Gimbal Bearing

[Dunromin]

Can someone explain the operation of the gimbal bearing to me? I realise it must rotate with the drive shaft, and mine is quite free in that regard, but I would have thought it should also swivel freely in it's housing to facilitate alignment, but since mine doesn't, I am assuming it is siezed. Have I got it right?

 

[Don S]

Re: Gimbal Bearing

The inner part of the bearing fits tightly in the outer ring, and is very stiff to move in that direction. That is normal. The bearing is not supposed to spin in that ring.

 

[Dunromin]

Re: Gimbal Bearing

I probably gave the wrong impression by asking if it should move freely, but mine does not swivel at all, no matter how much pressure I put on it. My question is, should I be able to move it within it's housing to facilitate alignment? I'm afraid it siezed in position.

 

[Don S]

Re: Gimbal Bearing

My question is, should I be able to move it within it's housing to facilitate alignment?

Lets put it this way, You aren't going to reach in there and move it with your fingers. If you stick the alignment bar into the bearing and give it a good push to get it to move, that is normal.

Might want to go through this thread on alignment. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=443992

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Gimbal Bearing

I might be able to answer that question. Yes the bearing does move in its housing to allow initial alignment, but as Don says it is quite tight and once the driveshaft is installed through it it does not move. The reason that the bearing can move in the housing is to be able to change angle to accommodate various transom angles. You have two fixed points, the motor mounts, and the hole through the gimbal bearing. The hole must point exactly at the center of the coupler for the driveshaft to go in properly. For a perfectly vertical transom the shaft goes straight through perpendicular to the bearing, however if your transom is angled (say 3 degrees from vertical) you need to be able to rotate the center of the bearing 3? to hit the coupler exactly in the center. It is simply designed that way to accommodate a variety of boat manufactures designs with various transom angles. Anyway I think that is how it works LOL.