Gimbal bearing removal blues

[BruceK]

Ahhh jeez. I have beat the hell out of a slide hammer and broken 2 split collet extractors trying to get a gimbal bearing out. Sad day especially considering the bearing was probably ok but I wanted to replace the seal behind it which wasn't. I beat that hammer senseless man. It isn't going to come out.

So here are my options.

1. very carefully so as you dont make a bad situation worse, drill the outer aluminium race to reduce wall strength / stress
2. As above but...Knock the gimbal bearing skew in the outer race and take a junior hacksaw blade to the outer race and saw through
3. Forget the slide hammer and purchase some threaded rod and plate and wind the bearing out
4. judicious use of heat and try again
5. Stop being a limp wristed *****, put on Eye of the Tiger, and beat that thing harder man.

When you've had a recalcitrant gimbal bearing how did you manage to get it out without damaging the housing?

 

[Westie]

Number 3. Thats the normal way to remove the gimble bearing.
There are a number of homemade tool ideas out there, some that work quite well.

 

[BruceK]

Thanks. The only custom built threaded extractors are found in the USA. I cant afford the 40 day delay through customs getting it to HMS Pomland. I am thinking of a rear axle bearing puller instead of split collet. Attatching that to threaded bar which will go through a hole in some steel plate with a nut and washer on the other side. Do you think that will do the trick. If you have a linky to any of these home made tools I would be enormously grateful.

 

[BruceK]

Well I finally got the gimbal bearing out. I had a tool made up by the local engineering workshop. Would not budge it at all. The bearing began to bulge out from the outer race so much strain was but on. In the end I drilled the outer race in two locations, spun the bearing in the gimbal 90 degrees and with a cold chizel collapsed the outer race along the drill lines. Once out I could see that due to corrosion it would never have come out with force, and in fact only made the fit tighter.

 

[tab283]

in OTC"s 9 piece slide hammer puller set, there's a 3 jaw set up. its a pain and yes the wrists do hurt but works great.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Hate to bust your bubble, but that seal does basically nothing. you`ll still be seeing grease in that area

 

[Air O'Nautical]

Great you got it out.

Its true any seals associated with it, aren't really important.
That bearing should be running in a dry waterless area (full of grease). If you had corrosion in there makes me think something is leaking.....bellows?

Now, driving the new bearing back in is a much, much more delicate operation.
It's surgery with a dead-blow hammer and the correct driver.
If you haven't read up on the procedure, do so..
Or, hire someone with that experence and tools to do it right.

If its not seated right the new bearing will not last long because, it won't line up with the engine correctly.

I've only don't this twice....once helping a MX do it wrong.....and next doing it right myself after re-hauling the boat $$$

Good luck