TOPIC: Shift rods tight

Bear cat motor
Had to take the lower unit of and change the gear head on a long leg the shift rod has a bunch of bends in it. So had to unscrew it and let it stay in the uper part. Get it all togather and its so tight I can move it by hand. So what did I do wrong?
Mike aka the pirate

The same thing happened to me when I dropped the lower unit to paint it. There could be two things wrong. The shifter passes thru a rubber holder. That could be binding it or the shifter could not be positioned properly. Also there is an o-ring seal from the gear case to the impellor housing and if it's not seated properly, it will bind. A good place to start is when you have the lower unit completely out. Move the shifter up and down and see how that works. I bolted the impellor housing on the lower unit first, the to the leg. Try that. Doesn't sound like a real problem. Yes the shifter should move very freely.

Dam I hate to pull it all apart again. But if I have to I have to
Thanks
Mike aka the pirate

There's not that much to take off. Just remove the access plate, remove the two shift linkage screws, and then the six allen head bolts from the lower unit. If you have an allen head socket, then you can use a socket or speed wrench to remove it. I forgot to tell you, when it's off and you shift the linkage arm, turn the long shaft and see if the prop shaft is turning. Then move the shifter again and continue and see if the prop shaft is turning the other way. Remember, counter clockwise. Sounds like something real small.

Pathfinderz, correction. The impellor housing is held on to the gear housing by two nuts. The six allen head bolts are for the impellor housing to the leg. Anyway, you get the idea. If you have a soft jawed vice, you can clamp the fin in the vice and slip the housing and actually see what's going on. Then turn the drive shaft and shifter while in the vice. Move the shifter up and down and see what's up. If it's OK, it may be the sfifting rod in the motor pan.

I have the lower unit out and took it all apart to replace the foot with the gears in it. I put it all back togather and the shift rod is so tight I can'm move it at all. What I don't know is why its to tight. It so tight I have to put cresnt wrench to trun it to line it up.
Hope that explains it all. If you need pix I can get them/
Mike aka the pirate

Not quite sure how you did this, I'm trying to replicate what you said you did here with lower unit parts that I have. Did you remove the output bearing on the gearcase so you could line up the shift rod with the connector inside the gearcase? There is a locknut on the end of the shift rod which could have fallen off inside the gearcase. Also when replacing parts did you use the same type gear box as there are two different types, early and late. Bearcats have a threaded pinion, early Homelites have a splined pinion.

There was only one big differance and that was one a short shsft and one a long shaft. The gear head or foot looks to be the same on both of them. I can turn the prop shaft and the drive shaft truns didn't look to see what gear its in. Oh and there was no lock nut on either one for the shift rod. The easist way for me to see the shift screw into place waw to pull the front off the prop shaft. When screwing the shift rod in it was tight all the way. Thought it would get lose when it was put all back togather but didn't.
Mike aka the pirate

pathfinderz1 wrote:

The gear head or foot looks to be the same on both of them.

When screwing the shift rod in it was tight all the way.

Oh and there was no lock nut on either one for the shift rod. The easiest way for me to see the shift screw into place was to pull the front off the prop shaft. It would get lose when it was put all back together but didn't.
Mike aka the pirate

To use the shortshaft gear head you had to change the shift rod and the driveshaft, correct? The driveshafts were splined on both ends, correct? If so then you're okay.

So the only problem you now have is the shift rod, as you threaded it into the connector (which you could see because you pulled the output bearing housing which is behind the prop) it screwed in tight. You screwed it in while the shift rod was still in the upper housing, sounds like it's cross threaded. I've always been able to remove the rod through the upper housing while it's still attached to the gearcase, long or shortshaft. There may be a rubber plug with a hole the rod passes through that needs to be removed from the upper housing.

Thanks I will check that as soon as my arm quits hurting I was under my riding mower and it came down on me and cut my arm good 5 stichs Lucky for me my big grandson and his mothers big friend were the to lift it off me.
I will pull it all back apart and go from there.
Mike aka the pirate

OUCH! Neighbor wanted to borrow my floorjack to get under his daughter's car. I made him take the jackstands too!!!!!

Hope when you get back into the Bearcat you solve the problem.

Ok I took it all apart and checked the rod and seal could not find anything wrong so put it back togather and it works. Put it back on the motor and it shifts and punps thata all that counts.
thanks
Mike aka the pirate