Gimbal housing/Gimbal Ring Question

[b0mbtrack]

Identification: I believe it is either a 1995 or 1996 engine. It is one of those omc/Volvo mixes that they did for a short time. I believe the drive is called SX. The shifter at the drive has the cable where you have to spin the nut off and take out the cotter pin at the drive instead of having that lever.

The gimbal housing on the transom cracked so I took it off and replaced it. I installed the gimbal ring to the gimbal housing but I've got a question.


I usually do mercruisers and I've done one of these before but it's been a while so I've forgotten. With the gimbal housing off the transom assembly should I be able to turn the gimbal ring? The gimbal ring is attached to the gimbal housing and I can't turn it unless I take a large rubber mallet and hit the steering arm. I thought that I had this same problem once in the past, put it in the boat as it was and it was fine but I'm not completely sure. If anyone can tell me if that not being able to turn like that is normal that would be great. The boat does have power steering.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Gimbal housing/Gimbal Ring Question

The boat does have power steering.

Ayuh,.... If I understand ya right,... If the P/Steerin', 'n the cable are unhooked from the tiller arm,...

Yes, the rest of the assembly should swivel, Manually, by hand...

Are there any greaseable points on that housing,..??

 

[b0mbtrack]

Re: Gimbal housing/Gimbal Ring Question

I just thought I would upload these photos so you can see exactly how it is. You can see the old one was cracked on the bottom and the top, hit something big. So yeah, the p/steering and everything is disconected. When I was installing the gimbal ring into the top portion of the gimbal housing it was tough getting it up there. I had to bear down on it with a wratchet. I feel like if I wanted to get the gimbal ring back off it would have to be pressed out. If that is the case I don't see how it would be able to turn easily. But yeah I have to hit that steering arm real hard with a rubber mallet to turn it. I don't see any grease points other than for the gimbal bearing, I did grease the upper part of the gimbal ring before I put it into the gimbal housing.

 

[Jammer864]

Re: Gimbal housing/Gimbal Ring Question

If you installed a upper pivot shim, then put the steering arm in place, and then pushed the gimbal ring up into the arm, and bolted it down- it binded then, right? The binding didnt occur after the lower support bracket was bolted on? The steering arm to gimbal ring should be a slip fit. But even if it isnt, that wouldnt account for why the ring is hard to turn. Maybe the ring was bent during the collision?

You said you had to bear down on it with a ratchet. You mean you had to bear down on the steering arm bolt? Or you had to bear down on the bolts that secure the lower support bracket?

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: Gimbal housing/Gimbal Ring Question

Did it move freely before?
Under the cover on the top of the housing is a bushing.
From the looks of the drive it could be corroded and full of crud.
You might need to dismantle and clean.

 

[Don S]

Re: Gimbal housing/Gimbal Ring Question

Is this how it went together?

View attachment Gimbal ring installation.pdf

 

[b0mbtrack]

Re: Gimbal housing/Gimbal Ring Question

I probably did this wrong, Ill try to answer everyone's responses now. Thanks for getting back to me everyone.

Jammer:
It started to bind while installing the upper part of the gimbal ring into the gimbal housing. And yes I had to bear down on the steering arm bolt (the one surrounded by the four little nuts) The lower half went together easily. And yes it started to bind even before putting the lower half on.

Jerry:
I didn't check to see how the steering was before as it was all cracked and I didn't think it would be something to go by for a reference. As far as the bushing, or sleeve I think it might be called, it came new with the new gimbal housing. Either way the two parts were apart and I greased them before putting back together. Unless I'm thinking of the wrong part, I tend to have my own name for things sometimes . I didn't see any cracks though on the gimbal ring (the part that slides into the gimbal housing).

Don:
Thanks for getting me that info, ill take a little bit to look at it and go over what I did and make another post.

Thanks again

 

[b0mbtrack]

Re: Gimbal housing/Gimbal Ring Question

Don:
I would have to say that is not how it went together. The bolt that they say to make finger tight to bring the studs up flush would have been impossible for me to do finger tight and I had to use a wratchet to bring the studs up at all. So I probably hurt the bearing or something doing this. Ill have to take it apart again and see what is going on. Ill attempt it tomorrow and take pics of what I see. I also took a pic of the picture I was going off of and am wondering if I might have put something in the wrong spot because it looks different in what you sent me.

I drew an arrow at a washer in the picture. From the picture of mine it looks like it goes right under the steering arm but the picture in yours it looks like it goes just above the gimbal ring. I put it right under the steering arm so that might have been wrong.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Gimbal housing/Gimbal Ring Question

Just so you know, that picture you just posted is not for your drive. May be similar in the areas you are interested in but that is the old dog clutch Cobra.

 

[b0mbtrack]

Re: Gimbal housing/Gimbal Ring Question

Crap!!!!

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Gimbal housing/Gimbal Ring Question

Almost everything in that picture will be identical. Its the rest of the manual which will have differences.

 

[b0mbtrack]

Re: Gimbal housing/Gimbal Ring Question

Almost everything in that picture will be identical. Its the rest of the manual which will have differences.

Ok thanks, I just got it apart and am working on getting the pictures up.

 

[b0mbtrack]

Re: Gimbal housing/Gimbal Ring Question



Here are some photos after taking it apart, I made notes in the photos themselves.

 

[Jammer864]

Re: Gimbal housing/Gimbal Ring Question

The bearing you are talking about is a sleeve, not any type of roller bearing. Regardless of the washer placement, you shouldnt have to force the ring into the housing. If you just try to test fit the ring into the upper housing without the steering arm or lower bracket in place, does it still bind?

10 years ago I had the exact same repair. Hit something and broke the transom bracket just like yours. My gimbal ring slid right into place in the housing. Seems to me the problem has to be in that upper bearing area. One part too big or out of shape.

 

[b0mbtrack]

Re: Gimbal housing/Gimbal Ring Question

The bearing you are talking about is a sleeve, not any type of roller bearing. Regardless of the washer placement, you shouldnt have to force the ring into the housing. If you just try to test fit the ring into the upper housing without the steering arm or lower bracket in place, does it still bind?

10 years ago I had the exact same repair. Hit something and broke the transom bracket just like yours. My gimbal ring slid right into place in the housing. Seems to me the problem has to be in that upper bearing area. One part too big or out of shape.

Thanks for the reply. I tried to fit the sleeve over the upper part of the gimbal ring and it wouldn't go so I took some time and filed down the upper part of the gimbal ring till the sleeve fit over it nicely. I just put the sleeve into the gimbal housing then I put the gimbal ring in and now it turns when before it wouldn't. Thanks again for the replies everyone, I think it should be ok now.

 

[Don S]

Re: Gimbal housing/Gimbal Ring Question

I tried to fit the sleeve over the upper part of the gimbal ring and it wouldn't go so I took some time and filed down the upper part of the gimbal ring till the sleeve fit over it nicely.

:facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:

 

[b0mbtrack]

Re: Gimbal housing/Gimbal Ring Question

:facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:

No good I guess?