Installing Alpha one drive issue

Benny67

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Greetings everyone,

Looking for some advice here on my 1988 5.7 Alpha one and drive.


I changed my gimbal bearing as well as my bellows,shift cable,water pump ect and for the life of me when I attempt to install the drive I cannot get it on past the last inch.

I know everybody will think that it's the o rings. It's not, I removed them to see if would go all the way in and it still the same issue.

And yes, I saw achris' video on youtube about installing the alpha one drive. (nice job by the way)

I think I know the answer to this but before I order the alignment tool, is this problem possibly due to me changing the gimbal bearing and not checking/correcting the alignment? I would have thought that the new bearing is in a fixed set position and no adjustment would be needed.

I know the bearing rotates on both axis's (the name gimble gives that away) I would assume once the shaft is in the motor and sliding in the bearing it would position itself where it needed to be.

The only thing that I changed in that general area was the bearing so I assume it would have to be that issue.


I am just looking for some past experience here. What am I missing or is it as simple as ordering the alignment tool and adjusting everything around the gimble bearing till it slides in?
 

stonyloam

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There are only a few things that can stop it from going in: check that the control handle is in the forward position. Check that the intermediate shift shaft is turned all the way clockwise and points straight forward, that the prop is locked in the counterclockwise direction and held in place by a bungee. Check that the shift slide is not contacting the outdrive preventing it from sliding in. Make sure you used the correct O rings on the driveshaft. On mine I have to reach behind the engine to make sure the driveshaft slides into the coupler (it almost never does, and I have to move it a bit to center it). it would be most unwise to install the outdrive without first checking the alignment.
 

airshot

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I will have to second Terry's recommendation.....engine needs to be aligned before installing outdrive. Do not bank on gimbal being aligned from the box, it normally is not! An alignment tool is a necessity for maintenance on an I/O. They are inexpensive and can save big bucks in the long run. I check mine every year before installing the outdrive, and yes many times I have had to make minor adjustments even though I have not had to replace anything. E-bay has the alignment tools for a very inexpensive price. You have heard the expression "pay me now or pay me more later" holds true with engine alignment tools.
 

Fishermark

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With the new gimbal bearing - it needs to be "set". You take the alignment tool... (and yes, you do need one)... install it and take a large mallet and tap the end of the alignment tool in four directions. Left, right, up, and down. Don't be too gentle, give it a pretty good whack in each direction. Then check and adjust your alignment.
 

tpenfield

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Yea, I just installed a gimbal bearing this weekend, and yes, you need to tweak the angle of the gimbal bearing a bit with the alignment tool in order to have it go into the coupler.

Another thing that can cause the issue that you are seeing is if you did not get the gimbal bearing installed all the way into the transom assembly.
 

Bondo

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I think I know the answer to this but before I order the alignment tool, is this problem possibly due to me changing the gimbal bearing and not checking/correcting the alignment? I would have thought that the new bearing is in a fixed set position and no adjustment would be needed

Ayuh,.... As noted above, it's absolutely Impossible to install a gimbel bearin', without an alignment bar,....

It's an essential tool to the installation,.....
 

Benny67

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Ordering it now.... man I would have left the original bearing in if I knew it would turn into the cluster f##k that it was today.

I have had to buy $200 in tools to replace $200 in parts.... not like working on an old Chevy...
 

Bondo

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Ordering it now.... man I would have left the original bearing in if I knew it would turn into the cluster f##k that it was today.

I have had to buy $200 in tools to replace $200 in parts.... not like working on an old Chevy...

Ayuh,..... The Bright side is,.... Ya got the tools, 'n knowledge, do it for somebody else, 'n yer's is paid for,.....
 

Benny67

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I have changed transmissions and motors in automobiles and built industrial equipment that required less special tools and effort than dealing with this marine mechanical bu####it...

Feeling a bit humbled about now... even my wife is busting my balls about not wrapping this project up this weekend.

Just goes to show you, never underestimate any job, big or small
 

Benny67

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I would have thought the bearing would have moved into the position it needed to be in once you pushed the drive in. Oh well, I guess I was wrong.
 

Benny67

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The shaft is tapered... you would think it would move the gimbal bearing into position with some pushing
 

stonyloam

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It does not because the driveshaft connection to the outdrive is not rigid like an auto transmission, the two sets of U-joints allow the driveshaft to go through the gimbal bearing in whatever direction the inner bearing is pointed. If you do not align the bearing with the bar, the end of the driveshaft will not center on the coupler opening.
 

tpenfield

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Ordering it now.... man I would have left the original bearing in if I knew it would turn into the cluster f##k that it was today.

I have had to buy $200 in tools to replace $200 in parts.... not like working on an old Chevy...

You got that right. Work on the engines themselves can be done from the SAE tool box, but the outdrive is another story. I think I bought $500 in special tools over the past couple of years. It starts paying off on the second and third time around . . .
 

Fishermark

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The shaft is tapered... you would think it would move the gimbal bearing into position with some pushing

It is not tapered where it goes through the gimbal bearing. But yes, working on a boat does require a few special tools. Some you can make on your own however. See the DIY section at the top for a few suggestions on the homemade tools. And good luck!
 

JaCrispy

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I had to give the alignment tool some really good whacks to get the new bearing aligned.
 

Benny67

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I got the tool coming in 2nd day air from Amazon for $45

It's just a real drag that I wasted half of my Sunday picking up and putting down the drive when in the back of my mind I knew it wasn't gonna happen after the first 15 min of playing around.

I'll keep everyone posted on how it goes after the tool arrives.

While I'm on this subject, the new greasless bearing still had the dot on it but no hole for the grease to go into it.

I assume the bearing is non directional (back and front are the same) and really does not matter where you mount it in regards to the dot if you do not need the grease hole to line up anymore. Meaning, the dot could go on the inside or outside and at any posisition. I just put it in with the dot facing out and at 12 o?clock. Is that okay or is that going to cause me another issue?
 

Benny67

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well I feel like a fool. Got the tool and accomplished in 1 hour what I TRIED to do all day Sunday.

Funny thing is the few items I read (and watched on youtube) about changing the Gimble bearing does not stress the point of needing to align the new bearing with the alignment tool or you will run into the problem I did. In the back of my mind I knew I needed it but was hoping for a miracle that did not happen..guess it just goes to show you,the right tool for the job...I wasted an entire day trying to save $45
 

Bondo

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well I feel like a fool. Got the tool and accomplished in 1 hour what I TRIED to do all day Sunday.

Funny thing is the few items I read (and watched on youtube) about changing the Gimble bearing does not stress the point of needing to align the new bearing with the alignment tool or you will run into the problem I did. In the back of my mind I knew I needed it but was hoping for a miracle that did not happen..guess it just goes to show you,the right tool for the job...I wasted an entire day trying to save $45

Ayuh,.... There's tons, 'n tons of Bad info on youtube,.... Much more than the available Good info,.....

Glad ya got 'er done though,..... ;)
 

Benny67

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Apr 21, 2015
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I still have other stuff left before I launch but I gotta tell ya it was nice to finally hear it roar back to life and drop down to a solid idle at 9pm last night...neighbours probably didn't like it but too bad...also nice to see a rock solid temperature gauge due to that new pump I installed in the drive.
 
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