Greasing Gimbal Housing (how often)

[Tafflad]

My engine has full annual service & winterizing ... and apart form watching fluid levels not much else other than use it.

Recently read that I should be applying 5-6 shots of grease into Gimbal Bearing every couple of months during use.

No problem doing that ... but if I over grease where will excess go, will it mess something up ?

 

[havasuboatman]

Re: Greasing Gimbal Housing (how often)

That only needs to be done annually unless you use the boat ALOT. Then do it bi-annually

 

[Bondo]

Re: Greasing Gimbal Housing (how often)

but if I over grease where will excess go, will it mess something up ?

Ayuh,... Usually it falls into the Bellows... Somethings it can fall into the bilge...

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Greasing Gimbal Housing (how often)

The grease will most likely push out of the bearing and be slung on the driveshaft and the inside of the u-joint bellows. Nothing is going to be hurt from over greasing unless you just keep packing grease in there until the entire bellows fills up with grease . . . that would take several tubes of grease, BTW. I'd say 2-3 squirts of grease during de-winterization, and maybe another 2-3 squirts towards the end of the boating season should be sufficient.

 

[Don S]

Re: Greasing Gimbal Housing (how often)

During winterization, or if you don't winterize, during your yearly maintenance cycle there are things that need to be done. Pulling the outdrive is one of them Yearly or every 100 hours you should be pulling the drive. At that time, grease the gimbal bearing by pumping new grease into it, turn it by hand a quarter turn and pump the old grease out again. Do the same thing at 180 and 270?.
Now, clean up the mess and your Gimbel bearing is good for another cycle.
Below, I highlighted what's in the OEM service manual.

 

[Tafflad]

Re: Greasing Gimbal Housing (how often)

I only get to do about 30 Hrs a year .. at end of each season it goes to dealer for full annual service & winterizing.
I keep tank full, with stabilzer.

Around April ... I put the serpentine belt, prop & battery & back on (charged one a month over winter) start it up ... and use it for the season.

Should I pump in some grease when I de-winterize then ?

 

[Don S]

Re: Greasing Gimbal Housing (how often)

If it's greased during winterization, why would it need it when you get it going again. Nothing happened, it just sat there during the winter doing nothing, with new grease in it.

 

[Don S]

Re: Greasing Gimbal Housing (how often)

at end of each season it goes to dealer for full annual service & winterizing.

There is no set designs on what should be done during a full winterization. Many dealers think winterizing is fog the engine and drain the raw water. Job done.
Then there are some that do it like this.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=178695

Ask your dealer exactly what he does. You may not have ever had the drive pulled or the alignment checked.

 

[PitchFork]

Re: Greasing Gimbal Housing (how often)

I grease my gimble bearing and all other points on outdrive in the spring and midsummer as I put around 120 hours on it a season. I greased all points a few weeks ago. I greased the gimble bearing while the boat was at idle not in gear of course. I shot 4 or 5 pumps into it turned the engine off and called it a day.

 

[dls322]

Re: Greasing Gimbal Housing (how often)

Does the engine have to be running to properly grease the gimble? Thanks!