Alpha 1, gen 1 shift shaft question

[Augoose]

I'm in the process of replacing my lower gear unit with another. I swapped in the new lower gear unit and as I was trying to align the drive unit shift shaft coupler with the bell housing shift shaft coupler, I noticed that the drive unit shift shaft coupler drops down too far and won't couple with the bell housing coupler.

I can lift it up and it will mate, but then it just drops right back down again. Is there supposed to be a bushing or some other component which holds the drive unit shift shaft coupler up high enough to mate with the bell housing shift shaft coupler?

 

[ziggy]

Re: Alpha 1, gen 1 shift shaft question

i think your missing the washer that sits on top of the shift shaft in the lower. ya gotta have that wash in place.....

 

[Don S]

Re: Alpha 1, gen 1 shift shaft question

Yes, there should be a stainless steel washer on top of the shift shaft bushing on the lower unit. It has to be large enough to sit on the metal part of the bushing, not just down inside the bushing and sitting on the seal.

 

[Augoose]

Re: Alpha 1, gen 1 shift shaft question

I think I am missing that washer in fact - thank you. I'm missing about an inch of height - would the addition of that washer make up the difference that I'm missing?

 

[Don S]

Re: Alpha 1, gen 1 shift shaft question

Since we posted at the same time you missed the picture. It won't be an inch, but you arent missing by an inch either.

 

[Augoose]

Re: Alpha 1, gen 1 shift shaft question

Thanks guys for the lightning fast responses. You are right Don, I did miss your post initially but I went back and modified my question. The boat is back at the storage lot so I can't measure again, but I thought it was almost an inch of space I was missing, but maybe not.

I'll drop the lower gear unit tomorrow and report back.
Thank you Don and Ziggy for such quick responses

 

[Augoose]

Re: Alpha 1, gen 1 shift shaft question

Bow down to the lords of boat repair.....
The washer fixed my issue. Without the washer, the shift shaft coupler goes down inside the bushing assembly, thereby losing quite a bit of vertical height. The washer fits on top and prevents the shift shaft coupler from dropping.
Thanks Ziggy and Don!