What Are Gimbal Bearings and Why Your Boat Needs Them

If you've ever heard a weird growling or rumbling sound coming from the back of your boat while making a sharp turn, you've probably spent some time Googling what are gimbal bearings and how much they're going to cost you to fix. It's one of those parts that most casual boaters don't even know exists until it starts making a racket, but it's actually a pretty critical piece of hardware for anyone running an I/O (inboard/outboard) sterndrive. ...

February 22, 2026 · 7 min · Iwai Itzel