Minx Gimbal Housing

[gcarter]

Some here may remember when I bought my '86 Minx as a bank repo in Cleveland, Ohio on January 5, 2004.. My original intent was to do like Cuda is now, fix the things that need to be fixed, and enjoy the boat as soon as possible.
However as I removed the engine (frozen!) and started cleaning the engine compartment, I discovered significant stringer damage as well as significant corrosion damage to the outdrive.
So some of the things I was going to do this coming winter, I was forced into doing now.
The first photo is of the gimbal housing before removal.
The second was taken this afternoon. No, that's not the same housing, I bought this one on eBay, it had a corroded hole in it too. It just happened to be in a place where it could be welded. :)

[gcarter]

I replaced or repaired every worn piece in the assembly (thanks for your help MP). As I've already described, I replaced, welded, and repaired the gimbal housing.
Both the gimbal ring and bell housing were cleaned and painted. My secondary problem was the bearing surface of the gimbal ring, where the pins screw into the bell housing.
These holes were wallowed out. Now you have to appreciate you cant just press in a bronze bushing into the ring bores.
These two photos show the wear in the ring bores.

[gcarter]

Since I had already replaced all the vertical bearing parts, seals, pins, and needle bearings, I didn't want there to be excessive movement in bell housing pins. I noticed the later Alpha and Bravo gimbal bottom bearing was a fiberglass bushing. Of course it was the wrong size for my application, so i was looking for a similar bushing of the proper size. In the McMaster-Carr catalog I found the answer, a PTFE fiberglass,Nomex coated bushing. My machinist honed the ring holes to size to accept the bushings. Another machine shop ground the pins to fit in the bushings.

The first photo is of the Mercruiser plastic bottom bushing.
The second shows one of the new bushings in place.
These bushings have about half the compressive strength of a bronze bushing. If they wear a lot I should be able to change the bushings fairly easily.

[MOP]

Dang it George that thing Glistens, it has turned out perfect! Get cracken so you to can get wet!

Phil

[gcarter]

Thanks Phil!
How likely are the trim hoses to leak? They're original.

[Donzigo]

George, if you need to replace them, Goodyear Rubber, in St. Pete will make them for you and send them to you, too.