How to Grease Gimball Bearing

rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
I have a zerk to grease the bearing but have been afraid to pump to much grease in there for fear of blowing something out-I do not see anywhere that grease will come out "the other side" somewhere to know when it is full...what would the procedure be? Brave III

Comments

  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have that fitting inside. The mechanic just pumped in about 6 shots. Any excess will probably get flung inside the bellows. I hope Al answers this.
  • luckydogluckydog Member Posts: 316 ✭✭✭
    Handyman is exactly right, I just did mine this past weekend and the mechanic said no more than six 
  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    hmmmm. just surprised there is not  way to know: previous maintenance is sketchy. Who am I kidding, it did not happen. Lets say it looses/uses six squirts a year- if it never was done, how much grease gets it back to normal, see what I mean? Most things you pump with a grease gun, you know a fill point.
  • Dream_InnDream_Inn Member, Moderator Posts: 7,552 mod
    I just had mine replaced and was told mine are sealed and cannot be greased.  If I use the zerk fitting, it will just go into the bellows.  Al, is the way to go?  My mechanic claims that this is the better route to go.

    Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express

  • frenchshipfrenchship Member Posts: 1,079 ✭✭✭
    I just replace mine with mercruiser parts and the gimbal bearing could be grease.(Bravo 111).
    did my friend with a gimbal bearing from Sierra could not be grease Alpha 1.
    Paul
  • MarkBMarkB Member Posts: 3,960 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have a 2011 B3 and was told my gimbal bearing cannot be greased due to the new enclosed design. 

    Boat Name: King Kong

    "Boat + Water = Fun"

  • 06Rinker27006Rinker270 Member Posts: 1,277 ✭✭✭
    why remove the zerk?
    Patrick
    06 Rinker 270
  • raybo3raybo3 Administrator Posts: 5,456 admin
    The new design are sealed bearings. Wont take grease. By forcing grease where you dont need it will cause you to blow the seals and cause more damage...
    2002 342 Fiesta Vee PC Point Of Pines YC Revere MA. popyc.org     raybo3@live.com
  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Thanks for all the replies, I will pump some in and hope for the best. i want to make sure it has the proper amount: not to little, not to much but it does not sound like there is anyway to know for sure....and unfortunately it sounds like we may be all putting to little in, it's not full and possibly contributes to the failure...
  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I could not get my grease gun to connect to the zert, is it a special size or just hard to get on?
  • Dream_InnDream_Inn Member, Moderator Posts: 7,552 mod
    probably hard to get on.  Make sure it is clean.  I also know at times, with fittings on my boat lift, I had a hard time getting grease to go in.  A little heat, or changing out the fitting, will work.  I would never recommend heating one on a boat though.  I guess also make sure the tool is clean inside as well.

    Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express

  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
  • Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @Ras, I always clean any grease that might be left on a grease fitting so that I do not push contaminants into the fitting. As well, I push some grease out of the gun to get any possible contaminants off the tip of the gun's grease fitting. As we know, pushing some dirt into the fitting is probably worse than not greasing it LOL.
  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
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