Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair..Thinking outside the box!

[LX Kid]

Ok this is not to start a big rumble concerning the correct, and expensive, way to properly replace the gimbal ring with a "new" one. This is brain storming of ideas to repair the gimbal ring "slop" on the square part of the steering pilot shaft "without removing the gimbal ring". Here is a couple of idea's that I would like to throw out there for discussion.




1. Back out the two SS bolts to give a little extra clearance. Insert a SS shim on both the flat sides of the steering pilot shaft where it comes up thru the top of the gimbal ring. Re-torque the two SS bolts to 50 - 55 pounds. Of course I realize there is not a lot of room to work between the gimbal housing and the gimbal ring but rather the feasibility of the idea.

2. The other idea is to drill two holes into the gimbal ring, at 90 degrees to the steering pilot shaft flats, and thread the holes. Put new SS bolts in and tighten them against the flats of the steering pilot shaft.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Ayuh,... In order to do #1, ya gotta disassemble it, so fix it Right while it's apart, 'n #2 just won't work...

 

[LX Kid]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Ayuh,... In order to do #1, ya gotta disassemble it, so fix it Right while it's apart, 'n #2 just won't work...

"Can't, won't, fix it right." Anything is possible. I've seen Filipinos and Vietnamese do the impossible with nothing.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

"Can't, won't, fix it right." Anything is possible. I've seen Filipinos and Vietnamese do the impossible with nothing.

Ayuh,... If I were gonna cobb it up,...
I'd pull the ring, weld in the worn areas, grind/ file it back to Spec, 'n put it back together....
I'd more likely, tear it apart, 'n throw in a used ring I'd find somewhere...

 

[LX Kid]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

I'm trying to figure out a way to do it without tearing it down. I've got another idea but have to draw it out and take a picture of it to post it. This is all in fun and who knows who might come up with a easy viable idea to "git-r-done!" (Then get stranded 30 miles out! LoL)

 

[geneseo1911]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

I kinda like idea #1. My grandfather had a 1955 John Deere model 70 Diesel. They are notorious for the flywheel to get loose on the crankshaft, and his was no exception. He and my dad took the flywheel off and made shims from soda cans (which would have been steel at the time) for each spline. It's still together.

 

[achris]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

"Can't, won't, fix it right." Anything is possible. I've seen Filipinos and Vietnamese do the impossible with nothing.

And then they spend more time than it would have taken to do it right the first time fixing their botch-up! I've worked the last 20 years in SE Asia and if nothing else it has shown me that there are 2 ways to do things.
1. Do it right the first time, or
2. Don't do it at all.

Same with that gimbal problem. The area is just too tight to be able to do a good 'non-professional' repair that will be safe and last any length of time.

Yes, the correct repair method is time consuming and the parts are quite spendy, but at the end of the day, the quickest and cheapest way to get a job done is to do it the right way the first time.

Chris..............

 

[Gettinther]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Ok this is not to start a big rumble concerning the correct, and expensive, way to properly replace the gimbal ring with a "new" one. This is brain storming of ideas to repair the gimbal ring "slop" on the square part of the steering pilot shaft. Here is a couple of idea's that I would like to throw out there for discussion.

1. Back out the two SS bolts to give a little extra clearance. Insert a SS shim on both the flat sides of the steering pilot shaft where it comes up thru the top of the gimbal ring. Re-torque the two SS bolts to 50 - 55 pounds. Of course I realize there is not a lot of room to work between the gimbal housing and the gimbal ring but rather the feasibility of the idea.

2. The other idea is to drill two holes into the gimbal ring, at 90 degrees to the steering pilot shaft flats, and thread the holes. Put new SS bolts in and tighten them against the flats of the steering pilot shaft.

If there was an alternative repair that worked everyone on iboats would know about it and you would have access to it.
Have a nice day

 

[greg82255]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

If you want to try one of your suggestions, those are your dice to roll. It may work, but it may not.. You aren't going to get a concrete answer as to whether or not your ideas will work because they haven't been tried before. I believe it is Don S that has the signature "Why is there never enough time to do it the first time, but always enough time to do it again?"

