Gimbal bearing, trim switch wire and driveshaft questions.

[tjb1231]

Re: Gimbal bearing, trim switch wire and driveshaft questions.

For anyone interested I was able to get to the top bolt of the trim wire retaining plate by using a cut off wheel to cut an offset wrench short enough where it cleared the gimball bearing housing. Once I did that I was able to get the top bolts off and correctly install the trim switches.

 

[antsmands]

Re: Gimbal bearing, trim switch wire and driveshaft questions.

Can you post a picture of your machined wrench. I wanna get this done this weekend.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Gimbal bearing, trim switch wire and driveshaft questions.

..why would merc make a carrier w/ notches if they did'nt want you to replace just the bearing ??? When you respond make it bold plz...

How do you think they get the bearing INTO the carrier in the first place?

 

[Blacksting]

Re: Gimbal bearing, trim switch wire and driveshaft questions.

How do you think they get the bearing INTO the carrier in the first place?

thats' exactly my point . you're making my point for me . their argument is that the carrier should be paired off w/ the bearing . well , if every bearing ever made had to be paired off w/ its mating surface , that'd be one hell of a slow production line . i'm no expert , but i can see how a needle bearing has a better chance of staying put than , say , a crank shaft bearing . and , i'll go out on a limb and say the tolerances for the needle bearing are probably wider , leaving more room for error . ,....i still say merc had more issues w/ the oil hole than the carrier , maybe they didnt mention the proper installation in their proceduers . that or guys werent using the installation tool correctly . something more drastic than a couple of micrometers in the carrier .

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Gimbal bearing, trim switch wire and driveshaft questions.

Well that is not what you asked. You asked why notches. Here is why: the outer surface of the gimbal bearing is radiused and is convex in shape, the carrier has a matching machined concave radius. Since the smaller diameter of the carrier opening is smaller than the maximum outer diameter of the gimbal bearing, without notches cut into the carrier there would be no way to install the bearing into the carrier. So the notches are for instillation of the bearing into a matching carrier during manufacturing. I think the problem occurs because of the poor fit of one manufacturers gimbal bearing into another manufactures carrier. The only specification that I would think Merc would worry about would fit of the carrier into the gimbal housing, not the manufacture of the bearing/carrier combination. Besides if your gimbal bearing was installed as Merc recommends (notches in) the whole thing becomes moot.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Gimbal bearing, trim switch wire and driveshaft questions.

I suppose it is kind of a silly argument, because it is just too easy to do it right and replace the whole assembly. That is certainly what I would do and would suggest others do.

However....

I too agree that the real reason for the switch by Mercruiser to start putting the bearing assemblies in "backwards" was due to so many putting the bearing assembly in wrong when they replaced just the inner bearing.

To quote from the bulletin:

The bearing is selectively fitted to the cartridge during manufacturing and must remain together as a matched set.
Failure to do this, could result in a loose fit between bearing and cartridge and cause a noise similar
to U-joint knocking.

Call me skeptical, , but I frankly doubt there is much "selective fitting" of the bearing to the cartridge by an individual (or machine) measuring the differences in the manufacturing process.

Secondly, bearing may be damaged from lack of lubrication, if bearing is installed backward.

Ah! I think we have winner! Too many people were installing the bearing backwards and then complaining that the bearing was failing prematurely leading Mercruiser to "cover itself" by simply installing the entire assembly backwards to keep the problems down.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[timing_ca]

Re: Gimbal bearing, trim switch wire and driveshaft questions.

my 2c's if your gonna change a bearing change all of it. you have no idea what condition the race will be in,you already have it apart so why take a chance and have to do it again:facepalm:

 

[Blacksting]

Re: Gimbal bearing, trim switch wire and driveshaft questions.

tnx Fish ,......finally got a witness ,..............i'll be singing grand funk railroad all day now