Hello ALCON,
Before I begin, I would like to thank 45Auto for the post located at http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=364003 on how to remove the Gimbal Bearing. I searched High and Low for good visuals on how to do it. This was a GREAT post. I agree with JustJason in that the above thread should be a sticky in the Adults Only Section.
I would also like to share with other first timers attempting this, the setup I used to get my Gimbal bearing out. I it much like the one in the post mentioned above just a little different. My Gimbal housing was still attached to the boat, so I need something that was light, yet strong to put the 5/8-18 x3’ bolt thru that would not bend, too much, yet was able to be accomplished by one person. Therefore, I decided to use Unistrut Channel. This allowed me to do it by myself and be able to hold it up. In addition, the Unistrut allowed me to go up and around the grease fitting on the bell housing without damaging it. I then drilled a ?” hole in one of the unistrut slots, allowing the 5/8-18 threaded rod to pass thru. I used 2 nuts, a bearing spacer (for clearance) and 2 washers on the topside of the Unistrut and a single washer on the underside of the Unistrut. Then this connected to the bearing puller
I was able to rent a Rear Axle Bearing puller Set, item # 27129, from AutoZone. http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/OEM-Axle-Bearing-Remover-Set/_/N-264m?itemIdentifier=391363_0_0_
Although this worked, flawlessly, as 45Auto said it would, it actually ended taking 2 of us to get the Gimbal Bearing out. I would bet that the Gimbal Bearing was as old as the boat (’87) and had never been changed.
Here is a picture of the Gimbal Bearing after it was removed. EXTREEMLY full of dirt
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Before I begin, I would like to thank 45Auto for the post located at http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=364003 on how to remove the Gimbal Bearing. I searched High and Low for good visuals on how to do it. This was a GREAT post. I agree with JustJason in that the above thread should be a sticky in the Adults Only Section.
I would also like to share with other first timers attempting this, the setup I used to get my Gimbal bearing out. I it much like the one in the post mentioned above just a little different. My Gimbal housing was still attached to the boat, so I need something that was light, yet strong to put the 5/8-18 x3’ bolt thru that would not bend, too much, yet was able to be accomplished by one person. Therefore, I decided to use Unistrut Channel. This allowed me to do it by myself and be able to hold it up. In addition, the Unistrut allowed me to go up and around the grease fitting on the bell housing without damaging it. I then drilled a ?” hole in one of the unistrut slots, allowing the 5/8-18 threaded rod to pass thru. I used 2 nuts, a bearing spacer (for clearance) and 2 washers on the topside of the Unistrut and a single washer on the underside of the Unistrut. Then this connected to the bearing puller
I was able to rent a Rear Axle Bearing puller Set, item # 27129, from AutoZone. http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/OEM-Axle-Bearing-Remover-Set/_/N-264m?itemIdentifier=391363_0_0_
Although this worked, flawlessly, as 45Auto said it would, it actually ended taking 2 of us to get the Gimbal Bearing out. I would bet that the Gimbal Bearing was as old as the boat (’87) and had never been changed.
Here is a picture of the Gimbal Bearing after it was removed. EXTREEMLY full of dirt
message continued below