gimbal bearing or universal joint failure?

If it is ok going straight, likely its the u-joints.

Checking it with the drive removed, hold the end of the spline (spline in
palm, thumb pointing to u-joints) and give it a twist to load the bearings
tight, then, exercise the bearings by drawing a circle. If it feels smooth,
you're ok, chances are you'll feel the roughness - feels like rollers riding
over small ridges, a sort of sliding over a washboard effect. If you do a
90 movement one way then the next 90 degree direction, you won't feel
anything.

Tan PS


"doug" wrote in message

 > Is there any way to tell the difference between gimbal bearing or
universal
 > joint failure. At the end of last season my boat (1984 bayliner,305, volvo
 > 280) started to vibrate when I made turns hard to port or starboard or
even
 > when in the slip at low rpm it still had the vibrations when I turned the
 > wheel hard one way or the other.At top speed going straight it was smooth
as
 > silk.I appreciate any help you can give.
 > Thanks, Dugb
 >
 >
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