R&R Gimbal bearing without damage?

Gator5713

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I am going back together with new gimbal, bellows, seals, etc.... I re-aligned the motor with the old gimbal before removing it, then was very careful to make sure the hole in the new gimbal lined up to the grease port before installing it, then realigned the motor again but, now I'm trying to grease the gimbal and the grease is coming out between the outer ring and the housing and it seems very little is getting into the bearing itself. I am glad that I decided to grease it now while I can watch it and make sure its right as I was almost stupidly about to finish putting everything back together then grab the grease gun. In retrospect I suppose I should have tried to grease the new bearing before install and will likely go with a sealed version next time but for now I'm trying to get it back together with what I have.

So here is the question:

I did purchase the threaded bar/plate style gimbal bearing removal tool rather than use a slide hammer but have read several times that removing the bearing will damage it requiring replacement... using this 'proper' (?) tool is it possible or maybe even likely that I can remove the bearing without damage allowing me to inspect/grease/reinstall properly aligned without having to buy a new one? The old bearing doesn't appear to have been damaged at all during removal.

Thanks in advance.
 

Gator5713

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So im impatient (and confident that i could r&r without damage) and i removed it, inspected it, made sure the holes were lined up, reinstalled it and it still isn't taking grease! Grrrrr!
the good news is i can r&r without damage!
but why wont it take grease? Ive even been spinning the bearing by hand while slowly pumping the grease gun with the other.
 

Gator5713

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Grub54891

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The dot cast in to the bearing housing should be around the 10:00 o clock position. Regardless, when you pull the bearing it pulls on the inner race, it can put dimples on the balls or outer race. Yes it could be damaged but only time will tell.
 

Gator5713

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The dot cast in to the bearing housing should be around the 10:00 o clock position. Regardless, when you pull the bearing it pulls on the inner race, it can put dimples on the balls or outer race. Yes it could be damaged but only time will tell.

Thanks for the response!

Yes, I can see how there could be unseen internal damage and at this point it looks like I'm probably about to order a sealed unit and be done with it but I'd still like to try to figure this out as I feel a properly working serviceable bearing should last longer than a sealed unit (with proper service of course) and I'd love to get this thing back on the water and not be indefinitely down for repairs!

I read on Merc's that the dot is supposed to be around 10 O'Clock, but in pics of VP's I've seen them at 9 O'Clock and I lined the hole in the outer race up with the grease hole in the housing which is at the 3 O'Clock position. I don't see how it would work any other way. Am I missing something?
 

Bt Doctur

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All depends on the bearing used . there should be a zerk fitting on the transom from there the grease follows this groove until it finds the hole in the tolerance ring. From there the grease goes around the tolerance until it finds the grease hole in the outer bearing race , then into the bearing and visible at the inner race.
Is the new bearing greaeable ?
 
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Bt Doctur

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Bt Doctur

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Back in the very early days Merc actually had a procedure to change just the bearing by removing the old bearing from the tolerance ring IF and ONLY IF it had not seized and spun in the tolerance ring, The bearing was installed with the slots facing aft to remove the bearing. The procedure was changed because the techs installed the bearing backwards and no grease could find the grease hole and the bearing were failing .
Now its recommended to install the slots forward facing to prevent the average person from just changing the bearing but if the average person knows about the grease hole it is acceptable to just replace the bearing but since just the bearing is not available by itself it leads to another problem.
Removing the bearing new bearing from the tolerance ring without damaging it. The only way it to twist it to the slots and not hammer it out .
Second dilemma, installing it without damage by installing it in the slots but now your hammering it into place . not a good idea
So , in this modern age, just replace it as a unit knowing the slots can face fore or aft

Forgot this, Bravo and X drives may take a special bearing that has the inner race reduced in width
 

harringtondav

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First, are you sure you have a greasable bearing? Merc OEM replacement bearings are permanently lubed and sealed - no grease. I don't know if VP has moved to these. Slide the tolerance ring around the bearing until you find a grease hole on the outside of the aluminum carrier, if there is one. If no hole, the bearing should have come with a pipe plug to replace the grease zerk.

I ignore the dot on the bearing housing. Per my Merc manual, I slide the tolerance ring opening until the grease hole in the housing is visible. Then I put a clocking mark on the face of the housing at the hole. Then another mark on the face of the gimbal bearing bore at the grease inlet. Use these to clock the grease passage.

Merc discourages reinstalling a bearing, but they do state to use a new tolerance ring if you do.
 

muc

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It’s possible that the bearing isn’t all the way in. Try driving it in further.
 

Gator5713

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All depends on the bearing used . there should be a grease ring on the transom from the grease fitting the grease follows this groove until it finds the hole in the tolerance ring. From there the grease goes around the tolerance until it finds the grease hole in the outer bearing race , then into the bearing and visible at the inner race.
Is the new bearing greaeable ?

I have not removed the bearing from the ring but it is a greaseable bearing (At least it really needs grease!). If you look at the pictures I posted you can see the hole in the ring where in the picture where it is on the driver.
There is no groove in the transom itself.
I have used probably about a quarter tube of grease hoping that some was getting in there but at this point I think I could use a whole tube and not get the dang thing greased!
 

Gator5713

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It’s possible that the bearing isn’t all the way in. Try driving it in further.

I used the directions for the driver tool to mark depth of the old bearing then install the driver on the alignment tool to that mark. I'm almost wondering if it is too far in as the grease comes out the rear side. It definitely isn't 'bottomed out' and is probably about 3/8" from the seal, but I don't believe that it is supposed to 'bottom out' all the way.

I don't think I've mentioned this before it is a Sierra Bearing (ok, go ahead and tell me again to quit being cheap and buy OEM! I'm learning....)
 

muc

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It is supposed to be bottomed out.
 

muc

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The OEM tool doesn’t have a way to set the depth. The manual wants you to drive it all the way in.
 

Gator5713

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If I were to drive it all the way in the bearing would be past the grease hole and grease would simply be pumping into a void.
The tool I have is an alignment tool that has a driver that bolts through it. It came with instructions on how to figure out where to drill the hole to attach the driver. The tool is pictured above.
 

Bt Doctur

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wrong, the correct way is to drive it in until seated. if not fully seated the drive wont go on all the way
 

muc

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I can’t help with the tool you have. I’ve always used OEM tools.

The only times I’ve seen a gimbal bearing not take grease.
1. Holes not lined up.
2. Bearing not driven in all the way.
3. Bearing installed “cocked” I.e. not driven in all the way.

Maybe you should follow Volvo’s recommendations?
 

Gator5713

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Well, alrightythen.... as usual y'all have excellent information! (I just looked this up in my manual, who woulda thunk to do that!)
i will report back adter church with my findings.
and i think im going to go ahead and order a new (OEM this time) bearing but figure I'll continue fiddling with this one until I figure it out so i don't screw the next one up!
probably order some new mounting nuts as well since i was reading about those on another thread and mine are mix-matched...
Anything else my dumb rear ought to be considering while apart and ordering?
 

Thalasso

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The OEM tool doesn’t have a way to set the depth. The manual wants you to drive it all the way in.

Actually it does. The disc instructions for the bearing installation tells you how far back on the alighnment tool to drill a hole for the set screw. This will set the correct depth.
If you look at his picture you will see the set screw. (pic #2)
 
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