machloosy

Alpha 1 Behind a 454 making a pretty nasty noise when turning. Zero water in the bilge even after 6hrs on the water so I'm guessing I don't have leaking bellows... it is a thru-hull boat. Boat is pretty quiet when it's just idling, but sounds real bad when the drive is turned at all. Do I have a gimbal bearing problem or a u-joint problem? Boat is new to me so I can't speak to driving habits. I am nice to it getting on plane though!

Too Stroked

A growling noise when turning the drive side to side is generally a sign of the U-Joints going bad. When a Gimble Bearing goes, it generally growls all the time. When you pull the drive off to check the joints, you can check the Gimble Bearing at the same time.

BTW, continue to treat that throttle very gently! That engine / drive combination was only offered for one year (1987) for good reason.

dereknkathy

bearingt will also be quieter when steering is straight. answer to your question is...yes. u-joints or gimball bearing. change both joints and the bearing.

PayCheck

U-joint would be first on my hit list.

machloosy

My locally marine guy said he didn't think it would be the u-joint (claimed he thinks they don't fail. It runs quiet as heck in a straight line! But makes nasty noise when the drive is turned.

And too stroked I know she gets babied out of the hole every time. Granted the boat isn't too heavy. There is a '87 241 Liberator in my marina with the same 454/alpha combo. Original drive!!!

bens87241

i had an 86 241 liberator with 1000 hours when i sold it with this same set up worked gets but i never beat it just used it. my 87 now had it but it now has a bravo thanks to the previous owner. to me sound like a u-joint, but i agree once drive is off not hard to change them both......if your not replaceing boots, its as simple as put in full forward gear take 6 bolts off and slide it back the u joints are right there.....the gimbal now has access to put it back on need a new gasket and o-ring and 2 for the gimbal.....only thing to make sure of is that the shifter arm coming from the boat likes to flop make sure the arm is between the 2 guide ball( not sure what they are realy called...) and make sure the u cupped arm that actualy shifts the drive lines up with the block on the drive not a hard job at all. gimbals are only like 75 buck so cheap insurance since you are already to not have to do the job once.

I am a firm beleiver in if you dont to do something once then doing it again will such twice as bad spend a few more bucks now to know you wont have to return to it. If it was mine i would replace the boot and bellow too your halfway there. just reguire taking the shifter cable apart up in the boat....taking the trim and limit switches off then two more bolts good luck

Griff

Gotta pull the drive either way, so just pull it and inspect.