www.iFourWinns.com

I have a 2008 H-210 with the Volvo 5.0 and SX-A Penta Outdrive. I had the Gimbal Bearing (and baffles) were replace 5 years ago, but was unaware (based on the maintenance manual) that the U-Joint spines need to be greased every year. This requires that the Outdrive be removed. Sorta like having to remove a transmission ounce a year and seems excessive. Anyway, I now think my u-joints are going (vibrations on turning and trimming up).

Where can I get a Gimbal Bearing removal/insertion tool?
Who has the best value (quality/price) Gimbal Bearings
Where can I get the best value u-joints (I can "borrow" the tool from Advance Auto)? Assuming that the spines are OK.

Thanks in advance!

>that the U-Joint spines need to be greased every year

While this may be recommended by volvo penta, in reality, I think you'll find that most people aren't doing this or checking the alignment in newer boats. I have an '07 with 350 hours. Still on the original gimbal bearings (they are sealed bearings). If I had signs of noise/vibration I would probably pull the drive and investigate-- until then, I'm leaving mine. I only change the drive oil / engine oil / impeller each year. Changed the spark plugs and serpentine belt at 10 years... The next thing on my list is new steering and throttle cables as they are getting stiffer.

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2007 FW Horizon 200 5.0GXi/SX-A

I agree...it may against the manual but I havent removed my 2008 unit either. I store with drive down and straight, never raise drive while in gear and will have it done if I notice vibration or other issues.

I inspect my bellows frequently too...if I kept boat in slip, had buildup on drive etc that would be different story. If I ever have sign of water in drive then I will take it in as I'm not going to wrestle with removing or stabbing that drive.

I agree that it's like pulling tranny to check the clutch wear....if she slips then ok.

I do pull the prop, clean prop shaft and grease yearly but that's a 5 minute job. I swap drive oil every other year as it's full synthetic and can't even see it on dip stick....I check level in drive frequently to ensure oil is pure and no water infusion in drive. I've yet to have any metal dust on the magnet which is incredible....my old merc had metal dust each year.

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http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o71 ... wqm355.jpg


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi

You all know that...if you leave it on for years....it can corrode in place...due to the fact...that the SX does not have a gasket between the pivot housing and the upper gear housing like a Cobra or Alpha (alu on alu contact)...and...even though the later gimbles and u joints are permanently lubed....the ONLY way you can lube the splines on the driveshaft...is to remove the drive...and when the splines get worn and are not sharp and squared off...you get to pull the engine....and replace the coupler.....So when something starts to make noise...I HOPE the drive comes off...otherwise...you gotta get creative or pay a lotta$$$$ because when they get stuck on they get REALLY STUCK. Never had this problem myself because in the salt pond you pull it each year or else. For those reasons and the fact that if your bellows leaks if you run it till it makes noise...you'll be looking at more than a grand...to put things right again....instead of a simple bellows job....

This is why most people here....will have nothing but an outboard....the rest of us...have learned how to make them last.....

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

LouC, I agree, we are risking the coupler which requires pulling the engine to fix. I've known a few people to have to replace the coupler and it can cost 2k.

However, pulling the drive each year also takes a long time and/or costs a lot of money. If you are slipped, it adds to the job since I have no idea how you could do this without getting it on a trailer first.

Sounds harsh, but It may actually be cheaper to wait 15 years and pay up...

Maybe not a fair comparison, but every time I remove my prop, there is still still VP blue grease coated on the prop splines... this area is exposed to constant moisture... with any luck, there is also still a coat of grease on the coupler as well...

also as you mention, I am in fresh water, and salt water is a different animal...

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2007 FW Horizon 200 5.0GXi/SX-A

If you are set up for it the job does not take a long time, you need some simple tools and an outdrive jack. Think about how much a mechanic would charge to cut the driveshaft to get a corroded on drive off, if you leave it on for years and can't get it off. Then you are in a situation where you will have an issue (noisy gimble, noisy u joints) and it will cost far in excess what it should to repair it. Or, if someone ignores the noise, if the ujoints fail at speed, it can tear up the gimble housing and potentially sink the boat. Fresh water still causes aluminum to oxidize. I've seen it on various boating websites. I/O powertrains by their nature are complex and that's the consequence of combining a car based engine with an outboard style lower unit. Outboards have more complex engines, but the power transmission is far simpler and tilts out of the water.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qn3zrg0ruzwz2 ... l.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uddmy0ske6lyg ... r.JPG?dl=0

I can have it off in about 20 min and putting it back on, sometimes takes longer because of the difficulty in getting it lined up.

