How To Repair Cracked Alpha One Housing

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Replacing Your R, MR or Blastoff 1 Gimbal Band

Knowing your Gimbal
Before attempting to supercede your Gimbal Ring you need to determine exactly which gimbal you accept.
Older R-type units with the push-in swivel pins are not covered in this section.
If y'all need tips on replacing an older R-blazon Gimbal Band just ship us an e-mail.

MR and Alpha I units take one of two styles of Gimbal Rings.
Early on MR and Alpha 1 units had a splined upper Steering Shaft and hole.
This tended to neglect so Mercruiser changed the Gimbal Rings and Steering Shafts to utilize a square design.

Before ordering parts you will need to determine if your gimbal ring has a splined pigsty or a foursquare pigsty.
If you lot have a splined hole you lot volition demand to buy a Gimbal Band Kit which updates to a square-hole-blazon Gimbal Ring.

There are a few special tools required to replace your Gimbal Band.
We also propose that y'all purchase a Shop Service Manual.

When replacing your Gimbal Ring you will also take to replace several other parts.
Items such as your Ujoint Bellows and Shift Cable volition be ruined upon disassembly of the old Gimbal Ring.
Other mutual items are the Water Hose (either iii/4" or v/viii" ID), shift cable bellows, exhaust bellows, steering shaft seal, side thrust washers.
While the unit of measurement is disassembled y'all will have a hazard to likewise supplant your Trim Sender Switches if you and so desire.

Why Replace Your Gimbal Band?
There are few reasons equally to why you might want to replace your Gimbal Ring.
The get-go is that it might exist cleaved.
Never weld a gimbal band. If information technology'due south cracked, replace it with a new one.

Another reason for replacing the Gimbal Ring is wear.
The hole at the top where the steering shaft passes through can wear out and crusade play in the steering.
This is a very serious and dangerous status. Never utilize a boat with play in the Gimbal Ring.
Damage, injury or decease can result from steering failure.

Prevention. Updating your splined Gimbal Band to a safer foursquare-blazon Gimbal Ring is strongly suggested.
Older splined units tin can have a loss of steering if the splines fail.

Corrosion. Excess galvanic corrosion tin can weaken your gimbal band.
Supplant any and all galvanic corrosion damaged components.
Make sure you have a good bulldoze bonding system, Mercathode and anodes to prevent galvanic corrosion.

94993A7 Gimbal Ring $861.00 Blastoff One with square top steering shaft hole
88302A1 Gimbal Ring Kit $ 892.00 Replaces older splined-holed Gimbal Rings Also social club Bong Housing 42815A6 and Square/Splined Steering Shaft 88302A2 Y'all will be able to employ your onetime splined Steering Lever Includes Swivel Pins.
42815A6 Bell Housing $799.00 Fits Alpha One. Use this Bell Housing if upgrading to 88302A1 Gimbal Ring due west/foursquare hole.
88302A2 Splined Steering Shaft $282.00 Only use if upgrading with 88302A1 Gimbal Band Kit and retaining the splined Steering Lever
98230A1 Shaft-Upper (Foursquare-Square) $437.00 Upper steering shaft for Alpha One
22-88847A1 Access Hole Plug Kit $29.00 Used to remove and supplant the gimbal ring with the gimbal installed on the boat Kit includes a template, plastic threaded hole plugs and acme steering shaft nut.
27-94996Q2 Gasket Gear up $8.50 For mounting the bulldoze. Includes o-rings. Fits Blastoff One and Alpha Gen Ii
27-64818Q4 Gasket Fix $viii.fifty For mounting the drive. Includes o-rings. Fits older crowned-blazon drives such as Model 165, 888 and R drives.
92-96166Q1 Bellows Adheasive $ 10.00 Used to glue bellows and orings into identify.
30-803097T1 Transom Seal Kit (Fits R, MR and Alpha One w/exh bellows) $267.00
thirty-803098T1 Transom Seal Kit (Fits R, MR and Alpha One w/tube) $284.00
91-78310 Hinge Pivot Tool $29.00 Used for removing threaded hinge pins Non used on older drives with pin-type swivel pins
91-45497A1 Bellows Expansion Tool $97.00 (changes to 8M0096108) Used to install the exhaust bellows Not required if you are installing an Exhaust Tube
60932A4 Ujoint Bellows due west/clamps $85.00 Used if the Transom Seal Kit is not desired Bellows and clamps just
27-94996Q2 Gasket Mounting Set $viii.20 Used to mount an Alpha drive Included in Transom Seal Kit
45518T1 Bushing and Lever Kit (Not required for Gen Two) $fourscore.00 This Kit has an improved shift shaft seal to forestall water from entering your shift cable. Utilize installer tool 90-805057A2 to install this Bushing.
19543T2 Shift Cable Kit (changed to 8M0176525) for Blastoff 1 & Gen 2 $115.00 The cable is normally replaced when replacing the gimbal ring.
91-12037 Alpha Cable Installation and Removal Tool $54.00 This special socket is required to replace the shift cable.
90-805057A2 Bushing Installation Tool $34.00 Used to install Shift Shaft Bushing 45518T1
91-33491 Seal and Bushing Installer Tool $32.00 Used to install acme steering bushing and seal in the gimbal housing.

