Gimbal bearing

[rickasbury]

So, had done the bellows and gimbal chasing a water leak (bellows was not the problem) and getting it back on the water. Couple of short runs addressing a power steering pump and bugs after pulling the motor and getting there. Did a test run last weekend and started hearing a tick...thought it was a lifter but found as I turned the steering, it went away. I'm going to grease the bearing and the coupler and give it another try. I recall when I put the bearing back in ( which is the older version you grease through the zert) aligning was kind of a mystery but assume I got it close as it did accept grease? I think I used grease I bought at the merc store but don't recall it was specific for that...so if you grease...is the grease getting distributed to the bearing or do you need to bump the motor to get it spread around? I would think it would go into the race and as it fills just come out the face?

 

[Bt Doctur]

I usually fill a new bearing with the drive off and rotating it by hand until I see the grease from the inner race
If its not the bearing its a U joint going bad

 

[rickasbury]

And also...drove for about 45 mins at a little higher than idle, got to the dock and no noise...let it sit there at idle for another 30 mins ( truck was stuck,) got back to the dock and was ticking...

 

[rickasbury]

So, forums are pretty cool because I don't have to see someone face face when I do something stupid. It appears the tick has been easily solved...I have that tube to the bottom of the oil pan for oil drain- it does not go through the transom like my bow rider did but is (or should have been) attached to the transom- it had come lose and was laying across the out drive shaft at the coupler and it has a brass fitting on the end- it must have been bouncing around. It was banged up looking and after moving and tying it down, did a 4 hour run on the weekend and everything was flawless on the boat and all the work done on the trailer so hopefully, I can get some boat time in before the next episode of boat drama sets in!

 

[Rick Stephens]

Gotta keep that sense of humor. LOL.