PS, my prop shaft also has grease still on it at the end of the season (OMC triple guard) but after a season there is not much left on the driveshaft splines. Never could figure that out.
Also the other thing you are not ever doing, is checking engine alignment. This is easily done with the drive off. If its off, the coupler will fail prematurely and requires an engine pull and replacing a $300+ part. My boat has the same coupler in it, 30 + years.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Volvo recommends basically what LouC said to be done annually, and for good reason.

It really isn't that hard. I plan on building an outdrive stand and doing the service this year. Last year I waited too long and ended up winterizing while there was snow on the ground. Too cold to do much else.

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2006 Four Winns Horizon 200
Volvo Penta 5.0 GXi/SX

Post some pics if you tackle this project. What bothers me the most about this chore is that VP puts it on the *yearly* maintenance schedule, but then refuses to put the procedure in the drive manual (with all the others like changing drive oil, engine oil, draining block, etc). If its not that hard, why not include it? There should be also be part #'s for all the needed supplies and the alignment tool itself. Now, I can understand referring to a shop manual in the odd chance that the alignment was off...

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2007 FW Horizon 200 5.0GXi/SX-A

I plan on doing a video that documents the whole thing.

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2006 Four Winns Horizon 200
Volvo Penta 5.0 GXi/SX

Supplies...
Stumpy's fab works drive jack
Sierra engine alignment tool
OMC/Evinrude triple guard grease (driveshaft splines)
if your gimble and u joints can be greased, boat trailer wheel bearing grease
long thin screwdriver to slide into u joints to turn d/s to allow splines to line up....
omc gasket sealer or Permatex aviation

A set of standard sockets and ratchet....think those bolts are 5/8s but not sure....
Before I spent some dough and bought the jack, I built one out of wood with casters underneath..

Procedure...get boat parked on level ground...set trim so drive is level...remove prop....slide jack or stand under drive...remove 6 nuts that hold drive to pivot housing....then you need to disconnect the nuts that hold the trim rams on the tie bar or clips whatever Volvo used in that year...sometimes you need to use a big pry bar to slide the trim ram off....I take a length of twine and tie up the rams to get them out of the way...and it just pulls off...Hold the d/s up so it does not bang the splines on the pivot housing as you slide it out...

Inspection:
bellows...no water...no cracks in the folds...if either then you gotta do a bellows job and pat yourself on the back for catching it
gimble...should turn by hand REALLY smoothly....grease it if you can...while turning it by hand...which spreads all the grease out...
u joints...check for loosness or binding...grease if you can....
splines...look in the gimble bearing with a bright led flash light...you can probably see the coupler...the internal splines should be squared off and not rounded off...same on the driveshaft...

engine alignment…..you coat the end of the tool that goes into the coupler with OMC triple guard....slide it in straight...then pull it out...the marks on it should be even all the way around...doing the alignment is a bit more involved if its off...might want to look at you tube....

reinstall...
grease D/S splines with triple guard grease...and also coat the mating surfaces of the drive housing and pivot housing with it...to prevent alu to alu corrosion....there are 2 o rings on the d/s...don't let grease get under them...just lube with motor oil..I like to put OMC gasket sealer or Permatex Aviation on the 6 studs that the drive slides on...use the alignment tool to get the gimble bearing set up straight....then hold the driveshaft straight....and slide it in...carefully...when the u joints are almost in...slide a thin long screwdriver in the joint...so you can turn the d/s to make the splines line up in the coupler...once you feel it 'go', remove the screwdriver and slide it on the rest the way...install 6 nuts...torque to their spec or 50 ft lbs at least...re connect trim rams...and you should be good....I've done this...ahh...probably at least 10 times....

sometimes it fights you going on...so make sure there are no small children around...if you are prone to bad language like me...I got new neighbors...who have little kids...so I gotta watch myself....if I feel an f-bomb coming...I use the tongue of my ancestors...so no one but my son and wife know what I'm talking about...lol....

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

I had a '95 190 Horizon that I ran for 18 seasons. I pulled the drive every year after the shop did it the first couple years. On two occasions I had a hole in the bellows which caused water and grease to be whipped up into a tan foam inside the bellows. Fortunately, I was able to change the bellows, and clean and re-grease everything, and keep going. Leaving it would have meant unplanned parts replacement within a year or maybe two.

Not maintaining the outdrive could mean water in the outdrive or other trouble. If it is bad enough, you may be looking at a new outdrive. For what it is worth, a new Volvo SX is over $5 grand, and a new Volvo DP-SM duoprop is over $9 grand plus labor. Take care of it and it will take care of you. Otherwise, boat where you have friends that will tow you back in.

