Evinrude Lower Unit

[Mike-Sea]

I am working on a 1956 Evinrude 30 hp motor and the lower unit gear housing has a 2 inch long in the lower gear case and will need to be replaced. My question Is can I just replace the lower section or do I need to replace the whole foot? Also drive gear needs to be replaced, can I just replace it or do I need to replace all three gears?
Thanks Mike

[frankr]

The upper and lower sections are a matched set and not supposed to be swapped. But people do it anyway.

EDIT: Same with the gears. Pinion, forward and reverse, plus the pinion bearing and shims—all a matched set. But people do it anyway.

[Mike-Sea]

Frank do they have good or bad results with the swap?

[frankr]

I guess I’d say they get away with it. Then again, maybe nobody reports the results. I am sure I’ve swapped gears, but don’t think I’ve ever attempted the gearcase thing.

Those gears continued to be used in the 25hp Gale motors right up to 1964, and are listed separately in the ’60’s Gale parts books. But the pinion gear is always sold as an assembly with the tapered roller bearing.

EDIT: The individual gears are also shown in the 1963 Evinrude & Johnson 28hp parts books.

[fisherman6]

I have not yet tried the skeg swap, but I have heard a few reports. It ‘usually’ seems to work, but not always. As for the gears, once they are run in as a set, they ‘should’ be kept together. They will work and can be fit properly into another gearcase with patience and familiarity with how hypoid gears work, shims, and Prussian blue. I’d bet in most cases, they will just work though.
-Ben

OldJohnnyRude on YouTube

[david-bartlett]

I have swapped skegs on several OMC motors with no problems. Use new O-rings and spagetti seal and check for leaks. These motors ranged from 6hp to 25hp.

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