STUCK gimbal bearing.....

[ScottinAZ]

started beating on my gimbal bearing yesterday to replace it, and am having NO luck. Searched and found this thread

Gimbal Bearing Removal Trick

I removed the gimbal bearing today and wanted to share something that helped me remove it, and share something that didn't work. I rented a 5 lb slide hammer from NAPA along with a puller attachment shown in the photo. Note that this attachment will NOT work. Even with it adjusted to spread the...

forums.iboats.com

and have used up just about all the good advice in there. I had borrowed a slide hammer set, which had the pullers as Bondo shows, and BROKE TWO OF THEM..... Im starting to run out of ideas here. This thing doesnt appear to have budged.

Is there a practical way to remove the "guts" of the bearing to leave only the outer aluminum portion, which would be easy money for a Dremel and a carbide burr? I really dont want to break the housing, and beating on this thing with a 5# slide hammer has moved the whole boat and trailer more than the bearing has moved in the bore......

Boat in question has a 1980 vintage MC-1 outdrive......

 

[Fun Times]

Maybe try pulling the bearing out vs hammering it out.

Search online gimbal bearing puller and installer tool kits.

 

[alldodge]

If the bearing gets cocked even slightly it will dig into the housing. Sometimes its best to hammer it back in and see if there is a ridge

I know this would be older transom then 1980, but does yours have a snap ring holding the bearing in?

 

[ScottinAZ]

If the bearing gets cocked even slightly it will dig into the housing. Sometimes its best to hammer it back in and see if there is a ridge

I know this would be older transom then 1980, but does yours have a snap ring holding the bearing in?

No snap ring. Bearing does not appear to be cocked, the outer edge is fairly uniform by the lead in chamfer to the bearing bore. As far as I can tell, this may be the original bearing, so stuck is the name of the game. The two relief cuts face the rear on my bearing, so I may try to pop out the guts and then cut the outer ring with a Dremel. That however requires a bit more disassembly to pull off without leaving a mess everywhere……

 

[ScottinAZ]

Maybe try pulling the bearing out vs hammering it out.

Search online gimbal bearing puller and installer tool kits.

I am trying to get it out with a puller and slide hammer as per the manual.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... Another way is to get a piece of threaded rod, say 1/2", 5/8" 3/4", an a couple washers,....
Slip the rod through, put the washers, 'n a nut on the inside, 'n then with a heavy steel plate, bridge the bellhousing face, put another nut on the rod, 'n turn it in,....
That Should be able to pull the bearing out,....

 

[ScottinAZ]

Ayuh,..... Another way is to get a piece of threaded rod, say 1/2", 5/8" 3/4", an a couple washers,....
Slip the rod through, put the washers, 'n a nut on the inside, 'n then with a heavy steel plate, bridge the bellhousing face, put another nut on the rod, 'n turn it in,....
That Should be able to pull the bearing out,....

This is what I was thinking. I have the steel, just hope it doesn’t mar the face of the bell housing as that’s a gasket face isn’t it? (Where the lower abuts is where I was thinking) this does have the benefit of concentrating the force where it needs to be at least

 

[Scott06]

started beating on my gimbal bearing yesterday to replace it, and am having NO luck. Searched and found this thread

Gimbal Bearing Removal Trick

I removed the gimbal bearing today and wanted to share something that helped me remove it, and share something that didn't work. I rented a 5 lb slide hammer from NAPA along with a puller attachment shown in the photo. Note that this attachment will NOT work. Even with it adjusted to spread the...

forums.iboats.com

and have used up just about all the good advice in there. I had borrowed a slide hammer set, which had the pullers as Bondo shows, and BROKE TWO OF THEM..... Im starting to run out of ideas here. This thing doesnt appear to have budged.

Is there a practical way to remove the "guts" of the bearing to leave only the outer aluminum portion, which would be easy money for a Dremel and a carbide burr? I really dont want to break the housing, and beating on this thing with a 5# slide hammer has moved the whole boat and trailer more than the bearing has moved in the bore......

Boat in question has a 1980 vintage MC-1 outdrive......

Does it by chance have an older gimbal housing that

This is what I was thinking. I have the steel, just hope it doesn’t mar the face of the bell housing as that’s a gasket face isn’t it? (Where the lower abuts is where I was thinking) this does have the benefit of concentrating the force where it needs to be at least

A 2x4 across bellhousing will work as well

 

[Bt Doctur]

so will a flat of 3/4 plate with some holes drill thru it

 

[Bobpeeks]

Also might see if an automotive wheel bearing puller set might have the right combination of pieces to do the trick. Might be able to get one on loan from an auto supply store.

 

[04fxdwgi25]

Gimbal bearing puller.

https://www.amazon.com/BESTOOL-Gimbal-Bearing-Remover-Special/dp/B091G8NLKX/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?hvadid=198505277483&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9009832&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=2671050615852114561&hvtargid=kwd-326535388683&hydadcr=6647_9585197&keywords=mercruiser+gimbal+bearing+puller&qid=1691148955&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

 

[ScottinAZ]

well, at long last, the bearing is out. Ended up removing the spherical section out of the outer aluminum housing, and cutting the outer housing with a dremel and a piece of hack saw blade. Once that was done, it still put up a bit of a fight, but about a dozen half hearted whacks with the slide hammer had it out. It was corroded in there pretty good, so I have a bit of cleanup to do in the bore with some crocus cloth.....

total score, Owner 1- Bearing 1..... gonna call this a tie, as it broke more tooling that it really should have. In the end, I won, but it was a hard fought battle

this one wasnt cocked, as the bearing hadnt moved even microscopically with the previous efforts. it was STUCK, and STUCK HARD.... between the dissimilar metal corrosion between the aluminum and the stainless tolerance ring, and the dried grease in there, it wasnt going anywhere save for some drastic measures......

 

[ScottinAZ]

Gimbal bearing puller.

https://www.amazon.com/BESTOOL-Gimbal-Bearing-Remover-Special/dp/B091G8NLKX/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?hvadid=198505277483&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9009832&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=2671050615852114561&hvtargid=kwd-326535388683&hydadcr=6647_9585197&keywords=mercruiser+gimbal+bearing+puller&qid=1691148955&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

yeah, now I see those...... I was originally going with the tooling that the manual calls out, and that didnt work so well.... I may invest in one of those for next time, BUT if I replace the bearing for cause when I do the bellows, it shouldnt be nearly as stuck next time..... this one had to have been in there at least 20 years, as it sat unused for the past 10 or so before I got the boat. The bearing felt good when I recommissioned the drive, so I left it alone. The shift cable went out on us last trip, so I pulled the drive to replace that, and checked the gimbal bearing, as it was accessible, and it wasnt "bad", but it wasnt "good" either.... so rather than wait until it went "bad" I chose to replace it now.