removal tool for gimbal bearings

[beanz2166]

Those of you who have replaced your own Gimbals what did you use as a removal tool. I searched and alot of people used slide hammers, but what did you use to spread behind the gimbal? Is there anything behind the gimbal that I can mess up?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: removal tool for gimbal bearings

what year/ model are you working with?

on my 89 alpha's there are two notches in the bearing carrier and all I had to do was turn the bearing 90 deg (ie hole for shaft turned sideways) and pull it out... took new bearing out of new carrier and put it in old carrier

 

[tpenfield]

Re: removal tool for gimbal bearings

The tool that I have uses an insert and a threaded rod rather than a slide hammer . . . much better (IMHO)

 

[dan t.]

Re: removal tool for gimbal bearings

I used a wheel bearing removal tool for semi floating axels, it is just a 2 jaw puller that threads on to a slidehammer. Any well equipped automotive shop should have one.

 

[Don S]

Re: removal tool for gimbal bearings

A three jaw slide hammer works quite well in most cases.



Not a good idea to replace only the inner part of the bearing.
Have a look at this service bulletin.

View attachment Gimbal bearing.pdf

 

[beanz2166]

Re: removal tool for gimbal bearings

WooHoo Got the bearing out. Now just need to wait on the new one to get here, and figure out a way to get it in correctly. I do have one question. Once I popped the bearing out, I was wiping up some of the excess grease and when I pulled out my hand I had a rubber gasket with it. where does this go?

 

[mercs4mark]

Re: removal tool for gimbal bearings

The rubber gasket you are referring too might be the one that goes on the front nose of the sterndrive when you install it

 

[Hoosmatroos]

Re: removal tool for gimbal bearings

Yes, put it in the hole before you mount the drive again. Slide it in and push it to the end. Should be in your new seal kit.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: removal tool for gimbal bearings

Good to know Don.....
I'm confident that mine are tight and installed right but I won't suggest that method to others anymore.

I wondered why they had started installing them "backwards". Thx

 

[tpenfield]

Re: removal tool for gimbal bearings

WooHoo Got the bearing out. Now just need to wait on the new one to get here, and figure out a way to get it in correctly. I do have one question. Once I popped the bearing out, I was wiping up some of the excess grease and when I pulled out my hand I had a rubber gasket with it. where does this go?

O-ring? . . . about 1-1/4" . . .??? the drive shaft usually has a couple of those on it . . .

 

[beanz2166]

Re: removal tool for gimbal bearings

no big o-ring, like 4" I think Mercs4mark is right on this one, boat is going to the mechanic tomorrow to install a new bearing Ill ask him, good to know that the shaft usually has some o-rings on it, cause she didnt when I pulled it out. are they positioned in a specific place?

 

[Don S]

Re: removal tool for gimbal bearings

Post a picture of the seal. There is also one in front of the gimbal bearing that gets torn off while removing the bearing if not careful.

 

[beanz2166]

Re: removal tool for gimbal bearings

seal

 

[Don S]

Re: removal tool for gimbal bearings

no big o-ring, like 4"

I read that as "no, it is not a big 4" oring" :facepalm:

From your picture, it is the big quad ring that seals the drive to the bellhousing when you install the drive.

 

[glennj3]

Re: removal tool for gimbal bearings

I replaced the Gimbel bearing last month with the advice and assistance of my mechanic. First time for me, but he was busy with other things and left me alone for long periods of time after telling me to do this or that. So, to remove the bearing, beat the top with a hammer and long punch. The bearing finally flipped enough to pull it out of the bracing. The new one would never go back in (after hitting it very hard for a long time). Finally he tried it, said he had never seen one not come out and go in easily. So I managed to get the old bearing back in, then used his expensive pull tool made for this. Came right out, cleaned up the old grease area and replace the new housing and bearing.
Well, after my first trip to the lake I have water coming into the engine well, no flash light so could not verify where it came from. It was lake water. I feel like I may have broken a seal or something by hitting it for so long, he said probably not.
Hope to get her back to the lake in the next couple of weeks and check with a light.

 

[makonnen]

Re: removal tool for gimbal bearings

Removal was fairly easy ... got the biggest 3 jaw slide hammer I could find and came out relaitvely painlessly.

Here is a pic of the gimbal installation tool I made:

 

[makonnen]

Re: removal tool for gimbal bearings

 

[glennj3]

Re: removal tool for gimbal bearings

I wish I were that mechanical, engineering able!

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: removal tool for gimbal bearings

smokeonthewater , my theory is that the owners never found out that there is only 1 way to install it, thats with the little hole in the bearing
lined up with the grease channel so you could grease the bearing.The original older manuals did say you could replace just the bearing IF it did not spin in the tolerance ring but back then you could only buy the bearing from a Merc dealer.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: removal tool for gimbal bearings

I replaced the Gimbel bearing last month with the advice and assistance of my mechanic. First time for me, but he was busy with other things and left me alone for long periods of time after telling me to do this or that. So, to remove the bearing, beat the top with a hammer and long punch. The bearing finally flipped enough to pull it out of the bracing. The new one would never go back in (after hitting it very hard for a long time). Finally he tried it, said he had never seen one not come out and go in easily. So I managed to get the old bearing back in, then used his expensive pull tool made for this. Came right out, cleaned up the old grease area and replace the new housing and bearing.
Well, after my first trip to the lake I have water coming into the engine well, no flash light so could not verify where it came from. It was lake water. I feel like I may have broken a seal or something by hitting it for so long, he said probably not.
Hope to get her back to the lake in the next couple of weeks and check with a light.

Might want to get the drive pulled asap, bellows might have been full of water.