Bravo gimbal tools needed

[Fishermanjm]

Does mercruiser have a tool kit for Bravo drives???
one kit with all special tools needed to perform
gimbal service work. I need to replace boots, cables
bearings etc... want to get them together so I can get a jump
start on my service work this year. Thanks

[gcarter]

Jim, you'll find a manual very helpful. You can buy something inexpensive like a Clymer manual, or you may
find a real Merc manual on line.
But no special tools are needed if you have some common pullers, drivers, thin wall deep sockets, etc.
I would encourage you to not stop at boots, etc, but to change the gimbal bushings, and install stainless steering pins.
While you have it stripped down, look for corrosion on both sides of the gimbal plate. Many of them corrode through
and leak. Expect it to cost close to $1,000 by the time your finished.

[Fishermanjm]

Thanks George,,, I have been looking online into the repairs
and have seen many different special tools used in the process
like the shift cable adjustment. There is a block with a slit in it
that the cable end sits in an the barrel adj on the shift mechanism
on the ex elbow is set with the drive off. Things like that, I'm sure there are many different ways of doing that. I have serviced Alfa systems before
i have the gimbal pin tool ( same as the Bravo???) an a couple other
puller tools Thousand buckaroos??? Dam... oh well, I'm in!!!

[gcarter]

Jim, if you buy a new shift cable, and a new shifter bracket on eBay, for instance,
you'll likely get the plastic setting tool w/it. Did you know you don't have to mount
that bracket on the exhaust manifold? You can put it anywhere the two cables will
operate properly. I mounted mine on a piece of wood I'd epoxied to the inside of
the hull, just to get it off the engine. You can actually adjust your cable w/o any
tools, it may take a bit of time though.
I believe the pin tool is the same. I don't have one though, I found something else
in my tool box that worked.
There're two weak spots in the gimbal; one is the gimbal ring where the upper
steering pin goes through the ring, if it's worn, there're shops that will weld the
worn areas and machine it to new tolerances. Another area is the pin threads
through the sides of the bell housing. I had my pin threads Helicoiled, which
significantly strengthens those threads. Also my gimbal plate was corroded
through and would have leaked. I was able to clean the casting and had it
welded up. Today, you can't see it.
Here're some pictures taken during the time I was rebuilding mine.

[joseph m. hahnl]

I bought a PDF file off E-bay for my Alpha. Short money and it's genuine Merc procedure . It listed all the tools with their part numbers . I was able to just down load, so it was an instant service manual http://www.ebay.com/itm/1988-1998-Me...hVT5L~&vxp=mtr

[Pismo]

I bought a PDF file off E-bay for my Alpha. Short money and it's genuine Merc procedure . It listed all the tools with their part numbers . I was able to just down load, so it was an instant service manual http://www.ebay.com/itm/1988-1998-Me...hVT5L~&vxp=mtr

Those are around online now but it is nice to have a real copy you can carry around. Could put it on an ipad tho..

[Pismo]

When it came time for me to replace the parts in my TA (including the gimbal ring which was very loose), I just bought a new TA for $1900 which replaced everything. Sold the old one for $520 so net $1400 for all new. I feel it was worth it, pretty easy swap too.