Lower Unit Swap

[pestario13]

I have a 1997 Mercury 60 HP ELPTO with a bad lower unit. It needs to be replaced but finding one that isn't the Bigfoot has been a challenge. I understand that the standard unit that came with the motor is a 1.64:1 ratio while the Bigfoot is a 2.3:1 ratio. Since I am not all that concerned with the top end speed of my boat, is it possible to swap out the original lower unit with a Bigfoot version since they are a lot easier to come by?