How do I know if my gimbal bearing is bad?
How do I know if my gimbal bearing is bad?
Your gimbal bearing will make the most noise when turning the boat. Will be a low pitched growl. Noise will usually subside some after several shots of grease to the gimbal zerk on the starboard side of the transom housing. A bad gimbal bearing will make noise anytime engine is running.
How long does it take to replace a gimbal bearing?
3-4 days to complete. Does this seem like a resonable deal?
What is a gimbal housing on a boat?
Gimbal bearings are specialty ball bearings/races. One of their main marine uses is in boat engine drive shafts where the bearings maintain alignment using gimbal technology. A gimbal bearing and a driveshaft arrangement is shown below.
What happens when your gimbal bearing goes out?
As the bearing starts to go bad it will only make noise when the drive is being turned real tight, but eventually it will happen any time the drive shaft is not straight. The noise is going to be more of a rumbling sound as the bearing slowing begins disintegrating.
How often should you grease gimbal bearing?
Changing the oil every year is the right thing to do as well as greasing the prop shaft. One item you are missing is the removal of the lower unit and greasing the u-joints. The grease fitting on the side is to grease the gimbal bearing.
How often should I replace Mercruiser bellows?
every two years
Inspect the bellows annually and replace it every two years. Many, myself included, feel that if the drive is removed for inspection, you may as well just replace the bellows while you’re at it.
How do I know if my bellows are leaking?
If it is leaking badly, you’ll hear a roaring sound coming from the back of the boat. That’s a sure sign. It’s basically water getting into the bearing grease and rusting the bearing. When bellows crack, water can seep into the boat and soak your output shaft and gimbal bearing.
What is a gimbal assembly?
Gimbal assemblies, located beneath the spider on offshore rigs, provide the necessary compliance between the riser system and vessel to protect drilling equipment from excessive stress and damage.
Are exhaust bellows necessary?
Technically you do not even need an exhaust bellows so either one is fine. Iv’e seen a few shift boots burn’t through from boats without an exhaust bellows or tube…
How do you check a boat bellows?
Use your fingers to pull apart the folds of the boot so you can see down into its valleys. Also, whenever you have the drive off for servicing, be sure to look at the boots from the inside, or have them looked at. Check for rust on the output shaft and U-joints, which is a sure sign water has intruded.
