gimble ring nut

[cfelton]

Anybody know what size wrench it takes to remove the nut on top of the steering lever that holds the upper swivel shaft in? My bottom bearing has a lot of play in it and Id like to replace it and the lower pin. I wish Id done it when I had it off before. I guess Ill try and do it now before it gives me trouble.

[cfelton]

I forgot to tell ya its a 1977 470 I/O mercruiser with a alpha one outdrive.

[spareparts]

are you doing it on the boat or are you pulling the transom plate?

[cfelton]

Gonna try and do it on the boat. I think i can get the nut off enough to take the gimble ring out and replace the lower bearing and pin. If ya have any suggestions, Im all ears. Thanks! I know about drilling holes in the outer housing to get at the nut ,but im trying not to have to do that if i can get away with it. If theres no other way I guess Ill have to.

[cfelton]

I looked at it yesterday and I can see the nut but cant get a regular end wrench on it. I thought if I could find out what size it is I would buy a cheap wrench and cut it off and grind it down thin enough to get it in the hole to take that nut off.

[spareparts]

get a mercuiser manual, they detail repalceing the gimbal ring by drilling two holes in teh top of the transom plate( you plug the holes with plastic pipe plugs), You use a template thats in the manual to locate the holes, after you have the access holes, you use a punch and hammer to loosen the nut( thats why that nut has notches on it), read the manual, the top nut is not supposed to be tight, its the cross bolt and nut thats supposed to be tight. The manual lays out the procedure and process for setting up the proper endplay and clearance to prevent binding

[macojoe]

Yet another reason I went bracket!! *:-/

Good Luck!

[cfelton]

yep spare, I copied the merc procedure off the website. I just didnt want ta drill holes in my gimble housing. I guess ya gotta do what ya gotta do! Id still like to know the size of that nut. Ill get it one way or another.

[spareparts]

use a long punch, you will still have a problem getting to the cross locking nut

[cfelton]

Hey spare, someone told me they thought that nut was a 1 1/16. Do you think that sounds right?

[spareparts]

i believe it is 1'1/16, been a while since I had one apart, down here in the salt, its remove and replace as an assembly, if they are left in the water, there's ususally not much to repair

[cfelton]

Well I got busy yesterday and tore my gimble down to the transom plate housing and replaced the lower swivel pin and roller bearing.Man what a job! Everything went pretty good ,got it all apart ,replaced the bearing and pin, put it all back together in one day. I put a whole new water pump in today,and fired it up. Everything is nice and tight now.I made a wrench for that upper swivel nut, it was still a bear to get off and on. I see why the marine mechanics charge so much.

[macojoe]

Great News!! Now dump in the water and beat her like she was ment to be!!