Replacing your Gimbal Ring is a hard task.
Review your Shop Transmission earlier proceeding.
Remove all bonding cables from the gimbal.

Chances are very proficient y'all volition ruin your onetime ujoint bellows and shift cablevision during the process.
Ujoint Bellows should be replaced every 5 years or sooner if neccessary.
To inspect your bellows externally turn the drive to i side and look in the folds.
There should be no evidence of dryness or dandy.
Inspect each fold on all sides to make certain there are no cracks or cuts.

A bad bellows volition allow h2o to leak into the gimbal, the drive and the boat.
This can crusade astringent harm and possible submersion.

The best manner to audit the bellows is to remove the drive. Place the remote control shifter into forward gear before attempting to unbolt and remove the bulldoze.
(Counter-rotation LH drives must exist shifted into reverse gear before being removed).

IMPORTANT: Remove the battery negative cablevision as so the engine will not commencement or crank.
Information technology the engine starts harm, injury or death tin result from moving parts and/or propellars.

It is best to have a Service Transmission to properly consummate this repair.

Remove the two trim cylinders from the bulldoze and let them hang out of the way.

Remove the half-dozen drive mounting bolts and try to pull the drive off.

WARNING: The drive is heavy. Use care to preclude injury. It is best to accept ii people every bit
the weight of the bulldoze tin injure you once it breaks loose.

If the bulldoze does not pull off easily information technology might be stuck.
Lift the tail end of the drive a few inches and let information technology drop freely.
This "jarring" will usually break the bulldoze complimentary from the bellhousing.
The process might have to be repeated or exagerated a few times until the unit of measurement breaks gratis.

Once free, the drive should pull right off but call up to utilise care as it is heavy and you lot can damage your back.

Set the bulldoze out of the manner and audit the gimbal and bellows.
Check for any cracks, water intrusion, wear, corrosion and/or free-play.
Plan your repair by making sure you list ALL the parts required for a consummate repair.

Replacing the Ujoint Bellows will normally ruin your bulldoze Shift Cable Assembly.
Program on replacing the shift cable when performing this repair.

Some units accept a stainless cable bonding wire attached to the bellhousing and fastening
to the gimbal band. This of import cable nust exist removed to remove the bellhousing.

If you need to supercede the shift cable, become to Replacing Your Alpha I Shift Cable and follow the removal instructions.

Plow the drive to one side and remove the ii screws which concord the plastic Trim Sender
to the side of the Gimbal Ring. Pull the sender off and tie it up above the gimbal and out of the way.
Make a note as to which sender goes to which side. One is a TP Switch and the other is a TL Switch.

Insert your new Hinge Pin Tool into the swivel pin and unthread the pin (lefty-loosens).
It is common for the pin to be tight and the factory puts LocTight on the threads.
In some cases it helps if y'all first warm the pivot with an propane torch.

Remove the pivot and turn the drive all the way over to the other side.
Repeat the previous process using heat on the pin if needed.

Make sure you accept tied both trim sender unit up and out of the style.

Now it'south time to remove the clamps from the bellows and waterhose as so the bellhousing can be
pulled away from the gimbal ring.

