Gimbel Bearing Alignment - Help Required

[bessling]

First post- I recently bought a 2005 Four Winns Horizon 200 with a Volvo Penta 5.0 GXI-E and SX-M Drive. I doing my first service I pulled the drive found water in the gimbel bellows and roughness in the gimel bearing. Inserted the VP alignment tool to check alignment before I touched anything. The tool was difficult to insert to full depth (had to wiggle it and use both hands pushing to insert the alignment tool). I replaced the bearing reinserted the greased alignment tool ( I've been reading the forums extensively for service tips) and it went in all the way but again it took effort to do so.

In trying to re-install the drive I can get the drive splines to mesh but the drive doesn't go in far enough to allow the 6 bolts to start threading.

My question is how much force is required to reinstall? I have replaced clutches on vehicles and when everything is aligned everything slides together with very little effort. What I am experiencing here is significantly harder than the clutch scenario.

Any advice would be appreciated as I don't yet have a "feel" for what I should be expecting. Thanks

 

[sea wolf]

Re: Gimbel Bearing Alignment - Help Required

It's not lined up. You shouldn't have to force the alignment tool into the coupler. You need to adjust your motor mount{s} to get it lined up.

 

[Senior B]

Re: Gimbel Bearing Alignment - Help Required

I just pulled my Volvo SX-M drive 2 weeks ago for general maint to check everything. It came off and went back on SMOOTH AS SILK with no binding at all. Slid all the way into the coupler. All I had to do was torque the mount nuts which will need to be replaced next time as one of them was a little shy on what I could get it to. You do need to tweek your alignment. The effort required should be to pick up the drive. Once the drive shaft is in the Gimbal Bearing and the drive itself is on the mounting studs your hard work is done.