1982 merc 50 HP trouble installing the LU

[Dean36]

I removed the LU and replaced the impeller in the water pump. I'm having one heck of a time installing the lower unit. Does anyone have any tricks or hints on installing one of these critters ?

 

[turtles11756]

Re: 1982 merc 50 HP trouble installing the LU

i'm no mechanic but i wrestled with a 1965' merc 500 for days on the same problem .the water tube, drive shaft , shift shaft, all need to be aligned when you bring the lower unit back up. the lower unit gears have to be in the same gear as the shift up top and with the reverse lock cam in the correct alignment. take a good look at everything and you can at least on mine hold shift shaft behind transom mount and position it so it lines right up with shift shat on lower unit. don't tighten up till you have it all line up right .you will know when you can bring them together with just hand pressure.use some grease on everything and you will get it .if you moved the reverse lock cam from where it was positioned originally that's will have to go back right also

 

[turtles11756]

Re: 1982 merc 50 HP trouble installing the LU

i should add that i still might not have put it back together without the help of DR.frankenmerc at on the mercury outpost at fiberglassics.com

 

[Dean36]

Re: 1982 merc 50 HP trouble installing the LU

Thanks guys for the input.

I got it installed. I don't think here's any easy way to get her done, except to fight it until you get everything lined up then all the sudden in it goes!!

 

[The_Kid]

Re: 1982 merc 50 HP trouble installing the LU

If you have a rolling floor jack it makes it a lot easier. I start the LU by hand and then roll the jack under the skeg. Using the jack you can slowly raise the unit while you're lining things up. If you don't have a jack you can lower the front of the trailer, put some blocks under the skeg and have someone crank the trailer back up as you line things up.