Gimbal housing / Transom assembly recommendation?

[Robbie Racer]

Has anyone found a heavier duty gimbal housing (or maybe called a transom assembly) for the Bravo One. I have a B-Max drive and the drive is holding up okay but I trashed the stock Mercury drive U-joint assembly and it broke some pieces off of the Bravo transom assembly where the bellows connects. Anyone have a line on a good used replacement if a heavier duty piece is not available? Thanks in advance.

[Paulie]

We see that all the time. We actually have a job going at the shop for the same reason. I think we may have another used on but I would have to check
Has anyone found a heavier duty gimbal housing (or maybe called a transom assembly) for the Bravo One. I have a B-Max drive and the drive is holding up okay but I trashed the stock Mercury drive U-joint assembly and it broke some pieces off of the Bravo transom assembly where the bellows connects. Anyone have a line on a good used replacement if a heavier duty piece is not available? Thanks in advance.

[Whipped Caliber]

I have the Diesel gimbal housing on mine. It's from merc or you can get one from the four letter company (Imco) It's been 3 seasons on it with 1,021hp and 923#T good luck! Which B-max are you running the new HT? :rolleyes:

[Robbie Racer]

I have the diesel gimbal housing on my B-Max drive too but I don't think it is any heavier duty than the standard unit. That gimbal and housing has lasted 5 years and 400 hours with 1200+ hp but when the u-joint failed it wiped out the area where the bellows attaches. I have one of the early B-max drives (2000 model year) and the upper has held up well. I have broken a few prop shafts over the years but I can't complain too much about that. Since I have to pull the motor to replace the gimbal housing, I was thinking of going with the Heavy Duty Merc Gimbal housing, gimbal and drive "bell housing" if the additional cost isn't too prohibitive.
Superior, please let me know if you run across a good used gimbal housing. I think they are around $1,000 for the stock unit (new) from Merc.
Thanks,
Keith

[bohica]

Imco sells one that the advertise as the best. Don't know how much stronger than stock they actually are.
Imco Gimball (http://www.imcomarine.com/pages/sterndrives.html)

[Cat & Mice]

could be an alignment issue!
MP

[ELIMINAT THIS]

could be an alignment issue!
MP
Im thinking it could be a 1200+hp plus a 400hp shot of nitrous issue.lol :) :crossx:

[Robbie Racer]

Im thinking it could be a 1200+hp plus a 400hp shot of nitrous issue.lol :) :crossx:
I think you are right on Kaler. The stock unit actually held up pretty well until I hit the button. I'm putting a heavier duty U-joint assembly back in it this time. Hopefully it will handle the juice better. :cool:

[Cat & Mice]

Im thinking it could be a 1200+hp plus a 400hp shot of nitrous issue.lol :) :crossx:
Uh Ya! That might have some effect!
I didn't catch that he had that much power and was using nitrous :crossx:
MP

[Boatmaster]

RR keep in mind your gimbal broke due to your u-joint failing. Even the HD housing will break off the bellows lip when the yoke fails.

[Robbie Racer]

RR keep in mind your gimbal broke due to your u-joint failing. Even the HD housing will break off the bellows lip when the yoke fails.
Good point Drew. Hopefully the new HD U-joint and yoke will withstand the abuse better than the stock unit did. Sorry I missed you on Thursday when I stopped by to pick up some parts. Do you have a gimbal housing in stock by any chance?
Thanks,
Keith

[Boatmaster]

Good point Drew. Hopefully the new HD U-joint and yoke will withstand the abuse better than the stock unit did. Sorry I missed you on Thursday when I stopped by to pick up some parts. Do you have a gimbal housing in stock by any chance?
Thanks,
Keith
Sorry I do not have one in stock, but I will be more than happy to drop ship one to you at a good price. Call me at the shop today if you want, I'm here till 5. 925-828-5775.

[Robbie Racer]

Thanks for the great price on the gimbal housing Drew. I look forward to seeing it on Tuesday and getting the sled back out on the water. :)

[Boatmaster]

Thanks for your business Kieth it's on the way.

