill the pin out tomorrow. i have a 90 degree milwaukee holeshooter with some cobalt bits that will do the job.

If I can, I will tilt the ring and repair the bottom...if I can't THEN I'll remove the top.

Thanks for your help but I have an extensive mechanical backround..
hell, I make a living supervising electro mechanical techs.I have a clue on what's going on here.

I am fairly new to boat mechanics,hence the reason for my general questions.

I have done extensive work to my boat this year, including pulling one engine,changing impellers,seals,boots,gimble bearings,exhaust flapper valves ect...I just want this boat done and in the water. i'm not looking to do any more than I have to at this point.

Please don't take offense and thanks for your help.

 

[Benny67]

Fun,

What you write makes sense...the boat is a 1987 Carver.

It does not have a GM motor..it has (2) of those evil little 470 4 cylinder motors with the giant pistons with a short stroke and a friggin 4 barrel carb that only opens 60% on the secondarys...(from what I read)

My verdict on the dreaded "470" is still to be decided...my set have about 500 hours on them and as far as I have used them, they seem like little workhorses.

 

[stonyloam]

No offense taken, it is just that you never know how much experience folks have LOL! Sounds like you know what you are trying to do. Just don't think you can get there without removing the upper shaft. Even with the lower shaft cut I don't think you will be able to pull the ring out enough to do what you need. You would probably need to pull it out a couple of inches. Even if you loosened the ring clamping screws that would probably only give you a little play, not nearly enough. If you applied enough force you could damage the ring where it clamps to the upper swivel. When you get around to removing the ends of the lower shaft, be careful if you try to drive them out you could break off the aluminum tabs that hold the lower pin, try to support the housing if you can. Good luck