Help Changing Volvo 7.4 GL DP Gimbal Bearing

[aceman66]

454 Gas Powered (Carb)(MD-1994) with a Duo Prop Drive Unit in a 26'8" Chris-Craft Cruiser. A vibration or shutter is felt at hard acceleration and goes away at 3000 RPM & above. I have found the u-joint bellows full of rusty water and removed the drive. I removed the seal and the 2 internal retaining rings and the 1 smaller external ring. The splined shaft stayed in the housing with the Gimbal Bearing and neither will come out. It may be rusted to the female spline at the engine end. What is the methood used to remove and replace the Gimbal Bearing? Also I have found the locking nuts and rectangular spacer washers loose on all 6 transom shield studs. Along with the replacement of the 2 U-Joints I feel (hope) this will correct the vibration. The Gimbal Bearing needs to be replaced and I pray that removing the engine to separate the bell-housing is not the only way. Or is it?

 

[Don S]

Re: Help Changing Volvo 7.4 GL DP Gimbal Bearing

Yep, pulling the engine and the flywheel housing is the only way to get it apart. The intermediate bearing (It's not called a gimbal bearing on your model) in the flywheel housing is press fit into the housing. A mallet will be needed to knock it out after the snap rings are removed.
That is why we always recommend replacing the ujoint bellows every couple of years.
One other thing that may help in the future, is you only have to pull the upper gear box on that outdrive to change the bellows or pull the engine. No need to remove the complete drive.
Changing the bellows is about an hours job that way.

 

[aceman66]

Re: Help Changing Volvo 7.4 GL DP Gimbal Bearing

Don, Thanks for your quick response. I guess I'll never learn not to promise a completion date. Pre 1996 VP's are only a small percentage of the 1500 plus boats stored here at Lake Pleasant. I was thinking along the lines of Mercruiser when I thought I could have it done for the weekend. I do understand that VP is a superior product which is why we see less of them. We just obtained a VP dealership privilege in January and they are a little slow getting us into the VP system. Thanks again. Ace