Bell Housing Free Play

[TOMONTHELAM]

How much slop should there be between the bell housing and gimbal ring? Installed new synthane pads and torqued the hinge pins, but the bell housing does have about .050 of free play (slides right-left). Is this normal? Is there a way to adjust it. The Clymer book does not mention any adjustment for this.

Drive is an Alpha SS, 1986

 

[alldodge]

How much slop should there be between the bell housing and gimbal ring? Installed new synthane pads and torqued the hinge pins, but the bell housing does have about .050 of free play (slides right-left). Is this normal? Is there a way to adjust it. The Clymer book does not mention any adjustment for this.

Drive is an Alpha SS, 1986

IMO you have to much play, it should move up an down freely but side to side should be negligible. Does the ring, gimbal or both show signs of wear?

 

[TOMONTHELAM]

No signs of wear. The boat only has 500 gentle hours on it so I could not imagine it is worn out. I had the whole assembly apart, cleaned everything and am reassembling. One of the synthane pads was missing.

Don't know if it matters, but the two bolts at the top of the gimbal ring that clamp the pivot were really loose. I re-torqued them. Would this cause some type of deformation?

Boat belonged to my father-in-law and after his passing sat on his property for 17-18 years. I took this up because I hated to see his baby going to waste.

 

[alldodge]

[SUB]I can find nothing which list specs for it, just prior knowledge of repair myself. Hope another with more knowledge of the Alpha can come in and advise[/SUB]

 

[TOMONTHELAM]

Thanks for the try.

 

[Grub54891]

There is a torque spec for them bolts but I can't find it right now. If it won't tighten up with the specs, there is a repair kit for them.

 

[achris]

The torque to the upper swivel shaft clamp screws is 55lb-ft. There shouldn't be any noticeable lateral movement of the bell housing in the gimbal ring. I would agree with AD, 50 thou is too much. If there is no wear on the bell housing or the ring, I would be seeing if I could get another synthane washer in each side... You need to have the same number on each side so you don't bias the housing off to one side....

Chris.....