I did a drive and motor swap. Drive worked fine before when running in other boat. Was waiting for a motor part that is coming today. Figured I'd check the adjustment on the shifter. checking at prop I had forward and neutral. No Reverse. Pulled the drive off figuring I messed up putting cable in clip. That was fine. Manually moved Shift linkage in upper drive where cable attaches. No Reverse but had forward.
Came in and started searching this board and started reading that I'm not supposed to shift when engine isn't running. Oh S*!t . What I do? Did I break something in the lower drive? did I screw up the linkage in the upper drive? Or is there a chance that it will go into gear fine when hooked back up and engine is running?
I tried to do a search to answers these questions but couldn't find the answers I needed
Thanks Steve

Anyone?

I'm not an expert, Mr Gadgets could tell you for sure. But you should only test Bravos when the engine is running, as they use the force from the turning to fully engage the gear. So, you might not get it into gear by just turning the shaft.

I don't think you messed up anything by shifting when the engine isn't running, but it's not reccommended. I did it to mine a few times before I understood these drives, and no problem.

Sure enough once the motor was running, the drive went into gear. So glad. Didn't need anything else to go wrong.

You gotta put some real force into it to shift them off the boat and out of gear.....took me a pair of vice grips and a pry bar on the last one I had get stuck in gear.