2004Gimbal forum
Replacing pan bearings in an IIIa gimbal
22 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- The pan bearings for an IIIa gimbal are Thinnex brand angular contact bearings, and two are needed for a complete replacement.
- Bearing dimensions are approximately 1.625 inches inner diameter by 1.875 inches outer diameter with 0.155 inches thickness.
- New Hampshire Ball Bearings and manufacturers like Kaydon and Silverthin may have compatible replacement bearings available.
- The gimbal should be disassembled by removing the upper cap with a spanner wrench, and all internal surfaces cleaned with denatured alcohol before installing new bearings.
- New bearings should be lubricated with Teflon oil applied sparingly to the races before installation.
- Bearing races must be inserted vertically and straight down without forcing, as they are precision-fit components that can be damaged by bending.
- The gimbal cap is fine-threaded and can cross-thread easily, requiring careful hand-threading before final tightening with a spanner wrench.
Depends on
- The original part number provided could not be confirmed as available from online suppliers.
- Bearing availability from specific manufacturers may involve long lead times and high costs for single units.
- One participant noted they could not pull apart their gimbal to verify measurements directly.
- The dimension information was based on an EFP bearing, not directly measured from an IIIa unit.