sleev-les

Hey guys.. May be a dumb question, but what grease are you guys using where the 2 easy buddies are, located at the transom plate where the drive pivots up and down. I still have a couple things to do for summer and this is one of them and don't just want to go grab a random canister of grease for the grease gun. Is there something particular? Or could you use a trailer bearing grease like something west marine has?

Black Baja

iTrader: (2)

We don't use anything special. For best results grease the gimbal bearing while the engine is running. The new transom assembly's are non-greasable as are the replacement bearings from Mercury.

253

Use a good high temp. Water Resistant grease, I use Lubriplate .

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

I think you are referring to the grease zerks on the transom assembly. These are passages in the T/A that lube the gimbal bearing.
Mercury actually has a "spline grease" which I have used before.They also have a "U-joint grease" which I have also used.

But most important, is knowing if you have sealed or grease-able gimbal bearings in the first place. Some folks get lazy when installing the new sealed bearings (that don't need or accept grease), and do not remove the grease zerk on the T/A (which comes with the new bearings). Do you know when your gimbal bearings were last replaced? I think the sealed ones have been the only ones available for the past 5 years or so (unless NOS was acquired and used).

sleev-les

I don't believe its been within the past 5 years. This will be my 3rd season with the boat and the owner before me replaced the drives, but wasn't within the few years before I bought it.

BUP

iTrader: (9)

Mercruiser recommends this for the Gimbal bearing and U joints only ( gimbal bearing and U joint grease) but of course other greases are acceptable as Volvo Penta uses the same gimbal bearing and recommends high quality number # 2 wheel bearing grease for the gimbal bearing. link below for the Merc GB and U-J grease

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/mercur...FQctaQodwPwB8w

BUP

iTrader: (9)

Next older Bravo apps and transom assemblies has a grease jerk dead middle top of the transom assembly for the steering lever. also are you talking about grease jerks for the side areas of the hinge pins (grease jerks) ? You can use trailer wheel bearing grease for those jerks.

we have seen less problems with the sealed non greasable Gimbal bearings than the greasable ones. Volvo started using NON greasable GB's for all model years 2007 and Mercruiser followed a year or 2 later. Also I have heard that the Non greable are a 10 % stronger bearing and the same has been been said about the non greasable U- Joints inwhich have been used 4 ever on the Alpha side and later followed by the bravo's. Even Volvo went to Non greasable U joints over 10 years ago with out problems.

sleev-les

I'd have to look and see if there is one in the center. The ones I saw were on the sides. I'll have to check again.

Black Baja

iTrader: (2)

We have 4 transom housings sitting at the shop that Mercury had to pay for because there sealed bearings didn't last a season.

BUP

iTrader: (9)

And I had 6 GB greasable bearings so far this year alone as soon as the engine starts you can hear the bad GB. Lake Stored boats outside - Sitting for a couple of years and the hot Texas sun beating on the azz end has made the grease fall out of suspension. No bellows tear nor water intrusion. U joint Bellows has melted grease in them NOT gear oil - I know the difference.

Also I am not counting the ones that the end user never greases GB and are bad that way. Lack of greasing them a bare min once a year. ( 7 out 10 boat owners that have the greasable GB never have even put a grease gun to the zerk.ever ) and this really holds true for the water stored boats either in the water or on a hoist.

Most boat shops see this kind of boat owner who never does anything to it or who thinks he knows how to maintain his boat but always misses what really needs to be done.thru out the year - year after year..