Gimbal bearing or U joints ?

[TpaPaul813]

I am new to the page...I just have a question...

How can you tell the difference from the gimbal & u joints?...

when I took my boat out I had noise all the time..not just from turning..

thanxs for any help...-Paul

 

[Don S]

Re: Gimbal bearing or U joints ?

Could be both. What are you working on?

 

[TpaPaul813]

Re: Gimbal bearing or U joints ?

1995 Mercruiser 3.0..I have the drive part out now...it looked like baby poop in the drive shaft tube...the u joints dont feel bad..I'm sure they have tight tolerances...I was hoping to get away with just the ujoints but from looking on this forum..it might be the Bearing as well...it was bad @ slow speeds and was really bad then turning @ slow speeds...

 

[mkast]

Re: Gimbal bearing or U joints ?

Sounds like both, as long as your at it, replace the shift cable and bellows.

 

[Don S]

Re: Gimbal bearing or U joints ?

it looked like baby poop in the drive shaft tube...

That tells me you have grease, gear lube, water and rust in the bellows (your drive shaft tube).
The water probably also got into the outdrive, drain it and look at the gear lube. If it's milky, you probably need a new input shaft seal and possibly the yoke. When water gets in the bellows, rust on the yoke takes out the seal, and water gets in and pushes the oil out.
This is what happens when a bellows doesn't get replaced in time. and YES, it gets expensive.
Go up to the Adults only sticky at the top of this forum and download the OEM service manual for your drive. #14 is the one you want.
Being a 95, you probably need a shift cable bellows too. Long as you are in there, do them all and the water hose. Merc makes a kit with all the bellows and hoses. Best to go OEM parts. Cost more, but better fit.

 

[TpaPaul813]

Re: Gimbal bearing or U joints ?

Heres some picture of the stuff I have taken off so far...and the old oil from the drive Didnt look or smell bad @ all...

http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/9967/mercruiserujoints002.jpg
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/5840/mercruiserujoints005.jpg

Thanxs again for any help...This is my 1st boat..its been a little over whelming.

 

[mylesm260]

Re: Gimbal bearing or U joints ?

Yup, a classic bellow failure.

Go order yourself up a bellow kit, an input shaft seal kit, a shift cable kit, a gimble bearing kit, the hinge pin tool, and some new u-joints.

That may sound expensive, but believe it or not, it's not too bad.

Also, if you don't already own an alignment tool, I would order one of those as well. Aligning the engine is NOT optional, if you skip that step, then you will strip your coupler, and end up having to remove the engine and replace the coupler.

when you do the work, READ THE MANUAL carefully.... A lot of it appears to be pretty straight forward, but the details are important.

For example, the angle of the hose clamps that holds the bellows, and the alignment of the gimbal bearing.

 

[TpaPaul813]

Re: Gimbal bearing or U joints ?

ahhhhhh!!!

Go order yourself up a bellow kit, an input shaft seal kit, a shift cable kit, a gimble bearing kit, the hinge pin tool, and some new u-joints.


ahhhhhhh!!!!


ok I'm better now...I will call the dealer tomorrow and see what time zone this will set me back too....


Again...thanxs for any help!!!

-Paul