25 HP Evinrude Lower Drive Question

[itsarunner]

I have a 25 hp Evinrude and have a lower drive assembly question. It is a late 60's. When placing the detent spring and two balls inside the prop shaft and placing the shifter dog on the shaft, is there a certain way the dog should be orientated on the shaft? Inside the shifter dog, there are the spline groves and on inside there are two deeper grooves perpendicular to the spline grooves. If I place these grooves where they line up with the detent balls, it is difficult or impossible to shift. It was like that when I bought it. These two grooves do not appear to be wear etc., they look machined and the rest of the assembly looks to be in really good condition.

Should the detent balls be aligned with these two internal grooves or not? Hope this makes sense and thanks for any help.

 

[F_R]

They should be aligned. If they are off a tad, try it with the dog rotated 180 degrees on the shaft. It should be difficult to shift by finger pressure, but will be oK when everything is together and filled with oil. The spring & balls make the dog move with a distinct "snap" when shifting----that is the purpose of it.

 

[itsarunner]

Thanks for the response. I have worked on the smaller 10 hp from the 50's and could always move those pretty easy, but I don't think they had the detents either. This one is very difficult to move just with fingers. Assembled, I can't pull up on the shift rod by hand and shift it either, it seems to hard to pull up or down to shift, but maybe it is supposed to be that way. Without the detents installed, it shifts very easily.

 

[F_R]

As I indicated, it is normal. It should move with a snap when doing it with the shift lever. Yes, it will be difficult the way you are attempting to do it. It will be just fine, don't worry about it.