Bravo 2 side to side play

[steven vaccaro]

I noticed the other day that my outdrive will move about 8" in either direction without the steering wheel moving. I spoke to a local shop and he said its a $3000 plus job, but never even looked at the boat. Which I thought was strange. Anyone have any experience with a problem like this?

 

[QC]

Re: Bravo 2 side to side play

You could get lucky and it be in the steering linkage, but it's probably the gimbal ring and he is probably right . . .You need to read up on Bravo gimbal ring here. You can verify it by understanding what the swivel shaft is and of course the gimbal ring. If the swivel shaft has wallowed out inside the Gimbal ring, you can see it while grabbing the drive and moving it or better is holding it still and having someone move the wheel. Or simply lift it up and down. If you can, Gimbal ring

If so, the first thing to try is to torque it (every season). Might make it better for a while, but yours sounds fairly out.

Engine has to come out, part is close to a grand, but there is an optional, less expensive fix.

 

[jtybt]

Re: Bravo 2 side to side play

It's a common problem if not maintained. Also depends on how old/how long it's been going on. Could be as simple as tightening the U bolt the holds the swivel shaft to as bad a egging out the gimbal ring.

Start with the two nuts at the top of the gimbal ring. First try loosening them to see if they're frozen. Make sure the threads are clean and see if tightening will help.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Bravo 2 side to side play

This is a fairly common problem if the u-bolt nuts are not kept tight. (I think 50ft-lbs or so....check the manual...)

The gimbal ring area where the steering swivel shaft goes gets really sloppy and worn out so bad that the bolts cannot be tightened enough to stop it. The gimbal must be either repaired or replaced like below...

http://www.jrmarine.com/products/gimbal_repair.htm

I think there's a few people across the country that do this. There's even a company that makes a stainless steel gimbal ring. It probably eliminates the problem but introduces more stainless steel into the water with additional galvanic corrosion risk.

In either case, the drive and gimbal must be removed to repair/replace.


You need to hope it's just a steering cable or you can tighten the u-bolt!


Regards,


Rick

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Bravo 2 side to side play

I noticed the other day that my outdrive will move about 8" in either direction without the steering wheel moving. I spoke to a local shop and he said its a $3000 plus job, but never even looked at the boat. Which I thought was strange. Anyone have any experience with a problem like this?

Shop is right. Although $3000 is a little high, everyone else gets quoted $2500. And yes, every person that doesn't properly maintain their Mercruiser outdrive has this problem.

With 8" of play, I highly doubt tightening the u-bolt will work, but it's worth a try. Good luck.

I once took about 4 inches of play out of a fellow boat club member's drive by tightening the u-bolt, but I know I couldn't have taken out 8". He gave me a beer for saving him the $2500 the shop quoted him. Not bad pay for 10 minutes of work.

55 ft-lbs max on the u-bolt will do the trick. Or it can't be done at all.

 

[Fun Times]

Re: Bravo 2 side to side play

This is the way to fix the gimbal ring with out pulling the engine out. You would need to order this kit.

http://www.jrmarine.com/instructions.htm

 

[steven vaccaro]

Re: Bravo 2 side to side play

Thanks for all the quick help. I will be investigating this more with all this new info!

 

[proshadetree]

Re: Bravo 2 side to side play

Try 3500.That was pull boat service outdrive Whats this?Gimbal ring shot.New gimbal, new bellows, straighten prop,Put back in water.2 week deal. After 9 to 12 beers it dont hurt so bad.Only drove boat 1 time and on a 30` ft boat you coulnt tell anything was wrong.She drove like a champ but I wanted the insurance of the outdrive being serviced.Id like to say cheap insurance but it wasnt.Ill get over it just glad its done and back in the water

 

[45Auto]

Re: Bravo 2 side to side play

My boat had about 2" of play at the B3 outdrive when I bought it. The good thing about trying to take it out by tightening the u-bolt is that when the u-bolt breaks, you then have no choice but to remove the gimbal ring!

I learned the above the hard way, went with the JR Marine set-up (you talk directly to the owner, Ron Bender, when you call them - great guy!). Total cost was about $600 and it took me about a day to do everything - gimbal, all bellows, bushings, seals, etc.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Bravo 2 side to side play

Well 45Auto, if you don't apply Gorilla Torque, and just apply the 55lbs called for, the u-bolt doesn't break.

 

[45Auto]

Re: Bravo 2 side to side play

I backed both of them off, tightened them both to 35ft/lb, tightened the first one to 53 (per factory manual #28, not 55), then the u-bolt itself broke before the second nut ever made it to 53. No telling what the original owner had done to it.

Sometimes S*** Happens!

 

[jtybt]

Re: Bravo 2 side to side play

I don't care what the manual says. SS bolts are WEAK, WEAK, WEAK! Even hardened, they're WEAK. As I remember, it's a 5/16" U bolt. I wouldn't put more than 25-30 ft/lbs. on it. 55 ft/lbs is just crazy.

 

[45Auto]

Re: Bravo 2 side to side play

Yeah, you're usually much better off ignoring the factory specs.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Bravo 2 side to side play

A LOT of people think SS is as strong as regular mild steel...... Not even close.

I don't like the idea of drilling the back of my gimbal at all but it would prevent you from having to pull the engine.....

If you've never had it out it's not a bad idea if you have a hoist etc...so you can check the cutout for water intrusion, inspect the y-pipe, fix oil leaks, repair/replace the bilge pump etc....