Mercruiser Service: #1 - How to Change Your Gimbal Bearing

This is the first in a series of a Mercruiser outdrive service. I show you how simple it is to change your gimbal bearing. I will give you an overview of the tools you will need and the steps to change it.
There's also a possibility that you will improve your dance moves.
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[@capnmatt41]

Yo man, 3 years later and I'm getting great value from this video. Appreciate you putting it out.

[@210johnnyd]

Thanks for the video. Actually stopped to watch the full MC Hammer video from back in the day. That's awesome.

[@blackyboi2885]

now i see you do not rermove that corrugated sleeve around the middle of the gimbal bearing, thanks for letting me see that. also that grease hole alignment, nobody else even mentions those parts. lot of super important info you shared with me, thanks

[@knockywigglesworth1909]

The bearing race with the 2 slots can be installed either way. With the slots toward the aft end GINNAN bearing can easily be rotated out to be replaced. No special tools required... Just a suggestion, the older ones were all factory installed that way.

[@paulnoe4340]

Best demo yet!!

[@stevenburns1592]

That was GREAT, LMAO!! The M.C. Hammer. THANK YOU. MADE MY DAY!

[@kevinjohnson3773]

The taper side of the jaw expanding nut goes towards the jaws this is why it was being stubborn trying to expand the jaws smart guy

[@celiakimball3798]

If you are replacing bellows it is a great time to change your tilt sender wires and other things while you have that apart. I bought a kit of Ebay that has gimbal bearing, all bellows and other things.

[@chrishad95]

Greetings from north of the turnpike... I wish I had seen this video last summer, I had the gimbal bearing, bellows and u-joint replaced on my 1999 Wellcraft 186s and it cost me over $1K.

[@davidmcdonald7060]

great video thank you.

[@LynnFlom]

I think you found your calling.... amazing videos.

[@joncuti5290]

Great video

[@ricks7989]

That varying tool is also an alignment tool and is the most important out of the whole job. If it doesn't go in-and-out extremely easily you may have to adjust or replace your motor mounts

[@jamesjudd6577]

Hey man. Any idea what would a knocking sound that is coming right where the upper and lower unit attach together?

[@chrisaz7567]

What are the dimensions of the aluminum installer disc that you made on your lathe?

[@strada21_]

Thanks a lot !!,, Do you have a video for bellows ??

[@johnbannister501]

Should the bearing be pre-greased by hand before installing it??

[@HurdleHelps]

I prefer the term "two handed swing press" it sounds more technical than sledge hammer;)

[@markjennings2315]

I have a sealed gimbal bearing to fit. Reading up on these bearings they are designed to move within the outer case to enable alignment. I also discover that if you fit the bearing so the 2 cut out areas of the outer case face away from the transom you just spin the bearing around in its outer case and take out the bearing and swap for the new one and thus won't ever need the bearing puller again!! I also wonder why you need and alignment bar when the sterndrive shaft itself aligns the bearing as it passes through and into the output unit anyway? thanks for posting. I look forward to seeing the hose/bellows installs next.

[@MadPropsMakes]

I've seen where people replace the inner bearing instead of the whole unit but I don't mind renting the slide hammer... also, the alignment bar is a must have. You should check you're engine alignment everytime you remove you're drive, especially on older boats where the structure might be getting a bit soft

[@markjennings2315]

@@MadPropsMakes You are right. My drive would get to within 1 inch of fully fitted and jams up. My engine must be too high at the bow end as I can see splines with grease moved out on the top of the spine but not as much below. need a alignment bar and lower the bow end until its aligned. This might explain why the drive was such a pig to get out the transom in the first place!!

[@ee4231]

You have the cone shaped piece on the 3 jaw puller backwards, the cone needs to face the jaws of the puller to work properly. Thats why it was being stubborn

[@ericcriss2211]

Do you seat the shaft seal ALL the way in or just inside the ring for the gimbal bearing? Thanks.

[@MadPropsMakes]

All the way... there's a hard stop for it

[@eb9879]

Nice video, is the grease seal required if you're using a sealed bearing?

[@MadPropsMakes]

Most people say the seal is pretty much never needed... it's only real benefit is keeping grease from flinging into the bilge, however, it also helps keep bilge water out of the ujoint bellows if you ever flood your bilge

[@matt4887]

Took out old bearing a few weeks before putting in new one, now new one won't fit to save my life, any tips?

[@foxmoth5477]

what happened to that seal you were going to install??

[@ryananey7626]

Hey so my new gimble bearing doesn't have a grease hole on it. I take it it's a sealed bearing. Does this as also mean I never have to grease the zirk as the bearing wont take the grease anyway?? First time doing this so I'm just learning all this. Thank you for a great video!

[@johnstinnett1571]

That is correct if you have a sealed bearing you do not have grease it.

[@jeffreymolinaro7012]

Question.. for the seal does it come out and go in same direction as bearing (from outside in, or did u have to be inside your boat to install seal

[@MadPropsMakes]

The seal gets installed from outside the boat

[@rlilley1775]

@@MadPropsMakes hello, so you need to install the grease seal before the bearing? And do you need a special tool? And what do you think about the comment of the bearing dot needs to be at 10 o'clock position? Thanks

[@Future_memory]

What happens to all the gear lube ? Does it stay contained within lower unit without the need to replenish or add ?

[@libertyfinder4889]

always re lube

[@coreydye6192]

Do you have to pull the engine to do this job? My nephew needs to change his, but as told on mercruiser you have to pull the motor first.

[@MadPropsMakes]

Nope, just need to pull the outdrive... The engine doesn't need to be removed for this.

