Alpha gimbal bearing question

**Instigator** · 06-17-2015, 07:32 AM

Have an '86 boat w/an Alpha drive that needs a gimbal bearing.
I have The drive off to inspect the bearing it looks like a retainer screwed in to the gimbal assembly to retain the bearing. Doesn't show in any of my breakdowns and I've searched online but don't want to destroy it with the puller.
can one of you experts shed some light on this for me please?

**Instigator** · 06-17-2015, 07:41 AM

Ps, thought it was supposed to be in neutral to remove.
Did I tear anything up and how do I check?

**baja200merk** · 06-17-2015, 08:03 AM

Should be in forward there is a tool to set cable length I would start there to make sure it's not stretched, etc.

http://youtu.be/Dj9LLfJEikA

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**Dave Strong** · 06-17-2015, 09:02 AM

Anyway to post a pic?

Dave

**Dave Strong** · 06-17-2015, 09:09 AM

Do you have the correct bearing driver and alignment bar? Pretty important to have things lined up correctly.
I've forgotten to shift to fwd before and not hurt anything. Get rushed in winterizing season.

Dave

**Instigator** · 06-17-2015, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by Dave Strong

Do you have the correct bearing driver and alignment bar? Pretty important to have things lined up correctly.
I've forgotten to shift to fwd before and not hurt anything. Get rushed in winterizing season.

Dave

Went through Merc text school and was a tech 30 years ago. I think it's been 30 years since I've touched one too :-) I understand alignment and will see whether goes back together or not. I work on the picture.

**thornl01** · 06-17-2015, 10:51 AM

Nothing screwed in, all press, outer silver looking ring is grease ring,

Set up on center of bearing & pull like HELL.

Very big slide hammer or long puller will remove.

reinstallation is easiest w/ tool, but can be installed w/ regular tools

Alignment is critical or you will learn a lot of new bad words when reinstalling the drive.

Any questions, just give me a call

Lawrence Thornton
843-617-9711
Florence SC

**Dave Strong** · 06-17-2015, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by Instigator

Went through Merc text school and was a tech 30 years ago. I think it's been 30 years since I've touched one too :-) I understand alignment and will see whether goes back together or not. I work on the picture.

Curious to see this retainer, never seen one.

Dave

**flabum1017** · 06-17-2015, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by Dave Strong

Curious to see this retainer, never seen one.

Dave

Me too, maybe the bore is too loose for the bearing and somone added the screw........

Got a pic for us?

**Instigator** · 06-17-2015, 08:02 PM

Originally Posted by thornl01

Nothing screwed in, all press, outer silver looking ring is grease ring,

Set up on center of bearing & pull like HELL.

Very big slide hammer or long puller will remove.

reinstallation is easiest w/ tool, but can be installed w/ regular tools

Alignment is critical or you will learn a lot of new bad words when reinstalling the drive.

Any questions, just give me a call

Lawrence Thornton
843-617-9711
Florence SC

Thank you sir for the info and the offer.

I cleaned it up real good, spent some time picking at it while shining a flas light on it and decided it is what holds that end of the bellows in place??
It has "knobs" sticking up that look like a place for a spanner to grasp to screw it out.

Hooked my slide hammer to it and it popped right out. Bearing isn't really bad but I could hear it under load and since this boat is taking us on Lake Erie....., I ain't riskin nothing!

As to the alignment, I remember well, doing many of them back in the day.
Customer brings boat in to be winterized, we pull the drive to grease the U-joints and the motor drops

I'll buy an alignment tool if it doesn't slide back in. Or grease up the splines, try it, pull it off and see where the grease shows contact w/the splines. The boat is a virgin, '86 Formula so I'm thinking good thoughts : )

**Dave Strong** · 06-17-2015, 08:40 PM

I think I know what you were seeing.

the 80's MR Alpha's has those nubs cast into area where the brg goes. You should be good to go. Hope the alignment works out.

Now go out and shift that thing into fwd gear before you forget.

Dave

**Instigator** · 06-18-2015, 07:05 AM

Originally Posted by Dave Strong

I think I know what you were seeing.

the 80's MR Alpha's has those nubs cast into area where the brg goes.

I'm guessing the transom assembly is MR/early Alpha series but I think the drive has been update to an Alpha series.

**Stoker1** · 06-18-2015, 07:33 AM

Did mine last year (albeit a new one -'00 model). Bought a puller and worked like a champ. Just torqued it down and she popped right out. For installing, I put it in the freezer for a few hours and a quick pop had it back in..

The hardest part was getting the new bellows installed. Left me cursing and screaming. A phone call and case of Miller Lite later, it was back on. (thanks to a brother that helped me out locally).

**crazy horse** · 06-18-2015, 05:33 PM

Yep, A bellows job can drive you to drink. I even have the Merc bellow tool. Still a pain. I don't do them anymore if I can help it. Do the bellows kits around the country all have that poison in them for muskrats? Just wondering?

**mackeral5** · 06-18-2015, 07:02 PM

Drive and shift bellows, no problem. A 1/4 drive impact style 5/16 swivel socket is your friend......now exhaust bellows, f those. Most of my customers get the old style exhaust tube that only connects to the transom assembly...very few complain about the extra noise. Most don't know any better as there is 2 foot of swim platform that I beat my head on at least 10 times during the job.