Use a 1/4" bulldoze rachett with a very long extension. On the cease put a 5/16" swival socket.
Snake the socket in and on the forward ujoint bellows clamp screw and loosen the clamo.
Tilt the bellhoung up and loosen the rear exhaust blare clamp.
Locate the rear clamp for the h2o hose and loosen it likewise.
The water hose clench is very difficult to go the socket on.
Sometimes we but cut and supplant the h2o hose.

Now that the clamps are loose you should be able to suspension the ujoint bellows free.
In some cases we apply a long large flatheaded screwdriver and we work the screwdriver
in between the bellows and the housing to break it's glued surfaces free from the gimbal.

Pull the exhaust blare and h2o hose free from the bellhousing and the bellhousing should be completely costless
unless you have decided to leave the shift cablevision attached.
If the cablevision is nevertheless attached, utilise extreme intendance not to bend, kink or twist the cable.

Observe the ii brown plastic washers which were located on either side of the bellhousing.
Y'all accept to make sure these are in good shape and put back in place during assembly.

Utilize the long v/16" socket and remove the other clamps as to remove the bellows, exhaust and water hose.
If you have also removed the shift cablevision it is a good idea to replace the shift cable bellows as well.

Clean up and audit all components.
Inspect the areas where the bellows clamps to.
There must exist good corrosion free surfaces to properly seal the new bellows into place.

Use 120 grit sandpaper to clean off any old gum around the perimeter of the housing where the bellows seats.
Wipe clean with acetone.

Remove the two clamp bolts from the top of the Gimbal ring.

Remove the cotter pin from the lower gimbal "tongue".
Gentle heat from a torchlamp can be used to aid in the removal of the cotter and lower steering pins.
Carefully tap out the lower swival pin using care not to fissure off the tongues.

Cutting out your paper templates that came with your Admission Hole Plug Kit.
Position each template on each side of the Gimbal and punch a marker with a punch to
to mark where yous will drill.

Use an one-one/eight" hole saw and cut the access holes into each side.
These holes will allow you access to remove the lever cross bolt and the top steering shaft nut.
Use two wrenchs, one in either hole, and unbolt and remove the lever cross bolt through the admission holes.

Now the hard role... removing the pinnacle steering shaft nut.
Using a punch in one of the access holes tap the elevation steering nut as to unthread it from the shaft. You lot will merely exist able to hitting the nut off then far before you loose a grip on the edge of the nut.
Turn the gimbal ring to the other side and access the nut through the opposite hole.
Tap off the nut as far as y'all can and repeat this procedure from side-to-side untill the nut id off the threads.
Let the steering shaft drop down and out and remove the gimbal band.

Follw your manuals instructions to install and properly shim the new gimbal ring.
You must have the proper clearance/gimbal right height.

Now is a skillful time to make your final decision equally to whether or not you want to replace your Trim Sender Switches.
It's pretty easy to complete at this indicate considering the bellhousing is already removed for easy access.

To replace the switches, follow the wires up into the gimbal and yous will meet two screws holding a retainer plate in place.
The acme spiral is difficult to admission. If you lot bend the head of a seven/16" box wrench over to 1 side about xx degrees you can
access the bolt head much easier.
Mercruiser had made a wrench at one time but it is no longer sold.

Hop up into the boat and locate the ii pairs of sender wires where they laissez passer through the gimbal.
Cut or disconnect the old wires only have a note on how they were run through the engine compartment.

Outside the gunkhole, once the ii retainer bolts are removed y'all tin can yank the onetime wires out of the gimbal.

Pass the new wires through the hole and position the wire grommets as so y'all tin install the servant plate.
Road the switches as so the TP (Trim Position) switch is on the starboard side and the TL (Trim Limit) switch is on the port side.
Tie the new switches up above the gimbal as so they are fashion out of the manner. Utilize care non to damage the wires.

Eventually you will have to adhere the new wires up in the engine compartment.
The TL wires run over near the trim pump and plug into the blueish and purple wires.
The TP wires will adhere to a footing and a chocolate-brown wire with a white stripe (gauge sender wire).

