Gear Housing won't go back

[pete44]

Hello. Cannot get my lower unit (gear housing) of outdrive to mate back with upper unit of stern drive..I followed procedure as described on this site : www.mercstuff.com/water_pump_inst.htm ....I made sure boat is in forward gear(upper shift shaft straight ahead-facing stern).. (and that shift shaft was clockwise and placed slight pressure on propeller shaft in counterclockwise position to lock lower unit in forward gear..it "tries" to go but has about a 3/4" gap all around....meaning to me that splines are not lining up...After I installed water pump I made sure I could turn shaft on lower unit...(with both hands and some force) to check impeller..it had a good deal of resistance...maybe I did something wrong putting pump back together.....Thanks,Pete

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Gear Housing won't go back

The part they left out is that you have to turn the prop backwards a bit to line the driveshaft splines up,then make sure the lower shoe is on the splined shift shaft correctly BEFORE tightening the nuts down.

 

[stronga]

Re: Gear Housing won't go back

Mine was hitting on the shift connection between the male splines on the gear case and the drive shaft housing, along with the female rod kept falling down and then would not line up and hit on the u bracket. I stuck a rag up under the bellows to hold the rod up to line it up.

As you can see, the u is about a 3/4". The u is underneath the bell housing below the exhaust bellows.

Also, the female part the goes on over the shifter shaft on the gear case was corroded and full of grease not letting it slip on.

 

[pete44]

Re: Gear Housing won't go back

The part they left out is that you have to turn the prop backwards a bit to line the driveshaft splines up,then make sure the lower shoe is on the splined shift shaft correctly BEFORE tightening the nuts down.

Thanks for the info...I currently in this phase do not have the prop installed...I just ensure the shift shaft on lower unit is in forward (clockwise) direction..(for forward gear) and that I turn the prop shaft (counterclockwise) to make sure forward gear is "engaged"...BUT...you have a point...the SPLINES are just not lining up..My main concern is that drive shaft/water pump assembly is HARD to turn...I mean a two handed HARD to turn...Should it be that hard to turn drive shaft???..and does anyone have a easier procedure on how to do this right?....Thanks,Pete