Whats the grinding sound-alpha drive

[fasttrucker]

When the drive is turned-not straight and I power it up.The 22zx with 350mag alpha drive is making a grinding noise.Also when I turn left or right I can hear it.

[VetteLT193]

U joint or bearing. Either way it's a PITA of a job, I did mine not long ago.

[Trueser]

Make sure the motor mounts are tight.

replace Gimbal bearing and U joints. Check alignment also!

[Planetwarmer]

U joints.

[MOP]

Mike is right before you tear into things check the starboard mount, it can loosen and the nut will walk its way down causing the engine to go out of line. If it is secure then check posts #1-2, hope your nuts are loose the others are a pain!!!

[fasttrucker]

Mike is right before you tear into things check the starboard mount, it can loosen and the nut will walk its way down causing the engine to go out of line. If it is secure then check posts #1-2, hope your nuts are loose the others are a pain!!!
I HOPE YOUR NUTS ARE LOOSE!......:nilly:........WOW.Will check them out soon!I talked to my mechanic and he told me to put 10 pumps of grease into the side grease fitting to see if the noise goes away.Iam going to try that next weekend and will report back next monday.

[MOP]

I HOPE YOUR NUTS ARE LOOSE!......:nilly:........WOW.Will check them out soon!I talked to my mechanic and he told me to put 10 pumps of grease into the side grease fitting to see if the noise goes away.Iam going to try that next weekend and will report back next monday.

If the noise does go away it will be temporary! Get a new bearing in it as soon as possible. Believe me I know once a gimble bearing starts to make noise it will make noise until it seizes and spins in the housing.

[VetteLT193]

Do a visual inspection of the whole area behind the drive. look for rips, tears, holes, etc. in all the rubber.

[Trueser]

I HOPE YOUR NUTS ARE LOOSE!......:nilly:........WOW.Will check them out soon!I talked to my mechanic and he told me to put 10 pumps of grease into the side grease fitting to see if the noise goes away.Iam going to try that next weekend and will report back next monday.


shoot some grease in and turn up the radio real loud. Problem fixed.

Just pull the drive and save yourself some money before you have more damage.

[Planetwarmer]

shoot some grease in and turn up the radio real loud. Problem fixed.

Just pull the drive and save yourself some money before you have more damage.

Wont the boat sink if he pulls the drive?:yes:

[mrfixxall]

Had a bravo last week with the same noise,put a gimbal bearing in and the noise went away!

[MOP]

Do the bellows at the same time, just did that the kids boat last week!

[Trueser]

This is what you don't want it to look like.

[fasttrucker]

If the noise does go away it will be temporary! Get a new bearing in it as soon as possible. Believe me I know once a gimble bearing starts to make noise it will make noise until it seizes and spins in the housing.
Yes,should have made note that the grease test is just a test to see if gimble bearing is bad.Plan to do this weekend.

[MOP]

The simplest test is at the dock in neutral at 1000 RPM turn the drive full left then full right, it will be the loudest hard over with near silence in the straight ahead position.

[fasttrucker]

The simplest test is at the dock in neutral at 1000 RPM turn the drive full left then full right, it will be the loudest hard over with near silence in the straight ahead position.I think that it sounds like the sound of a drive not shifting between gears or like not completely engaging in gear.Anyway the sound only happens in forward gear when you turn the steering wheel left or right.Straight makes no noise.I also thought,but Ill check, the noise only happens underway not in neutral.

[VetteLT193]

I think that it sounds like the sound of a drive not shifting between gears or like not completely engaging in gear.Anyway the sound only happens in forward gear when you turn the steering wheel left or right.Straight makes no noise.I also thought,but Ill check, the noise only happens underway not in neutral.

The way the alpha works it would be odd if it only happened in gear

[DonziJon]

When the drive is not going Fully into gear, it will sound like Clunk Clunk. You say the noise only occurs when you turn the wheel....which is turning the drive.

