SHIFT shaft removal.

[Donnieb007]

I believe my shift shaft to be bent on my 2011 mercury 60hp EFI 4S. Upon reassembly of LU outboard will no longer shift at all. Can turn shift shaft by hand when LU is removed . Appear it does not spin true.(assuming bent and this is not normal) any help on the replacement would be appreciated.

 

[Texasmark]

I really doubt it is bent unless somebody, at one time used undue force to get the LU and midsection section mated. The diameter to length ratio is too big. I'd be more apt to look at the shift rod in the midsection. The interface is tight and the splines have to be lined up exactly....may be a burr, or corrosion.
With the LU removed, turn the stub and check it and then look up in the midsection and shift the remote control and check the shift rod.
To directly answer your question, the last time I had one out, both ends of that little 1 to 1.5" stub are six splines. The bottom fits into the shifter cam plate just like the top marries to the shift rod in the mid section. If you pull it out of the cam, getting it back in can be a real bear, normally requiring you to gut the LU to get at the cam to line it up so that you can stab the shifter shaft stub into it.

 

[Donnieb007]

I really doubt it is bent unless somebody, at one time used undue force to get the LU and midsection section mated. The diameter to length ratio is too big. I'd be more apt to look at the shift rod in the midsection. The interface is tight and the splines have to be lined up exactly....may be a burr, or corrosion.
With the LU removed, turn the stub and check it and then look up in the midsection and shift the remote control and check the shift rod.
To directly answer your question, the last time I had one out, both ends of that little 1 to 1.5" stub are six splines. The bottom fits into the shifter cam plate just like the top marries to the shift rod in the mid section. If you pull it out of the cam, getting it back in can be a real bear, normally requiring you to gut the LU to get at the cam to line it up so that you can stab the shifter shaft stub into it.

 

[Donnieb007]

So when I rotate the shift shaft by hand I can see the center of that rod move about 3/8" off center. So something there is not kosher . Also when I first removed the lower unit is was a ***** and something was holding it up, so possibly this bent shaft? It appears to be engaging the male and female splines well enough. Everything works fine until they are connected. Really not looking forward to this job.

 

[Donnieb007]

So when I rotate the shift shaft by hand I can see the center of that rod move about 3/8" off center. So something there is not kosher . Also when I first removed the lower unit is was a ***** and something was holding it up, so possibly this bent shaft? It appears to be engaging the male and female splines well enough. Everything works fine until they are connected. Really not looking forward to this job.

Also can't find anything wrong with the longer shift rod coming from the power head.