[@DougFrantz]

Redland patriots... are you local to the Redland area? I live in Lewisberry and thank you for the video. Working on my first boat.

[@MachTuck]

Thanks for the video, very instructional. Now, what outdrive is that? Alpha? Bravo?

[@MadPropsMakes]

Alpha 1 gen 2

[@MachTuck]

@@MadPropsMakes Alright, thanks for the quik reply! Im new to this, is the Bravo 1 bearing replacement procedure different?? Seems there are not much videos about Bravo 1`s out here.

[@MadPropsMakes]

@@MachTuck exactly the same

[@stevenmarrone1526]

What do you think about having a stern drive in salt water year around? The boat I grew up on 76 caravelle didn’t have one I’m worried about how long the bellows will last and all

[@MadPropsMakes]

Nothing wrong with it...just need to make sure you don't have any exposed metal on the drive (paints in good shape)... The biggest key tho is making sure your anodes are in good shape and all your ground wires and good... Other than that, probably just need to make sure to you clean barnacles off from time to time.

[@blackyboi2885]

install a fresh water {radiator type fluid set up] on your engine instead of just running raw salt water all the time. if run raw salt water, your engine block and intake and exhaust will get eaten up and need replacing . nothing you can do about the exhaust manifold tho...it will have to use raw water all the time. but at least you can spare your engine and intake manifold. salt water all the time is very corrosive

[@blackyboi2885]

well not radiator but heat exchanger

[@G.Bear89]

"This is not over-bearing".... Proceeds to craft own tool on a lathe

[@ryanschlappi4026]

Lol

[@mikeedmonston3209]

The yellow dot needs to be clocked at 10 O-clock position when inserted. It's in the technical manual and in the instructions for the new bearing. You installed it wrong!

[@mullymull5477]

Do you happen to know the parts # for the shaft seal?

[@theamazingstudio4301]

I would like to know that too.

[@neverclevernorwitty7821]

3:25 Tell me more about this shaft seal. In extracting my gimbal bearing, I think I managed to tear my seal. What is the part number you used?

[@chrisweis]

26-88416 (for my Alpha One Gen 2)

[@danac8742]

Where’s the next video where you talk about engine/drive alignment? I need to horizontally adjust mine to get it to go back together, but there is next to no information out there….

[@HoTnHeavy89]

Great video! What are the signs that u need a new gimbal bearing?

[@MadPropsMakes]

Typically you will hear a clicking or grinding noise, also, if you remove your drive and you find water in your u-joint bellows, thats a definite sign i needs replaced, along with whatever is causing water to get in the bellows

[@HoTnHeavy89]

Cool thanks man. I have a 1997 Cobalt that I’ve been fixing up and I’m thinking rebuilding my whole lower on my alpha 1 drive just because haha

[@ericthigpen241]

can you use the same tools that go to the gen 2 on the gen 1

[@MadPropsMakes]

Yea, I believe all the alpha drives use the same tools

[@jcoleburt]

Great vid shame you did not line grease hole up i also noticed the dot was at the top it should have been around the 10 o`clock position as its opposite the grease hole.

[@MadPropsMakes]

I installed a sealed gimbal bearing, so there is no proper alignment for it... You are correct, if you use a greasable bearing, then you have to clock it properly.

[@AaronTupper]

Red land! From PA?

[@MadPropsMakes]

Yes sir

[@markbailey6051]

If the barring and carrier are not installed backwards like this video, the barring can easily be changed out by twisting the barring sideways using the alignment tool and then slid out hrough the slots in the carrier. The carrier should last a lifetime because it receives no wear. Using a sleg hammer should be avoided.

[@bustedknucklestech2845]

Easy if you have an inner race to grab lol 😆 😂 🤣

[@MadPropsMakes]

😬 oops lol...

[@danielroush4068]

I thought the dot was supposed to be aligned with the grease port

[@MadPropsMakes]

I've seen both... I would suggest spinning the crimp ring until you locate the grease port and then you know where it is on yours

[@junkkact]

It's not a grease port, Jerod is incorrect. And the dot is on the aluminum carrier 'race' and the port is on the aluminum carrier 'race', so how in the world would you ever line those up being they exist on the same component??

[@jonathanmcgregor6785]

Slide hammered my gimbal 500 times and no luck

[@MadPropsMakes]

Did you try the hammer slide

[@bobeichenberger723]

Had me watching until the 3-in-On Oil came out. Not even the right oil for Gramma's sewing machine.

[@justinlynch6691]

On all these videos I see no way to diagnose the bearing. No test to indicate. It's already torn down in everything

[@foxmoth5477]

right tool for the right job - a 5lb 12" handle hammer would work better than that long handled sledge...he ain't no mechanic...

[@MadPropsMakes]

Never said I was 😁

[@foxmoth5477]

@@MadPropsMakes I know....

[@junkkact]

Jerod, That is definitely NOT a "grease port" into the bearing. Do better research, but don't just make stuff up. At best, it can be used to lubricate the OUTSIDE of the outer race where it actually pivots in the aluminum ring which you are holding. But you will NEVER get grease into the ACTUAL bearing without taking off the grease seals which are located on both sides.... and that kinda defeats the purpose, eh?

[@libertyfinder4889]

new bearing is sealed. no grease port

[@sorryimajerk735]

Lmfao you have a lathe but u rent a slide hammer?? Wtf? Like really what in the actual duck

[@libertyfinder4889]

renting from an auto parts store is FREE. no rent, all money reimbursed

[@sorryimajerk735]

I guess your time and fuel and associated risks etc of goi g to get it each time u need it is also worthless . Cool. My time is worth actual money

[@njseashorechas2698]

Good stuff but too much over explaining and repetition!