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Surface Interval: A scuba diving term for that time between dives to relax and prepare for life's next great adventure.

Current boat: '02 FW 268 Vista
Previous boat: '95 FW 190 Horizon

Thanks everybody. The Gimbal Bearing was replaced 5 years ago along with the upper bellows.

I plan on pulling the boat this weekend and pulling the outdrive. I have an engine hoist and have seen in the Volvo Maintenance Manuals that an I Bolt can be put into the filler port. (Does anybody know the thread size?)

Once I have the drive off, I want to inspect the spines to make a decision about replacing the u-joints or the entire u-joint assembly.

At a minimum, I am going to replace the bellows, gimbal bearing and u-joints I am probably going to go with Sierra parts having found their catalog and so far all of the parts/kits are on Amazon.

I will take pictures during the process.

Thanks again.

FYI VP recommends replacing the bellows every 2 years or 200 hours.

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2006 Four Winns Horizon 200
Volvo Penta 5.0 GXi/SX

ok here's an example of what can happen with deferred or lack of maintenance on an I/O...this is on the Striper Owners club website which you normally need a log in to view...but I'll cut and past the gory details to help you all correct the error of your ways...before it's too late!

here's the story....
Hello SOC,
Had an unwanted adventure on Saturday after salmon fishing out the GG up at Dux. Fired the main up to head in around 3pm, thought I heard a bit of a growling sound coming from the outdrive, kind of like a bearing that needed grease. This was followed by a terrible sound a few minutes later, think of a skill saw cutting through plywood will a ton of nails in it. This awful noise lasted about 2-3 seconds. Everyone else on the boat thought the prop hit something, but that wasn’t the case. Boat ran fine after the noise for a few more minutes then all the clanking and banging started and we shut it down. Sounded like something was coming apart and chunks of metal were getting tossed around inside. We fired the kicker back up and after 6 hours made it back to Alameda. Luckily the weather had calmed down and we made it through the potato patch with minimal pucker factor.
When pulling the boat out of the water the bilge kicked on and pumped water out for about 20-30 seconds. Everyone got home safe, so that’s the main thing. Now on to repairs and spending time and money like usual. This will be my first time pulling the outdrive off, just took measurements this morning to build a rolling stand out of 2x4’s etc. I was able to take the attached picture this morning as well. Not sure how that damage occurred. Guessing maybe a universal let go and started breaking things from the inside out.
Any thoughts or advice is more than welcome at this point. I have the SELOC repair manual and have been reading up. Boats a 2006 2601 with 5.0. Have had it for just over a year. Seller had new gimbal bearing installed when I bought it. If repairs are over my head, any recommendations for a shop that knows these outdrives in the Alameda/Oakland area...entire Bay Area really would be great as well.
Thanks,


So because of this...he will have to:
1) pull the drive (what you are all trying to avoid, lol)
2) pull the engine
3) unbolt the inner and outer transom plates...with all the associated stuff bolted to it like trim lines, etc
4) buy at least a new outer transom plate (Volvo parts $$$)
5) repair other damage that the u joint failure caused (unknown $$$ but it will be a LOT)
6) replace outer transom plate...reinstall inner....re install trim lines...
7) reinstall engine
align engine
9) re-install outdrive

all because you are trying to avoid doing #1, which both Volvo and Merc tell you is required maintenance.
If you want low maintenance forget about sterndrive boats...go outboard....you'll be far better off...
especially because...any newer sterndrive boat...will have cat converter exhaust...and last time I checked...to replace both sides on a V6...was in the range of....$5500--$6000, just for parts...yes you read that right...so...for this salt water boater....the only I/Os I can have...will NOT be cat converter equipped...but better yet...just go outboard....

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Ok...I'm convinced and will give it a try this off season. I have some wheel dollies I can rig up as a drive stand...maybe.

What i dont get is why would the gimble bearing be out of alignment?...is it that fragile of a connection. If so, I fear knocking it out of alignment during the shaft stab.

I assume we need to disconnect the bellows and shift cable beforehand.

I look forward to the video as I have to see it before doing eventhough the instructions seem straight forward.

It's been a busy year at the house but have changed the impeller, serpentine belt, fuel pump and drive and motor fluids during past few weeks... plus just replaced the failed speakers yesterday. I guess the plus is I will not have to play spider monkey to get to the drive.

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http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o71 ... wqm355.jpg


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi