Hello fellow boaters, Just curious if anyone has had this issue before... Last year I replaced the gimple bearing and bellows on my bravo 1 outdrive. I purchased it from ebay dont think it was genuine mercruiser part. last weekend I was getting bad vibrations all weekend mostly when turning. So I took the boat home. last night pulled the drive disconnected the shift cable and removed the drive as I was doing this, the gimbal bearing just came out with the drive shaft bits and pieces were in there looked to be the outer race. really black grease everywhere. any know what would cause it just to pop out? Need to get some degreaser and clean the housing better but upon initial inspection the machined surface the bearing sits in looked good still and smooth, no groves That I can feel. would having to much trim (tilt up on drive) could that cause this? anyway let me know your thoughts or experiences thanks.

Buy a new gimball bearing and see if it presses or falls into the hole. And it is gonna fall in. That bearing died. Cage is black from heat. It spun in the housing and smoked it. I don't think there is a repair for that. The outer race is there and inside the cage. Those are pieces of the cage. You need a transom assy. Engine has to come out. What year and where are you?

Cheap aftermarket bearing. It is cooked
also misaligned engine to gimble bearing.
Must use alignment tool

cheap bearing bought online for a cheap price -- this has become an issue as being the current norm with online marine parts. Boat owners buying the cheapest chit online really does not saves money period. Have to ask how much did this bearing cost ?

Also looks like it never had any grease in it to begin with ? or your drive leaks gear oil into the bellows and washed the grease out of the gimbal bearing ? did you have gear oil in the bellows ? that is common as well.

Found the issue the motor mount came loose and lost the alignment

apex808 glad you found the issue,now fix it and go boating..but do check the coupler as well!

All well and good. You probably still need a transom shield. Get a bearing. See if it drives or falls in.