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Gimbal Ring Wear & Tear

Many questions we receive are about slop in the steering. Most times it is in the rear of the boat, inside of the gimbal housing, and not in the steering system itself. If you stand behind the boat and try to move the drive by hand, there should be no side to side / or up & down movement in the outdrive itself. If there is, you have to determine where the slop actually is.

Sometimes it is in-between the steering lever and the upper swivel shaft.

Click on image to enlarge it.

To determine where the slop is, have someone inside of the boat with a flash light. Now move the drive side to side while they look behind the engine at the steering lever which goes thru the back of the boat to the upper swivel shaft.

If the lever does not move but they can see the upper swivel shaft turning, then you may only have to replace the worn out steering lever.

Sometimes it is in-between the upper swivel shaft and the gimbal ring.

If they do not see the steering lever or upper swivel shaft moving inside of the boat, then look outside of the boat at the top of the gimbal ring. If you can see the bottom of the upper swivel shaft not moving but the gimbal ring does move, then the problem is a worn out gimbal ring.

Click here for removal instructions.

Click here for replacement parts.

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