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OMC Cobra Gimble Bearing Housing

L

Lobster Feet

New member
'94 Cobia Monte Carlo 188ES. It has a 5.0 and an OMC Cobra drive.

Disassembled due to bearing noise.

1. The gimble bearing was seized to the shaft. It was spinning but locked in the straight position similar to what you would see on a tapered roller bearing.

2. The hole for the grease tube was wide open. (no tube or fitting on the housing) Allowing water to enter into the housing.

My questions:

The inside of the housing is banged up pretty good due to the u joints not being centered. The machined area for the gimble is a little beat up as well. I was able to clean up the interior and slide the old bearing all the way back to the rear of the housing.

1. Should a gimble bearing slide all the way to the shoulder where it stops without the tolerance ring? If that is the case I think the housing is salvageable.

2. The missing tube for the grease tube. Is there supposed to be a pressed in fitting at that location where a tube can be fastened to?

3. If water was able to get into the gimble housing does the water only go to the inside of the boat hull?

Thanks for your time.
 
Last edited:
My questions:

The inside of the housing is banged up pretty good due to the u joints not being centered. The machined area for the gimble is a little beat up as well. I was able to clean up the interior and slide the old bearing all the way back to the rear of the housing.

1. Should a gimble bearing slide all the way to the shoulder where it stops without the tolerance ring? If that is the case I think the housing is salvageable. ( tolerance ring: O-ring?? - should slide all the way to the flange - clean up with very light sandpaper or emery cloth only - see pic )
18-2339_2.jpg

2. The missing tube for the grease tube. Is there supposed to be a pressed in fitting at that location where a tube can be fastened to?
The Grease Tube MUST to align to the HOLE the Gimbal Bearing - see pic
gimbal.jpg

3. If water was able to get into the gimble housing does the water only go to the inside of the boat hull?
-->> If water is getting to Gimbal then it's either
A. entering from Inside the boat (sunk on the trailer??)
B. Entering through Grease Tube - needs a ZERK Fitting ( confirm you can grease before you install bearing !! )
C. Likely Entering from Upper Bellows ( not supposed to leak ) - highly suggest a Gimbal Bearing Kit !! and proper Sealant ( yellow ) for clamp end
gimbal bearing kit.jpg

Thanks for your time.[/QUOTE]
 

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bbrackett said:
sorry.. just saw you posted on 7/3 .. hope you got it worked out..
Click to expand...

Update:

I wound up reassembling the gimble housing with the tolerance ring with the hopes that the tolerance ring would be able to maintain the bearing in position.

It did hold the bearing and alleviated all bearing motion in the housing for the first 10 minutes of operation on the water.

I did install a new tube in the housing for greasing the gimble bearing. Had some fuel line from a mustang rebuild that fit perfect. Used marine epoxy to hold in place.

At the end of it all I learned that the gimble bearing should fit tightly in the housing. I am not planning on investing to much more into the boat so I think I will epoxy the bearing in place.
 
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