lost a bearing roller. help!

[tamuben1]

I have a 1963 75HP Johnson electric shift V4AL-15E.
I was in the process of changing the seals in the lower unit and I am missing a roller from the pinion bearing. I have searched everywhere in my garage and have removed all but the back coil and bearing from the lower unit searching for the lost roller. I have two questions. Although to me it does not look like there is room for the roller to get lost in the last coil and bearing, is there room for it? I don't want to take them out if I don't have to, my service manual says I need a special tool or take a torch to it. Could the roller have always been missing? It has always ran good and shifted smoothly. I am not the first person to disassemble the lower unit. Sorry I don't have any pictures my camera is not cooperating, but I will try to put them up later.

Thanks in advance

 

[F_R]

Re: lost a bearing roller. help!

I have a 1963 75HP Johnson electric shift V4AL-15E.
I was in the process of changing the seals in the lower unit and I am missing a roller from the pinion bearing. I have searched everywhere in my garage and have removed all but the back coil and bearing from the lower unit searching for the lost roller. I have two questions. Although to me it does not look like there is room for the roller to get lost in the last coil and bearing, is there room for it? I don't want to take them out if I don't have to, my service manual says I need a special tool or take a torch to it. Could the roller have always been missing? It has always ran good and shifted smoothly. I am not the first person to disassemble the lower unit. Sorry I don't have any pictures my camera is not cooperating, but I will try to put them up later.

Thanks in advance

I don't see how it could get way back there. They usually fall out when assembling the two sections together and then it winds up Above the bearing, not down in the lower section. If somebody put it together with a missing roller, shame on him.

 

[tamuben1]

Re: lost a bearing roller. help!

I took the rest of the parts our looking for the lost roller, and it looks like the bearing has always been missing a roller. I am trying to buy a new bearing or preferbly just one roller. The bearing part number is 378264. I can find them for sale for about $100, I can also find the bearing that went to the heavy duty gearcases on other years, part number 377133 for about half that cost. Does anyone know what the difference in the two is? Can I use the cheaper one?