Bought a Alpha 1 over the winter to build up for a spare drive in case I grenade my primary. I bought a GLM lower gear kit with all new gears and bearings and 1.50 Heavy Duty upper gears with all new bearings. New Merc prop and vert shafts. I set it up by the Merc service manual.
Installed on the boat and fired up on the trailer to check shift operation. Everything fine.
Took it down to the lake to break everything in and it was fine, until it would not shift into reverse. Forward was fine. Came home pulled the lower half and disassembled. Nothing torn up, gear pattern looked great, nothing major on magnet. I then noticed the F gear needle bearing had backed out and was hitting the spool keeping the clutch from engaging the R gear.
I figured it might not have been pressed in all the way so I pressed it in and retested today. Same thing happened, shifts fine for 5-6 shifts and then won't engage R. Pulled apart and it's the same thing.
I've been around Alpha 1's since the early 90's but this has me stumped. Nothing contacts the needle bearing to push it out. If you replace the bearing per the service manual you have to cut it out. I can only guess that either the needle bearing is undersized or the gear is oversize and the bearing works it's way out?
What are my options? What could cause this?
Installed on the boat and fired up on the trailer to check shift operation. Everything fine.
Took it down to the lake to break everything in and it was fine, until it would not shift into reverse. Forward was fine. Came home pulled the lower half and disassembled. Nothing torn up, gear pattern looked great, nothing major on magnet. I then noticed the F gear needle bearing had backed out and was hitting the spool keeping the clutch from engaging the R gear.
I figured it might not have been pressed in all the way so I pressed it in and retested today. Same thing happened, shifts fine for 5-6 shifts and then won't engage R. Pulled apart and it's the same thing.
I've been around Alpha 1's since the early 90's but this has me stumped. Nothing contacts the needle bearing to push it out. If you replace the bearing per the service manual you have to cut it out. I can only guess that either the needle bearing is undersized or the gear is oversize and the bearing works it's way out?
What are my options? What could cause this?
