What is the cost to redo gimbal, bellows, etc.
 

I am beginning to collect parts for winter 2013 (always thinking ahead) project of pulling motors and redoing my transom area. While I have it all pulled apart I figured it would be a good time to replace the gimbal bearing, bellows etc. I am not sure what all I would actually need to replace and was hoping someone could help me out.

So what would the cost to redo the gimbal area on a Bravo One be? And what parts does that include?

reason for redoing transom is I get water in the bilge area constantly. My bilge will kick on once every hour or so. I am also getting rid of the speedometer trailer, repainting bilge, replacing bilge pumps, adding drive showers, and possibly adding hydraulic steering. Money is going to start flying quick so I am fixing the important stuff first.

I think if you have a leak, chance are it could be fixed from outside. worst case is probably the gimball pin... pin is expensive if worn / rusted, around... 300$ I think. if your gimball ring is also worn, add another 800$. plus labor, but if you are doing it by yourself... cheaper ! besides this big part, bellows are probably the key...

What is the gimbal pin?

to make bellows last longer...PUT YOUR DRIVES DOWN ONCE THEY ARE HOME!!! people leave the up all week-all winter!!! they don't like that. but remember, they also don't like dragging skegs and props down the street. put them back up before you leave for the water again.

I recommend you find that leak now and correct it. Then you can do a complete rebuild of your transoms this winter.

Do the bellows and the gimal leak rather the motor is running or not running? Like I said its not a scary amount of water at all. Once an hour it will kick on for 10 seconds or so. Engine compartment is so tight I can't see squat on the lower side of the transom.

Once an hour is quite often, you're taking on some pretty good water. Once is too often in my opinion. It may be your shift cable boot, they are the most common to leak. If it tears all the way you'll get water coming in pretty quick. You're also making your bilge pump work more, so if you burn out your pump and still have the water coming in, you could have a real problem.

I'd first make sure that something is leaking without the boat running, it may be as simple as loose line or a broken hose clamp.

it is the shifter boot. trim up, leaks faster. trim all the way down for slowest. {i was thinking alpha. i think bravo acts the same though.} thru hull exhaust. check the plate that bolts over exhaust hole. they rot through.

Covered up at work so having a local marina inspect the transom next week to see what they think it is. They do a ton of drive work so hopefully they can find it and fix it quickly. I got 3 bilge pumps so I never worry about them burning up :) lol

Don't mean to hijack, but haven't seen you on in a while. Fuelin, are you coming down memorial day to KY Lake like you did last year?

i have fought a water leak in bilge since new, turned out to be my silent choice, seals on the shafts

later

Yeh we are coming down for memorial day. Need to book somewhere to stay still. Ready to get ****ty in the cove ;)

Like the others have said, the pumps cycling once an hour is still more water in the boat than I want. I was in your shoes two years ago and it was the drive bellows that were torn and leaked. It was way worse when the drives were trimmed up, at full down it didn't leak much at all. The biggest problem is that eventually it will take out the gimbal bearing (it did mine). I only had a couple hundred in the repair for both drives. Me and a friend changed out all the bellows and gimbal bearings for both drives in an afternoon. keeping the drives trimmed down once you are home is good advice. I trim mine down everytime now and all winter long.

With my new manning I don't have to trim my drives at all so this should help if it is the bellows and I get them fixed. Can you see physical cracks in the bellows? What damage do you look for?

Usually the bellows will be hard and stiff when they are getting old. Bring the drive all the way up and examine the bellows. When it is stretched out, you can see wear spots where the ribs rub against each other and any holes/tears. Keep in mind that not many bilge pumps will keep up (or keep up long) with a major malfunction in the bellows area. Boats sink that way. Once an hour for 10 seconds or so is a lot of water. Unplug your bilge pump for a few hours and watch how much water builds up. You will be amazed.

Like Red said, trim it all the way up and look in there. The crack and hole in the bellows was very easy to see on mine. I agree that there is more water than you think leaking through. My float switch quit on the pump when mine leaked and I think if I had not have raised the engine hatch to check something and found out how much water was in the boat, it probably would have sunk...remember that too. If you know your leaking water and you don't notice the pumps kick on, you better check!!!!

Everyone here is right dude. I been there and done that with my old Baja. If you got water coming in, it's more than you think. Unplug your bilge pump and trailer it in the water. Wait a few hours and have a few beers. Pull the boat out and pull the drain plug. Put a five gallon bucket under the water draining. Betcha you will fill it and your eyes will pop out of your head as it overfills. I would start with bellows, if you have a bravo drives, consider the steering pin seal in the fall. 10 dollar seal and cost 2k to fix due to pulling the engine.