Gimbal bearing replacement on Bravo 3

[johndoe]

2004 Mercruiser 6.2LMPI Bravo Three.
I am getting ready to pull my boat out of water to check Gimbal bearing and U-joints.... I have moaning noises when turning wheel... the pitch of the noise changes when turning wheel from left to right... it is a steady noise when pressure is applied to wheel when turning.... either direction. I am sure it is the Gimbal and/or u-joints...

Besides an alignment tool, I think I have everthing I need to pull drive and replace bearings...

anyone ever done this?

 

[Uraijit]

Re: Gimbal bearing replacement on Bravo 3

You can "rent" a slide hammer with a 3 jaw puller from autozone. You pay a $100 deposit, and you get it all back when you return the tool. Be careful not to trash the grease seal behind the bearing with the puller, just hook the jaws behind the bearing, and screw the hammer into the jaws to lock them in the outward position. Might only take 2-3 taps, or it might take 230 taps.

There are several ways of driving the new bearing, but the but the best way is to use the tools designed for it. The tools are about $100 for the set, though. I went ahead and bought them. I reasoned that the cost of the tools was still less than the cost of paying someone else to replace the bearing just once. And I can always sell/rent the tool to recover some cost. Something to consider...

A lot of folks just cut a notch in the end of a 2x4, so the wood is only touching the outer ring, and drive it in that way with a BFH.