Of import: Your new water hose must be xiii-3/four" long.
They oftentimes come from the factory besides long.
If you install a h2o hose that is likewise long it will kink and crusade overheating.
Measure and cut the new hose to a length of xiii-3/iv"

Use your Service Transmission and expect upwards the proper positioning on the bellows and water hose clamps.
Coat both mating surfaces of the metal and the bellow with Bellows Adheasive 1 at a time.
Practise not let the adheasive dry for more than than a infinitesimal or ii.
It is all-time to install the item with the gum, wait a few minutes for the glue to dry and
then gently tighten the clench.
The Ujoint Bellows will commencement be glued and clamped to the bellhousing. Make certain the Upwardly or TOP is correct.
Brand sure that the FORWARD on the bellows is towards the bow of the boat.

The Exhaust Bellow or Exhaust Tube will be glued and clamped to the gimbal housing (transom housing).
The spiral for the clamp should be on top and facing towards the stb side.
There is a hole through the stb side of the gimbal shroud through which you tin can slip in a very long 1/iv" extension.
Install a v/16" swival socket onto the finish of the extension and it will allow you to tighten upwardly the exhaust clamp.

Brand certain to use the correct hose for your awarding.
Older units used the smaller five/viii" ID water hose.
Newer units utilise the 3/four" ID water hose.
It must be cut to thirteen-iii/four" long before installation.
The water hose volition have to exist forced onto the hose connector tube on the gimbal housing (transom housing).
The screw for the clench should be on elevation.

The Shift Cable Bellows (if replaced) volition be glued and clamped to the gimbal housing (transom housing).

Do not over-tighten the clamps or the safety volition slip off the mounting expanse.

The "secret" to making this job easier is getting the clamps in the proper position before tightening.
Take the time to review your manual for the exact clamp positioning.

If you accept elected to remove and replace your shift cable you lot have a pick as to when you reinstall it.
You can "pre-install" the cable now, while the bellhousing is removed from the gimbal or you can wait to
install the cable until after the bellhousing is fastened to the gimbal band.
Pre-installing the cablevision now makes information technology a fiddling easier to feed the cable through the cable bellows and
in through the gimbal to the engine compartment.
The draw-back is that with the cablevision installed you have to take intendance not to curve, kink or twist the cable
while getting the bellhousing up and into position during installation.

Make sure to utilize the special deep Shift Cable Socket Tool when installing the shift cable into the bellhousing.
Glaze the contumely threads with Perfect Seal and exercise not thread the sheathing in all the way.
Practise Non install the core until afterward the gimbal is assembled.
Ideally in that location should be ane or two threads left showing.

Eject a little grease into the pigsty in the terminate of the shift cable bellows to lube the condom.
Force the finish of the cablevision through the shift cable bellows, through the gimbal and into the engine compatment.
Important: While pushing the length of the cable into the bilge information technology has to exist deflected off to the stb side of the engine.
Take care non to let the terminate of the cable to get improperly routed into the flywheel housing/coupler area.
It is best to have an assistant up in the engine compartment to insure proper routing of the cable during installation.
They can use a long stick to push the entering cable towards the stb side only equally it enters the gimbal.

Once the cable is properly routed you lot can push the bellhousing right up to the gimbal.
We prefer to do a "dry run".
With the bellows clamp in the proper position and NO Mucilage on the forward end of the bellows...
button the bellows onto the gimbal past pushing the bellhousing in as far as you can.
This will actually be past the points at which the hinge pivot holes line up.
This allows the ujoint bellows to "snap" into position on the gimbal.

During this dry-run you lot will be making sure that the shift cable is sliding in while yous are making sure the
h2o hose is not getting in the way.
As you can see... there is a lot going on which is why a dry-run is good exercise.
The next fourth dimension you exercise this you volition accept glue on the front end bellows mounting surfaces and then yous
exist working confronting time.
Take a special note every bit to how far the bellows slide on.
At that place is actually a lip on the inside perimeter of the bellows whic must
properly seat in a groove around the gimbal neckband.

Pull the bellhousing away from the gimbal and prepare the bellows for last installation.

Coat the inside of the blare and the gimbal with a sparse glaze of bellows adheasive.
Position your clamp on the bellows (screw on meridian facing towards the stb side).
Like you lot did in the dry-run, push the bellhousing into place as far as information technology will go.
Make sure the bellows inner lip has seated in the gimbals groove.
DON'T MOVE!
Just hold it there for a few minutes to let the glue set up upwards.
The longer you lot let the glue set the meliorate.
With the gum well set you lot volition be able to mess with the bellhousing and clench
without worring well-nigh the bellows pulling off.

