Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair..Thinking outside the box!

[LX Kid]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Ok folks. As I said this is "just a brain storming session." If I have to remove the gimbal ring I "would" most assuredly replace the gimbal ring with a used one in good condition or a new one. The pilot steering shaft, that comes up thru the gimbal ring and into the gimbal housing, is what I'm talking about. The slop is around the square portion that physically moves the gimbal ring. I would probably not do any of the suggestions posted here. This is all just for fun, fun, fun!

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

If you need a ring, check with these guys: http://www.jrmarine.com/Default.htm IMHO one of their rebuilds better than taking a chance with used. Nice shop BTW!

 

[LX Kid]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

If you need a ring, check with these guys: http://www.jrmarine.com/Default.htm IMHO one of their rebuilds better than taking a chance with used. Nice shop BTW!

Thanks for the info stonyloam.

 

[krisnowicki]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair..Thinking outside the box!

I did this once and it worked well

http://www.jrmarine.com/instructions.htm

 

[Dale Hollow Man]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair..Thinking outside the box!

I have a 1991 Yamaha Sterndrive that had excess play between the pin and the steering arm - nearly 1/2 a turn on the wheel. I simply drilled an access hole, using a 1-1/4"hole saw, right through the top of the outdrive casing, in line with the top of the pin. This gave me access to rear of the pin/steering arm. I then drilled a hole through the steering arm and pin, using a carbide tipped bit, and drove in a 5/16" rollpin. I covered the hole with a conduit knockout cover and it's been steering tight ever since. I usually don't fix things this way, but my mechanic told me that the engine would have to come out to replace the worn parts. Good luck!

 

[LX Kid]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair..Thinking outside the box!

Fixed my gimbal ring slop! Drilled and taped a 1/2" course thread thru the gimbal ring and used a "split" plug to tighten against the tiller arm bolt. I would have to turn the steering wheel back and forth almost half a turn to make adjustments in course direction at low speeds. For now it nice and tight and can adjust the 1/2" bolt as it wears. (Or gimbal ring shatters.) Just have to see how well this works and for how long it holds up. Will post some pics when I get a chance.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair..Thinking outside the box!

Fixed my gimbal ring slop! Drilled and taped a 1/2" course thread thru the gimbal ring and used a "split" plug to tighten against the tiller arm bolt. I would have to turn the steering wheel back and forth almost half a turn to make adjustments in course direction at low speeds. For now it nice and tight and can adjust the 1/2" bolt as it wears. (Or gimbal ring shatters.) Just have to see how well this works and for how long it holds up. Will post some pics when I get a chance.

What's a split plug?

 

[LX Kid]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair..Thinking outside the box!

What's a split plug?

Imagine a 1/2"x1" round rod with a 3/4" slit down the middle. Then those two split ends cut at 45 degrees to spread out on both sides of the tiller arm bolt as the 1/2" bolt is tightened into the gimbal.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair..Thinking outside the box!

Imagine a 1/2"x1" round rod with a 3/4" slit down the middle. Then those two split ends cut at 45 degrees to spread out on both sides of the tiller arm bolt as the 1/2" bolt is tightened into the gimbal.

Gotcha, thanks.

 

[LX Kid]

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?"

Oh, I can answer that! Because people, "like me," are too cheap to pay the price and always just trying to get by. Sometimes I'll even have to do something three times! Lol

My buget for getting this old Grady White in the water was $5000 five years ago. I got in too deep to back out of the project. I now have $18500 in her and she's probably only worth about 10K! She does run good though and I'm just trying to keep from spending more money than necessary.

Project link: http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=275835

 

[LX Kid]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Hope this drawing is good representation. Photo's are still on son's camera and he's not home yet.

Click on photo to enlarge!

 

[LX Kid]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair

Here's an external picture I just took. Put a washer and nut on the bolt to keep it from vibrating loose.

 

[LX Kid]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair..Thinking outside the box!

I did this once and it worked well

http://www.jrmarine.com/instructions.htm

I sure am glad you posted that link to jrmarine. The gimbal videos are really good. Now I know why it cost so much to have it done professionally.

 

[LX Kid]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair..Thinking outside the box!

Hmmmm. No comments. Very interesting assumtion.

Took it out yesterday morning and what a differance in the handling. Especially at low speeds the boat is "very" controlable and handles quite well. Now to see how long the modification will last.

 

[stollja]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair..Thinking outside the box!

Hmmmm. No comments. Very interesting assumtion.

Took it out yesterday morning and what a differance in the handling. Especially at low speeds the boat is "very" controlable and handles quite well. Now to see how long the modification will last.

i had the same problem my drive would move over 6" side to side at the prop, i took the two bolts out and replaced them with grade 8 and torqued them till the play was gone. i know everyone says not to go over 55ft/lbs but i think she can handle it. memorial day will be the first time out, ill let ya know how long it lasts

 

[LX Kid]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair..Thinking outside the box!

i had the same problem my drive would move over 6" side to side at the prop, i took the two bolts out and replaced them with grade 8 and torqued them till the play was gone. i know everyone says not to go over 55ft/lbs but i think she can handle it. memorial day will be the first time out, ill let ya know how long it lasts

Welcome aboard!!! Glad to see you came and joined us. That is something I didn't even think about on my gimbal. I did try and remove my bolts "but" I think they are stripping so I did'nt force them. Maybe I should try again and if they do strip I could go oversize bolts, drill out and re-thread.

Why don't you put in your signature block the specifics about your boat so we can all see what you have. (see my signature block below)

 

[LX Kid]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair..Thinking outside the box!

i had the same problem my drive would move over 6" side to side at the prop, i took the two bolts out and replaced them with grade 8 and torqued them till the play was gone. i know everyone says not to go over 55ft/lbs but i think she can handle it. memorial day will be the first time out, ill let ya know how long it lasts

The only thing I can think about that is that the two splits, in the gimbal ring, may snap because of excessive wear and tension caused by overtightening the bolts. This may be espeially true if your hitting some real choppy water banging the outdrive back and forth. (Maybe, maybe not!)

 

[runwme]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair..(Temp Fix)

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair..(Temp Fix)

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.
.

Thank you for this suggestion. I did this repair and it worked perfectly.

Lowered drive all the way down loosened up the 2 bolts and and turned full left. Using 1/64 shims cut in half, slid them in through the split at top of gimbal ring to 2 sides of the the square steering pin on alpha drive. Then turned full right to gain access and slid 2 more 1/64 shims into other side. Then retorqued to 55ft lbs and all the slop was gone. Made a huge difference. If kept torqued, dont see why this won't hold me a couple seasons until engine needs to be freshened.

Total repair time about 10 mins and only 8.00 for the shims. http://www.harborfreight.com/144-piece-body-shim-assortment-67585.html

 

[Rydnlow]

Re: Gimbal Ring Alternative Repair..Thinking outside the box!

I to did this fix by using shims. I am not at the point where I am willing to buy a new gimbal ring yet. Being a degreed engineer, the shims would be the best way to go and put the least stress on the ring. In theory, the ring is wore out and material has been displaced over time from lack of maintanance so adding shims fills the void where that material was. I used a .010" shim and 2 .005" shims on each side. The thinner ones were easier to slip in because they have to be slid in through the slot in the gimbal ring. The smaller ones are more flexible. I put the original bolts back in and retorqued to 55 ft lb and the play was gone. Now when I try to move the drive side to side the trailer shakes.

 

[LX Kid]

No Title

Five year's later and still functioning fine. No slop in steering as of today.