 

[LX Kid]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Ok this is not to start a big rumble concerning the correct, and expensive, way to properly replace the gimbal ring with a "new" one. This is brain storming of ideas to repair the gimbal ring "slop" on the square part of the steering pilot shaft. .

As I said, it's just a brain storming of ideas. It's not intended to upset anyone. You just never know where or who a good idea might come from. There are engineers out in the world that solve complex problems with little, clever designs. Why not look at a few ideas and say to yourself, "Hmmm I wonder." A little "thinking outside of the box," makes a person use some brain cells they forgot they had.

 

[LX Kid]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

How about injecting a liquid metallic epoxy down into the wollowed out area? Inject, move the gimbal ring around to get it to settle to the bottom and then inject some more.

OR

Drill a small hole towards the bottom of the steering tiller bolt and inject the epoxy until it runs out the top.

 

[stackz]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

As I said, it's just a brain storming of ideas. It's not intended to upset anyone. You just never know where or who a good idea might come from. There are engineers out in the world that solve complex problems with little, clever designs. Why not look at a few ideas and say to yourself, "Hmmm I wonder." A little "thinking outside of the box," makes a person use some brain cells they forgot they had.

then I say just quit "talking" and start "doing". you'll either succeed, or fail horribly. I know, I've been there done that. and there will be more experiments for me in the future as well.

How about injecting a liquid metallic epoxy down into the wollowed out area? Inject, move the gimbal ring around to get it to settle to the bottom and then inject some more.

OR

Drill a small hole towards the bottom of the steering pilot shaft and inject the epoxy until it runs out the top.

and then when the epoxy hardens everywhere you injected it and its all frozen up, then what? just because some of it will work its way...doesnt mean ALL of it will work its way.

 

[LX Kid]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

then I say just quit "talking" and start "doing". you'll either succeed, or fail horribly. I know, I've been there done that. and there will be more experiments for me in the future as well.
and then when the epoxy hardens everywhere you injected it and its all frozen up, then what? just because some of it will work its way...doesnt mean ALL of it will work its way.

Well even if it did go everywhere there's nothing to damage. Place a piece of carboard under the gimbal ring to catch any run off. If you can diminish the slop you reduce the amount of vibration that will eventually shatter the gimbal ring. None are permanent fix's but could let you enjoy your boat another season or two.

 

[LX Kid]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

I've always been tinker minded and love trying differant things. I have a home machine shop and love wasting materials and time.

 

[dn010]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Are you trying to remove the slop between the gimbal ring and the steering arm?

 

[LX Kid]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Are you trying to remove the slop between the gimbal ring and the steering arm?

Yes I am. "BUT" without tearing the whole outdrive apart.

 

[dn010]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Is it possible to drill a hole through the steering arm & steering pin and install a large rolled pin or solid steel pin through both? I'd like to see how you end up doing this fix - I'd like to get rid of the slop in mine temporarily and then replace it when it is actually cooler out - it would be nice to navigate off of the Gandy without looking like I'm drunk having my boat unintentionally sway left and right due to the slop...

 

[LX Kid]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Is it possible to drill a hole through the steering arm & steering pin and install a large cotter pin or solid steel pin through both?

That seems like a good suggestion! Maybe two 3/16" SS roll pins, drilled in an "X" manner, going all the way thru the back of the gimbal ring. That would allow the ability to push it all the way thru if necessay. "Hmmmm I wonder!"

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Yes I am. "BUT" without tearing the whole outdrive apart.

No you are not! according to what you said above you are trying to remove the play between the GIMBAL RING and the UPPER SWIVEL pin. Removing play between the steering arm and swivel pin is an entirely different problem. Shims might work, but unless they fit exactly at all 8 surfaces that contact the pin, and unless you remove all of the play you will be right back where you are now after a few times out. Epoxy and you will never be able to get it apart to fix correctly when it fails. With your mill setup and the table on the drill press you should consider bind-o's suggestion of welding and milling to correct spec, would be a good challenge.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Nice tight used setup, pm me
If it was practical from a SAFETY standpoint, then the factory would supply instructions for doing just that.Given the speed your traveling and completely losing your ability to steer can lead to a devastating event.You need to remove the housing to determine if its the pin, the steering arm, or the ring first.