Bostonsoxfan

Hello all... I am trying to figure out how to lubricate the engine coupler on my Mercruiser Bravo III drive. In the manual it states,

"Your power package is equipped with a sealed engine coupler. The sealed coupler and shaft splines can be lubricated without removing the sterndrive unit. The crosses and bearings on the sterndrive U-joint will need to be lubricated through the grease fittings. Apply Quicksilver U-joint and gimbal bearing grease from a typical hand-operated grease gun until a small amount of grease begins to push out. The sterndrive unit must be removed to grease these fittings."

The part that I don't understand is in the beginning, it says that you don't have to remove the sterndrive and then in the end it says you do have to remove it??? Can anyone help me out with this please? I only see one visible grease fitting on the right side of the sterndrive and as I understand it, this fitting is to lubricate the gimbal bearing. Am I looking on the wrong side? Is the coupler grease fitting inside the engine compartment or do I really have to remove the sterndrive? Thank you all!!!

Trippin

What it means is you can lubricate the sealed shaft splines from inside the boat at the back of the transom, and removal of the outdrive is necessary to get access to the Gimbal bearing grease fitting, which is on the out side of the boat under the gimbal ring/collar.

Bostonsoxfan

But I think I have a gimbal bearing grease fitting on the right side of the gimbal housing on the outside of the sterndrive? Is this the only fitting for the gimbal bearing? Thanks for the help!

Thunder32

you can grease the gimbal bearing from outside the boat at the fitting on the gimbal housing. You also can grease the engine coupler from behind the motor if accessible and it has two fittings to grease. You should remove your drive yearly to check drive alignment and such.

mr_velocity

There are 3 seperate items here.
The drive coupler on the back of the motor has two zerk fitting so you can grease the splines. The gimbal bearing is greased by the zerk fitting on the right side of the tramsom assembly on the outside of the boat. However, in order to grease the two sets of crosses on the U-joints you need to remove the drive.

Not all couplers have the fittings so when you pull the drive to do the U-joints you just smear a little of the blue spline grease onto the shaft before assembly.

mr_velocity

It is the only way to pump grease into the gimbal bearing.

Bostonsoxfan

Ok! Thanks guys. The manual just didn't make it very clear. Thank you so much for the help and guidance.

miamioffshore

How do you know it's full? I put 10 squirts in mine today and didn't notice any difference and couldnt' hear/see it coming from anywhere?

East Coast B

Any over lubing of the gimble bearing will splash the inside of the bellows with grease which is easily seen when you remove the drive. Can't really tell from the outside.

MOP

My new 05 Bravo X package has no U joint fittings nor any of the normal transom shield fittings, the only two left are the gimble and coupling fittings.

"More Planned obsolesence" Did they think we would not notice!!!

Phil