Gimble bearing question

Monterey10

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Apr 13, 2007
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96 Mercruiser 250. I replaced the gimble bearing. When I pump grease into the bearing, it comes out from around the bearing edge, not seal on the center shaft. On my older boat, grease would overflow through the center shaft seal when it was full. I assume that this is correct. I'm not sure what "Normal" looks like. Do the new bearing ooz out the center shaft seal as well ?

A point:

1) The grease is a higher quality synthetic, but is a little thicker than normal. Maybe it's too thick(?


I guessing that I don't have the grease passage aligned with the grease passage in the bearing.

Thanks in advance.
 

matthysone

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Jul 24, 2009
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Re: Gimble bearing question

You are probably right. Bearing is in backwards. The housing has the grease channel or grease flight. The flight must be aligned with the small holes in the outer bearing race.
 

tpenfield

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Re: Gimble bearing question

grease will pop the seal right around the inner race where the drive shaft goes through. The drive shaft should be greased when you install the outdrive . . . the bearing carriers will not go in properly if they are put in backwards , then the outdrive will not be able to install . . . it will stop about and inch short. . . .(been there done that).
 

TimeZone

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Apr 19, 2012
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Re: Gimble bearing question

I rescently installed a new bearing as well.

New gimbal bearings are permaseal, meaning they do not need to be greased. When I got mine, I was surprised that the outer carrier still had the grease port. I contacted the dealer and they confirmed that it was permaseal. My take on this is that Merc updated the inner bearing, but used the same carrier with the grease port and tollerance ring.

When I installed mine, I aligned the grease port anyway and tried to give it a few pumps of grease to see what happens. Grease came out from arround the carrier edge.

I'm thinking you have a permaseal as well. Check with your supplier before you hammer the bearing out.

Here is a picture of my new bearing which I'm told is permaseal. It's a little frosty because I just took it out from the freezer.

-Ron
 

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IanFS

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Re: Gimble bearing question

Monterey

Mine did the same, here's a post when I asked the same question...

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=516626]My Post

Unfortunately I posted a picture of the bearing to show I had aligned the grease hole correctly but it was not quite home so it confused people somewhat.

The grease hole is in the middle so it doesn't matter which way round you put the bearing in as long as it lines up, see my pictures in my post. The general opinion therefore is that grease will ooze from the outer edges of the bearing holder when you replace an old gimbal bearing completely with a new one.

Hope this helps.

Edit
Time Zone, thats interesting and explains a lot....is yours OEM Genuine, I think mine is GLM or Sierra, I wonder if they are following the Permaseal route?
 
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TimeZone

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Apr 19, 2012
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Re: Gimble bearing question

Time Zone, thats interesting and explains a lot....is yours OEM Genuine, I think mine is GLM or Sierra, I wonder if they are following the Permaseal route?

It was by Mallory Marine Products. Part number was 9-72410. And it came in an SKF Box.
 

caddylover

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Apr 11, 2012
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Re: Gimble bearing question

very interesting posting as my new sierra gimbal bearing did the same thing when i went to grease it. THe grease came out of the outer rim and not in the middle. I am now wondering the same thing on whether sierra, mallory, etc are all sending permaseal out....
 

Don S

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62,321
Re: Gimble bearing question

Pump a couple of pumps into the zirk, reach in and turn the bearing a quarter turn, pump a few more strokes, turn the bearing and repeat as necessary. It will come out the inside too. Just takes longer.

Wipe out the excess mess.
 

Monterey10

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Re: Gimble bearing question

There was a hole in the outside of the bearing race, where you would expect the grease to go. The hole was blocked in the center. There were small slits on the outer edge of the hole. I assumed at that time that the grease was to go through the tiny slits. So, I'm guessing that this is a pre greased, sealed bearing.... My bearing looks like the same bearing that "English Mariner" has on his link.

Mine does NOT have the rubber seal around the bearing. It has a metal seal. When I turn it, it feels like it has grease in it.

Do all of the Permaseal bearings have the rubber seal?
 

IanFS

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Re: Gimble bearing question

Sounds like Don is saying that they will take grease.
 

Don S

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Re: Gimble bearing question

Mine does NOT have the rubber seal around the bearing. It has a metal seal. When I turn it, it feels like it has grease in it.

Do all of the Permaseal bearings have the rubber seal?

Then you don't have a sealed bearing. Pump the grease as I noted and it will fill up and come up around the inner bearing. As long as you had the hole open and lined up with the zirk fitting hole.
 
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