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OMC Gimbal Ring Shims

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theydrewa31

Regular Contributor
I am in the process of restoring an OMC Cobra 4.3L and working on the transom shield & gimbal housing (model 432APRGDP). I ordered a seal kit off ebay and I have a question on the Lower Gimbal Thrust Washers (part number 911818). The parts diagram only shows that I should need 2 for assembly but I received 8 total. 6 of them look exactly like what came out of the gimbal when I dis-assembled, and 2 have an adhesive backing. So far as I can tell I only need two of these for assembly, and only two were shown on the parts list for the gimbal seal kit. Are the extras simply spares that must have gotten thrown in by accident? I am assuming that the adhesive backed ones are for the gimbal to pivot housing (part number 911820)? That was not listed as part of this kit but I needed it so I'm happy about that.

My last question, are these meant to be stacked to take out any vertical play within the gimbal ring? Or do you only need two as the parts diagram shows, with one above the lower bearing and one below.

Thanks for any help Gents!

Gimbl 3 JPEG.jpg
 
I should add that there is vertical play in the gimbal ring. With only a slight amount of pressure you can lift up on the gimbal ring and hear it thunk back and forth against the transom shield. The bearings are nice and tight, as there isn't any horizontal play, just vertical play on axis with the upper and lower bearings. The vertical play is why I became curious if the shims should be stacked on the lower assembly?

Additional question, do the upper and/ or lower bearings get greased before re-assmebly? They were bone dry when I took it apart. If so, what should I use? OMC triple guard?

Thanks again gents!
 
Thought I should include another photo to help get a better response. The bearing is really more of a pin. I only imagine that it should get some grease, however the book does not mention anything about this part. In the photo below the pin is marked with a purple circle and the location it gets installed into is marked with a yellow arrow. I just need to know if this pin should get some grease before install. To simplify the question, does this part get greased?

Gimbal 4 JPEG.jpg


I am going to assume that its not a good idea to stack the thrust washers, unless someone tells me otherwise.

Thanks for any help gents!
 
when I did the bellows, I just used one of the fiber washers between the pivot housing and the gimble ring, but as far as the vertical play, I don't think this is mentioned at all in the shop manual. However if it is more than just a tiny bit I can see wanting to do that (stack fiber washers to eliminate the play. My drive is off for the winter so I can't really check that. I'll see if I can check it even with the drive off. Mine has never been apart to that point, in all the time I've owned it (22 years).
 
theydrewa31 said:
I should add that there is vertical play in the gimbal ring. With only a slight amount of pressure you can lift up on the gimbal ring and hear it thunk back and forth against the transom shield. The bearings are nice and tight, as there isn't any horizontal play, just vertical play on axis with the upper and lower bearings. The vertical play is why I became curious if the shims should be stacked on the lower assembly?

Additional question, do the upper and/ or lower bearings get greased before re-assmebly? They were bone dry when I took it apart. If so, what should I use? OMC triple guard?

Thanks again gents!
Click to expand...
Triple guard is what I'd use, it stays in place even on boats left in the water, I used it on the prop shaft, driveshaft splines, etc.
 
OK went outside and tried to pry a bit between the gimble housing and the gimble ring, just about no play, just a slight sound of it moving ever so slightly maybe like 1 mm. That's all I got! Don't know why mine is like that, but that's how it is. Now with the leverage & weight of the drive against it that could be different but that's what I can say at this point.
Really thinking about it, I would probably want to ascertain WHERE the play is happening, before just shimming it.
 
louc said:
OK went outside and tried to pry a bit between the gimble housing and the gimble ring, just about no play, just a slight sound of it moving ever so slightly maybe like 1 mm. That's all I got! Don't know why mine is like that, but that's how it is. Now with the leverage & weight of the drive against it that could be different but that's what I can say at this point.
Really thinking about it, I would probably want to ascertain WHERE the play is happening, before just shimming it.
Click to expand...
Thanks Louc, thats roughly the amount of vertical play I am getting on mine. Maybe a little more, but in the Seloc manual it only mentions that you should check for "side play". Furthermore I was thinking about it and noticed that they do not offer shims in varying thickness. If they intended you to use those thrust washers as shim material they would have probably offered them in varying thickness levels. So between the parts diagram only showing 2 thrust washers, the parts list only mentioning that 2 are required for assembly (1 above and 1 below the lower "bearing"), the fact that the parts list calls them thrust washers and not "shims", and the fact that the manual I have only mentions "side play" as a concern, and lastly the fact that they come in one thickness I am going to assume that that the vertical play is something that ought simply be ignored.

Thank you so much for your help on this Louc! I feel like I'd be talking into the vacuum of space trying to figure this stuff out by myself without the help of people like you!
 
Yep that's what I think as well, it may be that there needs to be some play there. The manual doesn't comment on it, some years back there was a guy on iboats (Rodbolt) who was a professional tech, he had said that on very high hours Cobras sometimes the holes just wear to the point where there is too much play, but I don't think that's what you have.
And you're welcome! Not too many Cobra guys around, here in salt water land I have not seen another for years! It's all Merc or Volvo here.
 
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