Drive Shaft Removal?

[Novax]

I have a 1976 Johnson 40HP motor. Is there a trick to removing the drive shaft? Father in Law said it should just slide out but it seems to be stuck, thought maybe something was holding it in place? Also, it looks like it is two pieces, one going up into the other...may just be the way it is made?

 

[boobie]

Re: Drive Shaft Removal?

Where are you trying to remove it from, G/C or P/H ?? A model # would also help.

 

[woody66912]

Re: Drive Shaft Removal?

You have to remove the pump housing, the impeller key is holding the shaft in.

 

[HighTrim]

Re: Drive Shaft Removal?

Driveshaft is stuck up in the motor and wont drop?

Did you disconnect the shift rod underneath the carb first before you tried to drop the gearcase?

If so, and you got all the bolts, the splines may be seized. Let us know some more info.

 

[boobie]

Re: Drive Shaft Removal?

There is a cover on the side of the exhaust housing you remove to disconnect the shift linkage. Remove the lower bolt. Not under the carb.

 

[HighTrim]

Re: Drive Shaft Removal?

My mistake, Boobie is correct, I had a '76 55hp in my head instead of the 40hp when reading your post as that is what I am currently working on.

 

[F_R]

Re: Drive Shaft Removal?

Novax, lots of good replies here, but no followup from you. The shaft should just pull out once the water pump is off. Is that what you are trying to do? What do you mean, two piece??? It is just a straight shaft, one piece. Or are we not talking about the same motor? Model number???

 

[Novax]

Re: Drive Shaft Removal?

Everything is removed so I'm gonna say it is seized in there. The model number is 40E76R. The shaft itself looks to be a two piece, about a foot from the bottom is what looks to be a connection and it is going up in the upper rod. Was kinda dirty around it and couldnt get it all off so I was just assuming (Asking) that is was a two piece. So it took me so long to get back with a response.

 

[mark1961]

Re: Drive Shaft Removal?

On the portside of your motors midsection roughly midway there is a plate with two screws which you need to remove.....i think this may be the disconnect/connect point for the two halves of your shiftrod.

 

[boobie]

Re: Drive Shaft Removal?

Are you talking about the drive shaft or the shift rod???????????

 

[mark1961]

Re: Drive Shaft Removal?

Based on it being two piece im assuming its the shift rod.....

 

[Novax]

Re: Drive Shaft Removal?

It's the drive shaft, the shift rod came out fine.

Here is a drawing of what the drive shaft looks like:

 

[mark1961]

Re: Drive Shaft Removal?

Regardless of shaft length.....im only seeing a one piece driveshaft listed for that motor. If it wont drop now it must be seized due to corrosion up in the crankshaft splines.

 

[Novax]

Re: Drive Shaft Removal?

After further inspection and some good cleaning...it is a one piece. Still stuck tho so Im gonna try some soaking in PB Blaster for a couple days and see if it will come out. Got some ideas floating around and another motor (Short Shaft). I'll let you know what I come up with. 7 Bolts is what I have. Not counting the two from the side plate and one inside of where the plate is.

 

[mark1961]

Re: Drive Shaft Removal?

Sorry mate, took me a while to realise you already had the lower unit off.....good luck with the removal.

 

[F_R]

Re: Drive Shaft Removal?

IF---IF you have the lower unit removed from the midsection, which is what i've been assuming all along, and IF you have the water pump housing removed, then the shaft should just slide right out easy.

IF the pump housing is off and the shaft won't slide out, I'd fear you have some serious rust inside that gearcase. Since it is supposed to be filled with oil there should be no rusting or siezure.

BTW, why are you trying to remove the shaft anyway? Sounds like thre is more to this story.

 

[Novax]

Re: Drive Shaft Removal?

BTW, why are you trying to remove the shaft anyway? Sounds like thre is more to this story.

I'm going by what my father in law told me. He said it is hard to get the lower unit back on after replacing the water pump with the drive shaft in, it needs to be in the lower unit when put back together. The shaft is still in the upper section, not the lower.

 

[mark1961]

Re: Drive Shaft Removal?

Your outlaw is correct.....only way to do it really.....have you managed to remove the driveshaft from the powerhead yet?

 

[Novax]

Re: Drive Shaft Removal?

LOL, "Outlaw", I like it. No, still in there. Starting to think it's not coming out...may be time to look for a different motor...

 

[HighTrim]

Re: Drive Shaft Removal?

Hang it upside down from the driveshaft, so that the weight of the motor is pulling apart the connection. Let gravity help you. Only have the motor an inch or so though from a pillow or pad, so that if it does fall you will not damage anything. Soak it liberally with PB Blaster, and if you have air impact hammer, use it on the drive shaft to help free the splines with vibrations.