1988 Force lower unit changeout

[swimmin' for shore]

I looked up the numbers on this and saw that you can use an 85 or 125 HP lower unit from 87-89. As I recall, some of those have driveshafts that seperate and some have the ones that don't. Are they interchangeable?

 

[john from md]

Re: 1988 Force lower unit changeout

Search using Frank Acampora's name. This subject has been covered ad nauseum.

John

 

[swimmin' for shore]

Re: 1988 Force lower unit changeout

I've spent the past 90 minutes looking through Mr. Acampora's posts now. Interesting and informative though they are, perhaps someone might remember the title of the post and be able to direct me more specifically, or just tell me simply if the 2 different lower units are interchangeable?

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: 1988 Force lower unit changeout

I have the time.
85 and 125 have different gear ratios. You can use them the performance will suffer.
As far as the shaft length what ever you can get to make the length. should do the trick 87-89 should be the same. The 89 might come with a two piece shaft but it could be used on the older.J

 

[swimmin' for shore]

Re: 1988 Force lower unit changeout

Maybe I'm dense, but that's still not what I'm looking for Jerry, though I do really appreciate you taking the time to answer. The question is-in 1988, they made 2 types of driveshafts in 125 HP lower units. They made the 2 piece, that can be removed from the lower unit via a coupling. Then, on some models, they have the single piece, attached driveshaft that we're all used to for the last hundred years or so. In 1987-89, 85 and 125 HP Force lower units interchange, but nothing is said about interchangeability of the 2 different types of driveshaft. Can I take a lower unit off that had the 2-piece driveshaft and replace it with one that has a 1-piece driveshaft?