Re: Shift linkage on a 57 bell boy with 57 Johnson 35 hp

Home Forum Ask A Member Shift linkage on a 57 bell boy with 57 Johnson 35 hp Re: Shift linkage on a 57 bell boy with 57 Johnson 35 hp


opposedtwin

US Member - 2 Years
Replies: 968
Topics: 259
#72527

Disconnect the cables going to the controls. Shift it into reverse (by hand) and note the position of the shift lever. Do this for neutral and forward as well. Now hook the cables back up. Using the levers on the controls, put the motor in reverse. The shift lever (on the motor) should be in the exact same place as it was without the cable attached. Same scenario for neutral and forward. When the lever on the controls is in the all the way forward position, the shift lever on the motor should be all the way forward as well. Same scenario for reverse. When the lever on the controls is in the all the way back position, the shift lever on the motor should be all the way back as well. For neutral, the lever on the controls should be straight up and down in the "neutral" postion. Same for the shift lever on the motor.

If any of them are off a bit, you micro adjust the cable length by turning the black plastic disc (or the brass cylinder on the older style cables) one direction or the other in order to achieve what I described above.

Are you certain your controls are put together properly? The correct alignment of the gears on the bottom of the levers with the racks on the ends of the cables is essential. These are inside the box so you can’t see it unless you take the box apart. But IF the end play on the shift cable is the same from "neutral to forward" as it is from "neutral to reverse", it is fairly safe to assume they’re aligned correctly.