Prop shaft troubles.

[Fred Hickman]

Motor Info: 1998 Mercury 25HP, Long shaft, manual start, tiller control. SN: OG631924 MN:199825M. I managed to bend the prop shaft. I removed the three screws (M5x16) that secure the plate to the bearing carrier. I used a drift and hammer to back the threaded bearing carrier out of the lower unit housing. I installed the new prop shaft and secured the plate to the bearing carrier PRIOR to screwing the bearing carrier back into the lower unit housing. I then screwed the bearing carrier back into the housing using the drift and hammer to tighten it securely. ( I must have tightened it too much because it shifter would not go into forward or reverse). Subsequently, I backed the bearing carrier off just a little bit. The motor then shifted properly from reverse to neutral to forward. I reinstalled the prop and test ran the motor in a barrel of water. I let it run in forward and reverse for a half an hour or so. My concern is this: Did I reassemble and install the new shaft properly ? ( I don't want to run down the river and have that bearing carrier back out of the housing and lose the guts out of the bullet because I did not reassemble things properly ). Any advise or guidance would be beneficial to me. Thanx in advance. Gollum

 

[Yepblaze]

Re: Prop shaft troubles.

Perhaps there are, were, or should be shim(s) under the carrier used to set the depth of the assy.<br />If shimmed properly I would think you could tighten down the cover and still have everything operational.<br /><br />Maybe your replacement part was just a bit different than the one from before.