I would like to take the lower off the drive and put it on the work bench to paint up. Is it a big job or are there specific tools/parts required to pull just the lower off and then reassemble? If it is, i guess i could just pull the whole drive off, just didn't want to do it if i didn't have to. Thanks.

easy job to do..... there two bolts on each side of the drive that you can see that you undo....then you need to take the zink off the rear and under that zink is another bolt and the lower will sepperate....

Anything special that is needed to know about putting it back together? I take it there is just a spline shaft that goes back into the upper?

just make sure the o-rings around the shaft and the exhaust passage are in place.....and theres a splined "barrel" that is on the shaft that connects the lower to the upper....you should see it when you drop the lower unit....

So i should probably plan on getting those o-rings before the job then. Any other gaskets/orings needed. Do you happen to have a torque spec for the nuts/bolts? Thanks

i've re-used the orings plenty of times as long as they are not torn. and as for torquing them...i just crank it down.....im sure there are actuall specs for it..but never used them...

Per the manual, you're supposed to put the clamping plate on the lower after it's removed. I really don't understand why, but I do it anyway. Drain the oil, lossen all of the bolts and it comes right off. It is a pretty easy job with no special tools required other than the clamping plate.

Rene

What's a clamping plate?

The clamping plate is just a plate that is bolted around the vert shaft to keep pressure on the bearing and shims assembly while the lower is removed from the upper. The Merc number is 91-43559. I really don't think it's necessary, but since I have one and the manual says to, I use it. Someone else can chime in on whether it's really necessary or not.

Rene

You do not need the clamping plate. Make sure you drain oil first, remove plastic cap on rear of drive to access the zinc attachment bolt, it takes a 1/2" socket with short extention. Remove zinc, there is a 5/8" bolt to remove where zinc came off. Remove 6 stud nuts 4 are facing down. 2 are facing up and can be hard to reach with trim cylinders still attached. Remove bolts front and rear of trim cylingers and remove if you cannot access. Leave one nut attached with a few threads,remove the rest. Slowly remove last nut and have a block of wood or someone to hold lower as it comes off. Do not lose splined coupler at top of verticle shaft. Paint Etc-check to make sure large o-rings and small o-ring are in good shape re assemble, may need to turn prop shaft to line up coupler with splines on upper shaft. Tighten stud nuts and bolt to 35 ft lb and bolt for zinc to 20ft lb and refill lube.