Replacing Gimbal Bearing, Bellows, and U-Joints, anything else?

[ShaneCarroll]

Ok, as many of you know, I am in the process of doing some "maintenance" to my 92 Alpha One Gen II. My boat has been decommissioned for about a month, due to me waiting on parts and tools to come in. So, here's the update:
I pulled the outdrive off, and just recieved my hinge pin tool, so I plan to take the gimbal ring off on Sunday.
I have a new gimbal bearing, new exhaust and drive shaft bellows, and new u-joints, which I plan on replacing. (Might I add that this is my first time doing anything of this caliber)
While I have the drive off, is there anything else I should be looking to replace?
Just a quick recap of the issues: bought the boat in February of this year, did full lower unit tune up, replaced impeller and the lower unit oil. The issue I was having was a loud noise when turning while at or close to WOT.
Thank you to everyone for the help, and also, is it difficult to change u-joints? It really can't be as simple as pressing the old ones out and pressing new ones in, can it? Sorry if I seem skeptical, but over the years I have been accustomed to every project I start becoming a PITA.

 

[boatguya1]

Re: Replacing Gimbal Bearing, Bellows, and U-Joints, anything else?

If you don't have one you'll need an engine alignment bar for the gimbal brg install. If you have a relationship with a shop they might loan it to you. If you are going that far might as well do the lower shift cable while your there. I don't take the gimbal appart on Gen II's. I take the spring thing out of the bellows and tuck it in with the hsg still attached. This reminds me you'll need the driver to install the ring that holds the drive side of the bellows on. Then put the spring back in the bellows. (spring thing is in the inside ribs of the bellows to help hold it's shape, U-joint bellows that is)

James

 

[ShaneCarroll]

Re: Replacing Gimbal Bearing, Bellows, and U-Joints, anything else?

Thank you for the quick response, I do have an alignment tool, purchased it last week, however, the wonderful ebayer didn't send instructions so I guess I am just supposed to push it in until it reaches the grooves (on the alignment tool) possibly?

 

[boatguya1]

Re: Replacing Gimbal Bearing, Bellows, and U-Joints, anything else?

The inner part of the gimbal brg can move in relation to the outer part. You'll have to stick the bar part way in and move side to side/up down to get the end of the bar to slide into the engine coupler. Put grease on the end of the bar, when it slides in you'll see the spline marks in the grease on the bar. You should have about 2-2.5 inches of spline marks in the grease and the bar shuld slide in and out smoothly assuming the engine alignment was good to start.

Have to ride home from work now. If wife allows I'll get back on when I get home. She's not real fond of me coming home and going straight to the computer.

James

 

[ShaneCarroll]

Re: Replacing Gimbal Bearing, Bellows, and U-Joints, anything else?

Thank you for the help again. Wow, your wife sounds just like mine, "why are you always on that computer? Tell the computer it should sleep with you instead of me."

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Replacing Gimbal Bearing, Bellows, and U-Joints, anything else?

Shane: I read this post a couple of times and I think you might have a couple of things mixed up. There are three parts that you are dealing with here:
1: The GIMBAL HOUSING, the part that bolts to the transom that holds the gimbal bearing
2: The GIMBAL RING the oval shaped ring that allows the drive to move side to side.
3: The BELL HOUSING the movable part that the bellows attach to.

I think you may have the gimbal ring mixed up with the bell housing (I don't think you want to remove the gimbal ring). You need the hinge tool to remove the bellhousing from the gimbal ring. You can do the bellows and bearing without removing the ring. The one thing that you should do with the gimbal ring is retorque the two bolts on top to 55 ft. lb. Sorry if I sound a little picky here but it is important to get the part names right so that everyone here will understand exactly what you are trying to do. Good luck.

 

[boatguya1]

Re: Replacing Gimbal Bearing, Bellows, and U-Joints, anything else?

Absolutely agree on retorq the bolts clamping the gimbal ring to the upper steering shaft. Also the Bell hsg does not need to be removed to replace the bellows. It can be done with the hinge pins in place. Cut old bellows to remove and pull "spring thing" out of new bellows to get them on. Then put "spring thing" back in through opening in bell hsg.

James

 

[boatguya1]

Re: Replacing Gimbal Bearing, Bellows, and U-Joints, anything else?

A long 1/4" extension and wobly 5/16 socket goes along way towards helping with the clamps on the bellows.

James

 

[ShaneCarroll]

Re: Replacing Gimbal Bearing, Bellows, and U-Joints, anything else?

Well thanks again for the replies. I guess that's what happens when you talk to a shadetree mechanic. I was told that to replace the bellows and the gimbal bearing you must remove (or at least it will make it easier) the gimbal ring and bell housing. So, using that hinge pin tool will only remove the bell housing? That makes sense. Also, one of the wires to my trim senders is broken, is that as easy as just stripping it back and I guess reattaching it to the post? I have not taken the trim sender apart. If I have this part wrong, I am speaking of the two round black things on the outdrive that say "trim port" and "trim starboard," I may be missing a word or two from there, but the boat is not with me at the moment.

Thank you for the help.

 

[Zackman]

Re: Replacing Gimbal Bearing, Bellows, and U-Joints, anything else?

Shane, when I did mine (actually a Bravo drive, but the pins are the same) the hinge pin tool began to deform. The pins are held in with Loctite Red and torque to around 150 ft-lb. I ended up using a 1/2" hex head bit socket (1/2" drive), which worked great. On one of the pins I had to heat it to over 350 F so that the Loctite would soften.​

 

[bigbob_FTW]

Re: Replacing Gimbal Bearing, Bellows, and U-Joints, anything else?

You'll need to replace the trim and limit senders as fixing them will never work. Do it while you have everything apart. its very tight to get in there.