Re: Mix lower unit gears and gearcase halves?

[vintin]

If the shift dog is reversed in orientation it presents it’s same surfaces to the gears. Like Dan said the bushings can be pushed out and swapped and this puts the lessor worn reverse gear in the forward position and vice versa. Unfortunately the shift dog still contacts the gears on their already worn location. Of course the reverse gear and dog contact area is most likely less worn then the forward gear and dog interface. It would be neat if it didn’t work out like this but I’m pretty sure it does.

I’ve only done this on one motor foot, a 1957 RDE.

Later prop shafts were drilled and had two ball bearing and a spring that indexed into a dog designed for such.