Cannot remove gimble bearing

[bamadave]

I got a boat in the other day that the owner wanted the gimble bearing replaced. The boat has a 3.0 merc with an Alpha 1 Gen 2 drive. I am using the 3 jaw puller with the threaded rod. This thing is not coming out. Any suggestions? I've replaced a bunch (dozens) and have never had this much hassle. Thanks

 

[Don S]

Re: Cannot remove gimble bearing

Haven't had one of them in a couple of years (Knock on wood), but I did have to add some extra steel plates across the bellhousing to keep them from bending which caused the puller to not pull straight. Even put a bearing under the nut to make it turn easier when a lot of pressure is needed.
Orderd one of these tools a couple of years ago and it makes easy work of them.
http://www.mercstuff.com/gimbalbearingpuller.htm

Had one about 10 years ago that had salt water in it for a couple of years. Had to pull the engine and drive the bearing out with a sledge hammer.

 

[bamadave]

Re: Cannot remove gimble bearing

Thanks Don, I might have to pull the engine on this one. I have already bent one plate on the puller, ordered another one, put the other one in a vice to flatten, combined the 2 and it still won't budge. I was wondering, put the jaws in the bearing, tighten the threaded rod til I think its going to break, attach my slide hammer to the threaded rod and knock the crap out of it. If that doesn't work, Going to pull engine. The problem is it's in a pontoon, got to hang upside down to do anything. I'd order the new puller but they say out of stock until September.

 

[Don S]

Re: Cannot remove gimble bearing

I've had a slight bend in 6 of those plates.

 

[skibug]

Re: Cannot remove gimble bearing

I just replaced the gimbal bearing in my 3.0 merc. I used a 3 jaw slide hammer to get that sucker out of there. See if you can rent a slide hammer.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Cannot remove gimble bearing

The puller I use has a 1 inch plate that fits over 4 of the mounting studs.Most times I have to add a spacer to hold the gimbal straight

 

[imported_Bobby]

Re: Cannot remove gimble bearing

The gimbal bearing can be removed by using the trim rams. Take all 6 nuts of the drive leaving the rams still hooked up and start trimming the drive up. You need a 2x4 and place it in between the top of the drive and the transome bracket. Now use the rams to press the drive off. The gimbal bearing will come out on the shaft. You then can remove the bearing from the shaft with a big hammer. The other option is to buy the puller made by persicion machine out of florida. Both methods will work. the puller is 45000$..

 

[muc]

Re: Cannot remove gimble bearing

I have had good luck using the installation tools to drive the gimbal bearing back in and than using the slide hammer to try to pull it out --- repeat 2 or 3 times.
Been able to get them all this way.
But being in Minnesota I only see a saltwater boat every year or two.
Muc Good luck Muc

 

[bamadave]

Re: Cannot remove gimble bearing

Got that sob out today. All it took was 100 degree day and a gallon of sweat, Thanks guys.