Maybe the shift cable that runs from the top of the engine through the transom to the drive needs an adjustment. Perhaps turning the drive is causing the shift cable to tighten up just enough to cause the gears (shift dog) to want to disengage. A little slack added to the cable so as to allow it to Flex, may aleviate the problem. Maybe a cable adjustment is in order. Just wondering. John

[tommymonza]

What is the deal with the greaseless universals these days. My fatherinlaws boat has 300 hours on it and we have to idle through some lengthy shallow areas trimmed up somedays so i am concerned about the wear and tear they take. I used to grease my old Bravos every 150 hours.

Their quiet for now just was wondering what is recommended with them.

[DonziJon]

What is the deal with the greaseless universals these days. My fatherinlaws boat has 300 hours on it and we have to idle through some lengthy shallow areas trimmed up somedays so i am concerned about the wear and tear they take. I used to grease my old Bravos every 150 hours.

Their quiet for now just was wondering what is recommended with them.

I just bought a NEW Merc Alpha I, Gen I, a year and a half ago. It has NO grease fittings in the U-joints either. The dealer says "that's the way it is these days." Not to worry. :lookaroun: Okey Dokey. John

[MOP]

Mercury in their infinite wisdom of early replacement has done away with all but the gimble and coupler fittings, heck things were lasting to long when you could maintain them. Yes I have Black on back but have nothing but despise for the company as a whole, some much of what they produce has a time to die schedule!!!!! We surely are not talking Volvo, Crusader or any other “Quality” brands!

[tommymonza]

So you go till they rattle and then replace them with a greasable u=joint. Are the new style ones available through Spicer ?

[DonziJon]

So you go till they rattle and then replace them with a greasable u=joint. Are the new style ones available through Spicer ?

I would guess you could do that. Or you could remove the Non Greaseable U-joint and drill it out, pipe tap it, and install grease fittings and grease to your hearts content. There appears to be little "plugs" where the grease fittings used to go.

The new bearings are "sealed" just like millions of ball and roller bearings that turn at MUCH higher speeds and they last for years. The U-joint bearing is probably needle bearings and really don't turn that much. When was the last time you greased the U-joints in your truck. I've only had to replace a U-joint in a road vehicle once and that was maybe 50 years ago in a '48 Plymouth. There were no grease fittings on my last truck and it went for 142,000 miles over 12years. John

[fasttrucker]

When the drive is not going Fully into gear, it will sound like Clunk Clunk. You say the noise only occurs when you turn the wheel....which is turning the drive.
Maybe the shift cable that runs from the top of the engine through the transom to the drive needs an adjustment. Perhaps turning the drive is causing the shift cable to tighten up just enough to cause the gears (shift dog) to want to disengage. A little slack added to the cable so as to allow it to Flex, may aleviate the problem. Maybe a cable adjustment is in order. Just wondering. John
Well,didnt think of that sat. is tomorow and will be testing

[fasttrucker]

Tested this weekend.Did check the nuts didnt look loose.Makes no grinding sound in neutral.I put grease added to the side and the sound is less noticable but still can hear it.Also the drive if you put it all the way right or left and put it in forward or reverse,you hear the grinding/noise.Iam thinking u-joint or alignment.Its really not that bad:confused: so maybe it is the gimble bearing since the grease did quiet it down.Looks like a trip to the shop is in order:frown:

[joseph m. hahnl]

I think that it sounds like the sound of a drive not shifting between gears or like not completely engaging in gear.Anyway the sound only happens in forward gear when you turn the steering wheel left or right.Straight makes no noise.I also thought,but Ill check, the noise only happens underway not in neutral.

That's how my gimble bearing was when it went in my Minx:wink:. Check the inside of the transom to see if water is getting in the boat:crossfing:. I found that my bellows had sprung a small leak and eventualy corroded the bearing.
I probably should have caught it sooner as it was pumping out a gallon of water every time my Rule automatic bilge pump would turn on.:shocking:

When I did mine I got the bellows and gimble bearing kit, shift cable , trim and limit switches. get the kit with the block off bellows if you are not running the exhaust through the prop. The through the prop Bellows has to be stretched and crimped with a special crimping tool