Shifting into reverse is really hard

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TnTommy

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Got a 2000 evinrude 50hp 4 stroke when I shift into forward it very easy, but when I go back to neutral it gets a lot harder and then if I shift to reverse it's really hard to shift but will go back out of reverse to neutral easy and then to forward easy. Cables are new
I unhooked the cables at the motor and moved the shift lever by hand and it's same thing I'll try to post a video of it
 
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saltchuckmatt

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TnTommy said:
Will do I'm in the middle of restoring it so as soon as I get it all back together I will
Click to expand...
Racer is correct, it's hard on the lower end if you don't rotate the prop while shifting it not running.

Other things can happen too though.
 
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TnTommy

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TnTommy said:
Got a 2000 evinrude 50hp 4 stroke when I shift into forward it very easy, but when I go back to neutral it gets a lot harder and then if I shift to reverse it's really hard to shift but will go back out of reverse to neutral easy and then to forward easy. Cables are new
I unhooked the cables at the motor and moved the shift lever by hand and it's same thing I'll try to post a video of it
Click to expand...
Ok so I got done with the restoration boat looks great, took it out on lake and is the same as described I can shift into drive with ease but going back into neutral is a bit harder and then if I shift into reverse I feel like I'm going to break something I have to put so much force to get it to go in reverse, a couple times it sounded like I was grinding gears when trying to go into reverse, so I checked the cables and linkage it looks good everything tight, I took the shift shaft loose right above the gear case the shift rod going up to motor look good moved freely the rod coming up from gear case would push down with just a touch I assume that's drive with a pair of vice grips I pulled up to put it neutral had to use a good bit of force and then pulled up to put into reverse had to really pull hard I mean I wasn't sure It was going to go and yes I was turning prop whit pulling the rod up. Do I have a gear problem?
 
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TnTommy

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2000 evinrude (Suzuki) 50hp 4stroke goes into drive really easy but back into neutral is stiff and putting it into reverse I have to really put a lot of force into it I replaced the shift cables and checked all linkage nothing changed, I took it out on the water this weekend and it's same goes into drive really easy but reverse is so hard to go into if I try to ease it in to reverse the gears actually grind so I have to slam it hard. When I got home I took the shift shaft loose right above the gear case as if I was going to take lower unit off the shifted the rod by hand while spinning the prop it went down into drive with very little pressure but pulling it back up into neutral with a pair of vice grips was hard and then pulling it up from there into reverse I did not think it was going to go I had to pull so hard do I have gear problems?
 
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Chris1956

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the shift rod needs to go down into the shift pocket cover to engage reverse. sometimes dirt or corrosion can build up on the shift rod or cover oring, binding the shift rod. also, I have had the shift pocket cover swell a bit, grabbing the shift rod.
drop the gearcase and try to shift by hand. see if it binds
 
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TnTommy

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So I took shift rod loose at top of gearcase where it goes down into gear case and shifted it in to drive and reverse by hand it was the same I'll post pic of where I took shift rod loose ya think there could be build up below where rod goes into gear case?
 

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Chris1956

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If the shift rod moves hard or binds, you need to drop the gearcase and find out why. If it moves freely, look at the other linkage, under the carbs for the binding issue.
Also, look at the alignment of the triple clamp that the shift rod goes thru. If the lower motor mounts have play in them, the shift rod can bind.
 
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TnTommy

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Here a short video of shifting with the gear case taken off it didn't seem to bad to me
 

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racerone

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Are you turning the prop when shifting ??----Are you aware of the fact that the clutchdog is SPRING LOADED, yes , no or no idea on this ?
 
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