lower unit removal

benjamin23

Recruit
Joined
Mar 29, 2009
Messages
1
I'm trying to remove the lower unit on my merc cruier I/O. The shifter for some reason is stuck in reverse and I can't move it with the shifting lever in the cockpit. Does the shift have to be in full forward to remove the lower unit?
 

HT32BSX115

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 8, 2005
Messages
10,083
Re: lower unit removal

Howdy,

The short answer is YES....... it must be in "FORWARD" to come off or you bend/break something.

First and foremost, go up to the "Adult" sticky and download the appropriate manual for your model. Complete instructions will be there to remove your drive.


Cheers,


Rick
 

havasuboatman

Ensign
Joined
Mar 5, 2009
Messages
904
Re: lower unit removal

Depends on what kind of drive you have. If you have a bravo outdrive you leave the drive in neutral. all others place in forward gear.
You shouldn't shift a bravo drive unless the motor is running. Never turn the motor off when a bravo is in gear. It's a ***** to get it back into neutral when the motor is off, and unless you jump the neutral safety switch, it wont sart in gear.
If your drive is a bravo that may be why it wont come out of gear. To get a stuck bravo out of gear takes two people. One person applys pressure on the gearshift lever, the other goes back and rotates the prop. by standing on one blade. This technique will usually get a bravo to slip into neutral.

One more thing... If yours is a bravo, you wont find anything relating to shifting in the lower unit. Bravo drives shift in the upper gearcase.
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
71,082
Re: lower unit removal

Ayuh,... Of you're dropping ONLY the lower unit,+ Not the whole drive,...
You can take it apart in reverse...
'course,.. You won't be able to reinstall it til you Fix the shifting...
 
Top