My lower unit had started to leak just slightly. I assumed the seals were going bad. I took it in to Andy Buck to change out the seals for me and got a wake up call. My lower unit had the "O" ring leaking that was on the gear housing of the lower. emoScratch We bought Eddie Poe in on it and got a conversation started up about this issue. Come to find out the gear housing in a lower unit is just placed into the lower unit and the lower has pegs built in to keep them from moving. Over time these pegs will wear out or if you ever get water in your lower and it freezes the pegs will often break. Once this happens the gear housing can now move. Over time a lower unit gear housing will move enough to wear out the "O" ring that is on the gear housing to hold in the lower unit fluid. If it gets so much play that it can move an 1/8th of an inch you will loose your reverse with that much play.
Eddie Poe told us that the simple cheap solution is to pin the gear housing in the lower unit on the left side. You just take two stainless steal bolts with nuts and lock washers, drill a hole threw the lower unit on the left side in the eight o'clock and ten o'clock position. Then a matching hole in the gear housing itself, then run the bolts threw both and pin it in place. It will stop the gear housing inside the lower unit from ever moving again. It also keeps out wear from the "O" ring by doing this and will allow your lower unit to last longer. Eddie told us he does all the racing boats he deals with this way and anyone with a older lower unit would and could save a costly replacement by doing this simple procedure. The issue is that any time your unit is running it is always pulling that prop to the right side and it will wear over time on that side. I have noticed this over the years but had never had anyone explain to me why it did. By pinning it on the left side it can no longer pull over or wear in this way on the right.
Eddie has been doing lower units for 35+ years and does many this way right out of the factory to help in the wear of high end motors. emoEek I asked him why the factory did not do them and his answer was one word, "Expense". This would just be an additional expense in building the motor and they have never had pressure put on them to do so. A normal high end motor on a bass rig or racing boat will last a good five years normally without doing this so when it does finally happen if you keep your boat long enough no one looks at that as the cause. They either replace the motor or lower unit.
Learn something new every day. Mine is now pined in place, the "O" replaced and while Andy was in there he replaced my bearings. emoGeezer Jmax
Eddie Poe told us that the simple cheap solution is to pin the gear housing in the lower unit on the left side. You just take two stainless steal bolts with nuts and lock washers, drill a hole threw the lower unit on the left side in the eight o'clock and ten o'clock position. Then a matching hole in the gear housing itself, then run the bolts threw both and pin it in place. It will stop the gear housing inside the lower unit from ever moving again. It also keeps out wear from the "O" ring by doing this and will allow your lower unit to last longer. Eddie told us he does all the racing boats he deals with this way and anyone with a older lower unit would and could save a costly replacement by doing this simple procedure. The issue is that any time your unit is running it is always pulling that prop to the right side and it will wear over time on that side. I have noticed this over the years but had never had anyone explain to me why it did. By pinning it on the left side it can no longer pull over or wear in this way on the right.
Eddie has been doing lower units for 35+ years and does many this way right out of the factory to help in the wear of high end motors. emoEek I asked him why the factory did not do them and his answer was one word, "Expense". This would just be an additional expense in building the motor and they have never had pressure put on them to do so. A normal high end motor on a bass rig or racing boat will last a good five years normally without doing this so when it does finally happen if you keep your boat long enough no one looks at that as the cause. They either replace the motor or lower unit.
Learn something new every day. Mine is now pined in place, the "O" replaced and while Andy was in there he replaced my bearings. emoGeezer Jmax