gimbal housing issues

[cj8mule]

Hello all.

I'm working with a 74 Mercruiser I6 (160hp). I'm rebuilding the boat and am wanting to change bellows and such while everything is apart. While inspecting the gimbal bearing, I noticed the race wobbling in the gimbal housing. I took the bearing out by hand. After getting most of the grease cleaned up I see 2 machined out voids around the gimbal housing bearing seat. Are these voids factory or from some PO? Here's a couple of pictures:

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I'm hoping someone will chime in and confirm that this gimbal housing is toast. I've worked on a different MC type 1 drive out of a 78 and it didn't have those voids on the bearing seat. (and that bearing had to be pulled with a slide hammer)

I do have a 78 donor boat and have another gimbal housing, but it's a little on the corroided side.

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What's the best way to remove these bolts? I was thinking some penetrating oil and a little heat.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: gimbal housing issues

You can try that first but most likely cut them flush, center drill, drill and retap. The slots are factory. Do you have a zerk fitting to grease the gimbal bearing? If not, that's why the tolerance ring is like that. to pop the bearing out to grease it.
Should not be able to remove the bearing "by hand" and the bellows look wet. I would replace the gimbal bearing.
Usa a greaseable one and make this

or the newest type non-greaseable gimbal bearing.
The "matched set" is bull when it comes to gimbal bearings. Take note of the small hole in the bearing, it MUST match up to the grease groove in the tolerance ring.

 

[alldodge]

Re: gimbal housing issues

Hello all.

I'm working with a 74 Mercruiser I6 (160hp). I'm rebuilding the boat and am wanting to change bellows and such while everything is apart. While inspecting the gimbal bearing, I noticed the race wobbling in the gimbal housing. I took the bearing out by hand. After getting most of the grease cleaned up I see 2 machined out voids around the gimbal housing bearing seat. Are these voids factory or from some PO? Here's a couple of pictures:

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What's the best way to remove these bolts? I was thinking some penetrating oil and a little heat.

I would suggest an acetylene torch and heat up the bolt, don't get it red hot, just good and hot. Then quench it with water and grab it low with a small pipe wrench or vise grips.

 

[cr2k]

Re: gimbal housing issues

I would NOT suggest heating the BOLT you don't want it to expand any more than it is. Gently heat the housing around it on the side.
But yes I would first soak in PB Blaster for an hour.

 

[Bondo]

Re: gimbal housing issues

Ayuh,... I'm with AllDodge,... I'd heat it good, 'n Hot with a mapp torch, 'n Quench it,...

The shock will break the corrosion,.... then oil it,...

It'll be hard to get heat into the stud, the aluminum housin' is gonna suck it right out,...

 

[cj8mule]

Re: gimbal housing issues

Thanks for the suggestions. A map torch, vice grips, and pentatrating oil got the bolts out. I had enough material on the broken one to weld a nut on and get it out.

I also looked up a replacement bearing and it is supposed to come out by hand when you line the bearing up in the relief cuts.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: gimbal housing issues

Nope, never had one that you remove by hand. That tells you it had spun in the tolerance ring. I would install the old bearing, remove the bearing with the tolerance ring, and replace it with a new unit. If you can find just the bearing I can mail you a new tolerance ring.

 

[Watermann]

Re: gimbal housing issues

Hey CJ those 2 studs in my mount were in the similar shape. I wheeled off the corrosion around the base and then soaked with PB for an hour, shot them again and a half hour later I was able to remove them easily. I piled 2 nuts on the threads and they backed right out.