In one case the glue is set, steer the gimbal as if the boat is making a left-paw turn and
this will permit you admission to the forward ujoint bellows clamps spiral.
Utilise a superlong 1/4" extension with a swival v/16" socket on the end to snug upwards the clench.
IMPORTANT: You MUST brand sure the clamp is properly positioned on the bellows.
If the clamp is angles or non exactly in place it can ruin the bellows or pull it loose.

BE Aware: If the bellows is not properly seated and/or installed you can sink your boat.

In one case the clamp is firm you tin straighten out the steering.
Apply a flashlight to inspect the clamp all the way around, on meridian, underneath and both sides.
Experience around with your fingers where you can't see.
If it doesn't look or experience right chances are it isn't.
If y'all demand to, remove and start over.

Clean up the threads of the hinge pins with a wire brush or wire wheel.

Back the bellhousing out enough to line upwardly the hinge pin holes.
Turn the bulldoze to ane side just enough to install the hinge pin.
Make certain to position the brown plastic side washers betwixt the bellhousing and the gimbal band earlier installing the
hinge pins. They must be in perfect position of the hinge pin volition bind against the washer.
Identify a drop of loctight on the threads of the hinge pins and intall them.
You will have to plow the drive from ane side to the other to complete the installation.
Torque to specification (see the manual).
Practise not install the Trim Senders at this time. They are all-time installed afterward the drive is installed.

Middle the bulldoze and tilt up the bellhousing as to access the water hose.
Install the clamp in the correct position and strength the hose onto the brass hose affront in the bellhousing.
The clamp spiral will exist facing downwardly on the outboard port side.
Easier said than washed! Yeah. It'due south a tight fit and information technology's hard to do.
Take you lot fourth dimension and y'all will eventually go it on the barb.
The hose clamp must exist in the exact right position otherwise you lot won't be able
to get the socket on information technology to tighten it up.

If you had elected to install an Exhaust Tube instead of the Exhaust Bellow you
practice not accept whatever other work to exercise for the frazzle.
If you had elected to install the Exhaust Blare, you will need to apply the
Exhaust Bellows Expansion Tool.
You tin Non install new frazzle bellows without the Expansion Tool.
The tool needs to be inserted in through the exhaust passage to grab and expand the within of the frazzle bellows.
For the tool to pass through the exhaust passage you volition take to remove the shift shaft.
The shift shaft passes down through the exhaust passage and it's in the mode of the tool.
Uncrew and remove the slotted set-screw in the shift lever.
Lift off the lever and drop the shift shaft out the bottom of the bellhousing.

Position the Exhaust Bellows Clench onto the frazzle bellow.
With the shift shaft removed you will exist able to insert the Expansion Tool and grab the exhaust bellows
in the first bellow "fold". Insert the handle prune onto the rear handle of the tool to proceed it spread apart.
Hold the bellhousing down with one hand while pulling back on the handle of the tool to work and pull the
exhaust bellows into place and onto the bellhousing mounting gage.
Sideslip the tools cross-pin through the tool to hold the bellows in identify.
With the tool locked into place lift up the bellhousing and snug up the exhaust bellows clamp.
With the clamp firmly installed remove the tool.

With the shift shaft still removed you have a chance to upgrade your Shift Shaft Seal.
Most pre-Alphas and Blastoff One'due south had a small shift shaft seal which is locted in the exhaust passage.
This seal was prone to failure and information technology would allow water to leak into the shift cable.
Mercruiser now makes a Shift Shaft Seal Bushing & Lever Kit which has an improved seal design.
Read more almost installing this upgrade at Replacing Your Shift Shaft Seal.

Make clean and grease the shift shaft. Install the shaft making certain to have the white plastic washer nether the Shift Lever.

Steer the boat to the far left and admission the small cease of the Shift Cable Bellows.
The Shift Cable Kit or Shift Bellows Kit should have included a new beat out-clamp for the small end of the bellows.
You can use this steel clamp if you like but nosotros adopt to use a good hose-type stay-strap.
It has to exist the type of strap with the internal radius as if for clamping a hose.
The nylon straps concluding longer, are easy to install and don't rust.

Complete your shift cable installation procedure by following the instructions at Replacing Your Alpha One Shift Cablevision.

Clean off all the onetime gasket cloth from the bong housing and bulldoze.
The Gasket Kit includes new orings which must be properly installed.
Coat the outer perimeter of the large fat oring with Bellows Adheasive and
install it in the bell housing bore where the drivehshaft passes through.
It must be fully installed up against the rim in the hole.
One time in identify, grease the inner oring with Universal Joint and Gimbal Bearing Grease.

Coat the water passage oring with Bellows Adheasive and glue into place on the bellhousing.

Replace the orings on the drivehshaft and grease.

Position the gasket onto the six studs and upwards against the bellhousing.
DO NOT apply whatsoever sealant or silicone adheasive to the gasket.

Utilise some Universal Joint and Gimbal Begetting Grease or use Mercruisers Coupler Spline Grease on the
splines of the drive yoke.
If neccessary, pump a couple of squirts of Universal Joint and Gimbal Begetting Grease into the cross-bearing
grease zirt fittings.
Practice not install a bulldoze if the ujoint cross bearings are bad.

Brand sure your shift lever is in place so the roller is in the fork notch and
make sure your shifter is in frontwards gear.

Make sure your bulldoze unit is in forward gear earlier installation.
This is done by looking down at the lilliputian shift "shoe" and turning it clockwise while turning the prop
in the left paw (counter-clockwise) direction. This will position the "shoe" straight forward and the prop will "lock" into forrard gear.
CARE must be taken to make sure the drive stays in forrad gear during its installation.
IF yous bump the prop by accident it could bump the drive out of forward.
I have seen some techs strap the prop with a bungie chord pulling it in the counter-clockwise management
as and then information technology stays locked in frontwards gear.

It is best to take the pinnacle of the gimbal at the aforementioned height of the bulldoze during installation.
This prevents you from having to lift the bulldoze into place.

Position the bulldoze into place while working the driveshaft through the gimbal bearing.
As you push the bulldoze on you lot need to exist aware of the position of the shift shaft.
If the shaft has come out of gear and cocked off to one side you will have to re-lock the drive back into forward gear.

You also have to take care to brand sure the shift lever/roller stays in the fork slot.

The drive might have to be "nudged" up into place until information technology is fully seated.
In one case in place quickly install i locknut to hold it there every bit and so you can have a breather.

In some cases you lot will take to turn the prop in the Opposite direction while pushing the bulldoze into place.
This will assistance line upward the driveshaft splines to the coupler splines.

If the drive just won't proceed the last 1/2", it'south usually because the shift shafts where not straight.
Forcing a drive on while the shift shafts are off will ruin $120 worth of shift shafts not to mention y'all will
never get the drive fully installed.

Once you have successfully installed the drive and fasted with ane locknut, examination the shift.
This is best washed with two people, one in the boat and 1 to turn the prop by hand.
Shift into forward and have the prop-person plow the prop. It volition rachett in the forward management and lock in the reverse management.
Shift into neutral and the prop should spin free in both directions.
Shift into contrary and the prop should rachett in the opposite direction and lock in the forwards direction.
If you have trouble shifting you lot may have installed the bulldoze wrong.

Install the rest of the locknuts and snug them up firmly.
Install the trim cyinders

Trim the drive to the Full DOWN position as and then you can install the Trim Limit and Trim Sender switches.
Plow the bulldoze a little to 1 side as and then you can position the switch onto the gimbal ring.
Before installing the switch look at the heart rotor.
There is a notch on the centre rotor which you must turn and line up with a hash-marking on the switch.
With these marks lined up the bulk of your rough adjustments will be complete.
Position the switch onto the gimbal ring and into the hinge pin without allowing the center of the switch to rotate.
In full general, the wires will be facing towards the bow of the boat.
Smear a little grease on the stainless screws and install the screws with the retainer clips and lockwashers.
Gently snug up the screws, turn the drive to the other side and echo the process for the other switch.

Follow the switch last adjustment instructions in the Service Manual.

Place the boat into the water and bank check in the engine compartment to make sure there are no leaks.
Use intendance when starting the boat for the first time as it might starting time in gear if the bulldoze was improperly installed.
Start and run the engine while checking for leaks and test the shift.
Perform whatsoever shift cable adjustments if required (come across service manual).

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