1968 mercury 500 reverse gear removal.

[luckys pinstriping]

Hello.
1968 mercury 500 S/N-2408947. I am changing the lower unit seals because it was leaking oil. when i removed the bearing carrier i noticed the thrust washer against the reverse gear has a slight crack. Is the reverse gear pressed into the bearing or is the bearing pressed into the carrier. I see to replace the thrust washer i need to remove the reverse gear.

I am wondering how to do this without destroying anything

Thank You

 

[Texasmark]

For the bearing to function there has to be an interference fit between the bearing-housing and the race, even when the race is permanently connected to the bearing. I'd put the prop shaft with the carrier attached on something (wood) to support the R gear with a hole down the center for the internal parts connected to the prop shaft to fit down through out of the way.

I'd turn the prop nut upside down and screw it onto the prop shaft until it is flush externally. Then with a block of hard wood and a mallet, (2 lb hand sledges is what I'd use) drive the shaft down through the R gear removing the nut when necessary and continuing until the shaft is out.

Then I would support the carrier assembly, like you would support a rear axle on a car when you were driving a bearing off it...2 C shaped steel sections that slide up and around the carrier. Using a drift punch, reach through the hole where the prop shaft was located and in circular fashion, work around the shank of the R gear till you get the thing apart.

Been 20 years since I did that and I'm a bit rusty so I could have missed a bit here and there, but hopefully you get the idea.

Looks like you got the spanner nut off and the carrier out. Did it go pretty much your way or what?

 

[luckys pinstriping]

Texasmark Thank you. makes sense but i do have a few questions.

The shaft is out of the carrier currently. If i understand your directions correctly i need to support the carrier properly i can start at paragraph number three in your description.

If i properly support the carrier i should be able to drive the reverse gear out of the bearing race using a drift punch. I will be going thru inside of the carrier tapping the bottom edge of the reverse gear. Is this correct?

I am concerned that i will damage the reverse gear by tapping on the lip of the shank. Because the shaft then spins inside of the gear it would then damage the prop sahft while running. Does this make sense?

Thank you so much for your help.

By the way spanner nut and carrier came out fairly easy. I was able to make a small puller from two pieces of bar stock that hooked on the inside of the carrier and i could pull the carrier out with no trouble.

If i had not broken the thrust washer i would be back out fishing already.

Thank you again for your help, if you could clarify my couple questions i will get back to it tonight,

Nick

 

[luckys pinstriping]

Also if pulling this apart would you recommend replacing the bearing also?