Have a 7.4L Mercruiser 2001. About 2002-2003 it went into the shop, was diagnosed as a loose gimble ring, they said it was "damage from impact". I didn't really believe that, but I left them replace it -- very expensive. I got the old part, it was rounded out quite a bit. My suspicion is that it was loose from the factory and rounded out over the first 200 hours or so.
Now, about 500 hours and I noticed last trip it had a lot of play. I went out this evening to check, and the drive would move about 1.5" (as measured at the prop) side to side on the ring (i.e. the ring would move, but not the inner bolt).
I checked the U bolts and they had about 25# of torque. I centered it, and tighted evenly to about 55# (+/-, I have a lousy torque wrench).
It now moves much less, maybe 0.25" side to side at the prop (and this could be partly in the steering). So much better. But how much play is too much?
And do these have a tendency to back out, and/or stretch? Or I have read about corrosion being a problem on these, is a symptom of that a softer assembly and so effectively less torque?
This was really getting to the point where I would think not a lot more and it could rotate on the bolt. Though maybe I'm paranoid.
Bottom line -- other than tightening it, is there anything I shoudl do? Or worry about?
Now, about 500 hours and I noticed last trip it had a lot of play. I went out this evening to check, and the drive would move about 1.5" (as measured at the prop) side to side on the ring (i.e. the ring would move, but not the inner bolt).
I checked the U bolts and they had about 25# of torque. I centered it, and tighted evenly to about 55# (+/-, I have a lousy torque wrench).
It now moves much less, maybe 0.25" side to side at the prop (and this could be partly in the steering). So much better. But how much play is too much?
And do these have a tendency to back out, and/or stretch? Or I have read about corrosion being a problem on these, is a symptom of that a softer assembly and so effectively less torque?
This was really getting to the point where I would think not a lot more and it could rotate on the bolt. Though maybe I'm paranoid.
Bottom line -- other than tightening it, is there anything I shoudl do? Or worry about?