[acatitude]

hey Keith , just out of curiosity, when the drive went to hell was there any steering issues??? or did it go straight???? good luck gettin it back together... sounds like gene is going to be busy for a few days pullin a motor around, lol... can you just slide it forward with your back seat out or do you have to actually pull the motor out??? good luck bud...

[acatitude]

Im thinking it could be a 1200+hp plus a 400hp shot of nitrous issue.lol :) :crossx:
lol, ill second that one Kaler

[Robbie Racer]

hey Keith , just out of curiosity, when the drive went to hell was there any steering issues??? or did it go straight???? good luck gettin it back together... sounds like gene is going to be busy for a few days pullin a motor around, lol... can you just slide it forward with your back seat out or do you have to actually pull the motor out??? good luck bud...
Hi Ken, the U-joint broke when I was going straight so there were no steering issues. I'm glad it didn't let go when I was in that turn at 110 though. I'm not sure how that would have affected steering but it might have not been good. Glen said we might be able to slide the motor forward enough to be able to remove the transom assembly but we won't know for sure until we see how much room we have. If I remember correctly, I think it can only be slid forward about 6" or so and I don't know if that will give us enough room to get in there.

[Dave C]

:supp: :idea: classic!
the parts are bad and must be punished.... :crossx:
Im thinking it could be a 1200+hp plus a 400hp shot of nitrous issue.lol :) :crossx:

[Robbie Racer]

Thanks for your business Kieth it's on the way.
Hey Drew, what would it cost me to buy the Heavy Duty gimbal and bell housing from you? I think it's part number 822374A6 but I'm not sure.
Thanks,
Keith

[Washed Ashore]

Hey Drew, what would it cost me to buy the Heavy Duty gimbal and bell housing from you? I think it's part number 822374A6 but I'm not sure.
Thanks,
Keith
Kieth,
If you buy a new set up,I would be interested in the old one.I'm pretty good with fiberglass,I think I can fix it :rollside: With the parts I have,And yours maybe I can put something together,Gots me a new project n-shit :220v:
Jeff

[MACHINEHEAD]

From what I have seen the large u-joints dont leave enough meat in the h-bar assm. and the small u-joints cant hang with the power. Using the latest model XR joint assm. which has to be purchased as an assm. with the shaft and all, seemes to hold up. I have tried to replace just the joints and ended up with some noise, so replace the whole u-joint and shaft together as it comes from Mercury. Side by side you can see how much more beefy the new XR unit is. And Roger That with the IMCO alighnment issue. After a few hours, :rollside: a new inside ring fixed the problem.

[Robbie Racer]

Kieth,
If you buy a new set up,I would be interested in the old one.I'm pretty good with fiberglass,I think I can fix it :rollside: With the parts I have,And yours maybe I can put something together,Gots me a new project n-shit :220v:
Jeff
No problem Jeff. The new gimbal housing and the new HD gimbal ring and bell housing are on the way (from Drew). What parts are you looking for exactly? Just the gimbal housing (with damaged area where the bellows attaches)? Or my old gimbal ring and gimbal bell housing (undamaged)?
I have a brand new Bravo (non Heavy duty model) gimbal bell housing for sale now. Since I decided to go with the HD model, I can't use this one. The Bravo Shop wants a 15% restocking fee plus freight so if anybody needs one, let me know and you can save 15%.
Keith

[Robbie Racer]

From what I have seen the large u-joints dont leave enough meat in the h-bar assm. and the small u-joints cant hang with the power. Using the latest model XR joint assm. which has to be purchased as an assm. with the shaft and all, seemes to hold up. I have tried to replace just the joints and ended up with some noise, so replace the whole u-joint and shaft together as it comes from Mercury. Side by side you can see how much more beefy the new XR unit is. And Roger That with the IMCO alighnment issue. After a few hours, :rollside: a new inside ring fixed the problem.
Thanks Machinehead. I did purchase the Bravo HD U-joint assembly. The Bravo Shop also assembled the front mounting plate of the B-Max drive to it so it would be an easy fit to my drive. Hopefully this assembly will handle the extra load that one or two times a year that I use the nitrous. :cool: