Can I modify the gimbal bearing housing for a grease fitting?

curliss

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Apr 23, 2008
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I pulled the rusted up frozen solid gimbal bearing yesterday from my boat and found that there is no grease hole on this early model (1970 165 six). Confirmed that by reading other posts. The gimbal bearing that was in it did have a hole and groove for grease. There is a hole (about 1/8 diameter) in housing at the 12 oclock position that seems to go in about 5 inches or so. What is this hole for? Can I drill a hole inside the gimbal bearing housing (vertically at the 12 o'clock position to intersect the hole that's already there) and then mount a zerk in the existing hole facing aft so I can grease this without removing the bearing? Is this silly and I should just remove the bearing annually to grease. My thought is that I wouldn't have to remove it and probably would do a better job greasing the bearing.
 

chiefalen

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Re: Can I modify the gimbal bearing housing for a grease fitting?

I know there should have a zerk fitting at the 12:00 position whats in the hole now ?


Just a open hole with nothing in it ?
 

JustJason

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Aug 27, 2007
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Re: Can I modify the gimbal bearing housing for a grease fitting?

in the old housings there is no zerk fitting.
As far as the hole your talking about.... i have no idea what it's for. Maybe Don will chime in.
as far as drilling your own hole.... I guess you could try if you were feeling lucky.... but you'd need an awfully long drill bit to get through all that material.
 

curliss

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Re: Can I modify the gimbal bearing housing for a grease fitting?

Thanks for the quick responses. There is nothing in the hole now - goes in about five inches - I'm guessing all the way to the inner transom plate. I think I need a picture to describe what I want to do. To drill a grease hole for the bearing is only about a 1/4" vertical depth (on the inside of the gimbal bearing pocket) to intersect this existing hole.
 

Don S

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Re: Can I modify the gimbal bearing housing for a grease fitting?

The hole in the gimbal housing at the 12 oclock position is for greasing the pivot pin for the steering shaft from the gimbal ring. See picture

attachment.php


The gimbal housing (newer models) had a drilled passage about the 4 o'clock position. I've never looked at one enough to know if there is a way to drill and install a grease zirk in the housing or not. But I doubt there is.
 

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curliss

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Apr 23, 2008
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Re: Can I modify the gimbal bearing housing for a grease fitting?

I took a picture and will post as soon as I figure out how to reduce in size. The hole I'm talking about isn't the steering pivot, its actually inside the U-Joint bellows right above the bearing pocket.
 
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