Gimbal bearing fits loose

[marvinjansen]

On my MC 165 the old gimbal bearing had a snap ring. I have been told to discard it and would love to, it was a pain to remove and will be to put in. I installed the new gimbal bearing and it went in EASY, like with my fingers, no driving like I was expecting. I can pull it out with my hand too. Is this normal? Will it stay in place ok like that? I hope so but would like a little encouragement that the bearing is held in by the drive shaft or will stay even if it is not a tight fit. Doesn't look like the old one was spinning, there are marks that correspond to the old bearing. The old bearing required a slide hammer and several blows to remove. Please let me know something as I am ready to start putting the bellows on and the bell housing.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Gimbal bearing fits loose

I installed the new gimbal bearing and it went in EASY, like with my fingers, no driving like I was expecting. I can pull it out with my hand too. Is this normal?

i've not installed a bunch of gimble brg assy.s (like one). but mine didn't go in that easy, nor remove that easy after i was done. like had to use the tool to install it, albeit it did go in easier than i thought it would, but not near as easy as your discribeing. nor could i remove it with my fingers when done. it would have had to have been pulled with a puller again to remove it.

Will it stay in place ok like that?

i don't know. good your asking the question now. i would think not and be concerned something is up too.
i guess my first question is what did you replace. the whole brg. assy. brg., cartridge, and tolerance ring on the outside dia. of the cartridge. the thing that ya gotta line up with the grease hole?
http://www.mercstuff.com/gimbalbearing2.htm

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Gimbal bearing fits loose

Yours is too loose. Something is wrong.

I could be mistaken... but I seem to remember that the very old ones used a different sized (bigger) bearing.

 

[marvinjansen]

Re: Gimbal bearing fits loose

i've not installed a bunch of gimble brg assy.s (like one). but mine didn't go in that easy, nor remove that easy after i was done. like had to use the tool to install it, albeit it did go in easier than i thought it would, but not near as easy as your discribeing. nor could i remove it with my fingers when done. it would have had to have been pulled with a puller again to remove it. i don't know. good your asking the question now. i would think not and be concerned something is up too.
i guess my first question is what did you replace. the whole brg. assy. brg., cartridge, and tolerance ring on the outside dia. of the cartridge. the thing that ya gotta line up with the grease hole?
http://www.mercstuff.com/gimbalbearing2.htm

Mine is like the one at the link above in "method B". Even markings on the gimbal housing look identical. I replaced the whole bearingb assy, looked exactly like the one I pulled out. Got new one from SEI in a kit. I think I can just use a small centerpunch and peen it close to the outer cartridge so it doesn't work its way out. What you think?

 

[marvinjansen]

Re: Gimbal bearing fits loose

I have read and reread the manual and it seems like older ones had a large bearing that is replaced by the new style cartridge with a smaller replaceable bearing. Not speaking from experience but looking at the manual.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Gimbal bearing fits loose

What you think?

my first think was put the snap ring back in, surely that'll keep it from coming out. i still think somethings up for the new assy. going in and out so easy. i can't hardly image wear on the housing. the assy. just sits there. sounds like if the tolerance ring had more wave to it, maybe it would sit tighter. i don't know.
did you use an oem replacement?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Gimbal bearing fits loose

Ayuh,... Did you replace the Complete bearing, cartridge, 'n All,..??

 

[marvinjansen]

Re: Gimbal bearing fits loose

Problem solved. swapped that tolerance ring from the old one to the new one and it went in tight this time. I am satisfied it will not come out on it's own now. Now for the bellows and lower cable.

 

[marvinjansen]

Re: Gimbal bearing fits loose

Thanks for the help!!

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Gimbal bearing fits loose

So you ended up having to reuse the old tolerance ring? Odd!

 

[marvinjansen]

Re: Gimbal bearing fits loose

is odd. they looked identical but must have been a little thicker or something. I have pulled my old drive shaft and used to align. had to lower the front of the motor a good bit and now it goes in over an inch easy and is tight the last 1/4" or so. is that ok?

 

[meesh]

Re: Gimbal bearing fits loose

You need to use an alignment bar to get the proper alignment.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Gimbal bearing fits loose

agreed, a old shaft won't do the trick. ya gotta have an alignment bar. your obviously, () into working on your boat, ya might as well get a bar now. i procrastinated when i should have just got one and been on with it. anyways.
check this out.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=382029
friscoboater has two links in that thread. watch both.

 

[cr2k]

Re: Gimbal bearing fits loose

If you put it together not using an alignment bar will you then buy one when you have to remove your engine to replace the coupler ($200+ part)?