why/how did this happen?
 

last nice weekend of the summer and 1/2 hour out, this happens :(

can this be fixed and if so how much?
case has crack/cut on both sides.
what causes this to happen?
could i have done something to prevent it?

thanks!

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

I doubt that case can be repaired.. Didnt that lower nut have lock tabs bent behind it?

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

honestly dont know. first outboards ive ever owned.
300 pro maxs

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

ITS DONE, with the hole in the side cheapest fix is just to replace it !!!

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

do you have an idea what one cost :(

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

i replaced a lower on my 2003 300x...left hand counter rotation 1.62:1 20" sportsmaster was a little over $4000.00 Steve where are you located ?

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

It's not very clear in the picture but from what I can see it doesn't have a locking tab ring in it. If this is the case and you have hed someone go through the lower I would take it to them exactley as it is now, don't even take the prop off.

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

just bought the boat a few weeks ago. was going to have the lowers serviced before putting it to bed for the winter.

bernie, i live in the kansas city area.

welding it up wont work? i dont want to spend a bunch of money trying that if its a doubtful situation?

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

I have two housings from 250 xl merc racing Id have to check for cross over ect

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

With the prop shaft rifing where it is right now it more then likely mualed the machined surfaces for the bearing and retainers so even after you weld the holes you still have welding and machine work to do inside and to get to the foward bearing area is a serious blind machining job, if it can be fixed it will still be cheaper to get a new one. You may even want to look for a complete lower, the gears and bearings are probably trashed to and possiblily even the prop shaft itself, sorry to be so negative about it but I'm just telling it like it is.

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

thanks hillbilly24. i appreciate your advice. ill probably opt for a complete lower. hell, at this point i dont even know what i have. mechanic said its a stock merc lower. so what is that?
should have stayed with big blocks and bravos. at least i knew a little about them :rolleyes:

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

please let me know. maybe we can work something out.

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

Steve, not a big deal. It looks like someone has been inside that case before. It looks like it can be repaired. Your carrier bearing backed out. It needs a lock tab. Take the lower off yourself and pull out the carrier and take a pic and send it to me.

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

sent you a pm.
thanks

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

apache thats cool, and the hole in the side will help cool it I guess.......or am I just seeing things?????

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

i'd call the guy you bought it from, ask him if someone other than him went through the lower unit recently. if someone other than him did ask him to meet you at that place of business and try to get them to fix it. he doesn't have to tell them he sold the boat if he's any kind of a stand up guy he will help you get it fixed!

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

Have to agree with ratman that is the best way to handle it, who ever built it didnt bend the tab over. just torqueing it to 200 ftlbs doesnt keep it in place and and if the tab is bent over the retainer wont back out!!!!

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

i bought the boat 1400 miles away and the previous owner is a little bitter for having to sell it in the first place. he wont help. good idea though!

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

steve mine wont work but have one where I used to work and they are letting me know how much tomorrow.has anyone torn yours down yet to check how bad the brgs and gears are???

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

thanks for looking into it for me. Nothing has been done yet. Not sure who i want to work on it yet. there isnt many outboard mechanics at loto and obviously i dont have the knowledge to touch it :rolleyes:

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

If something that broke had enough force to put a hole in the case, wouldn't you think the case is twisted? Maybe not to the eye but once you look very carefully.

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

After building many many drives and lower units theres no dought that the housing is done the Question is how much more damage is there, are any of the gears, bearings, shafts useable

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

got an email from the 1st owner. im the 3rd. he said the port side did the same thing roughly 1 year ago. i emailed him back to try and find out if anyone told him why it happened, havent heard back yet. if anyone has a theory, ide like to hear it......
is it possible that these drives (year 2000 models) didnt have locking tab rings back then? service bulletin situaton maybe :)

i guess the bright side is, the port drive was replaced with a new one at a cost of 4000.00. a year ago. at least i didnt have to pay for that one.....

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

No service bulletins for a missing lock tab ring that I can ever remeber. GOODT may remember one that I don't back then but I'm pretty sure there was never a bulletin for that on any model. Most likely reason is that someone went through both of them and failed to install them. I'm suprised they even got the preload anywhere near right without them though. The only other thing possible is that they were installed but the tabs were not bent.

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

call rob over at BTM... i am sure they know some people since he runs his 28 pretty hard..

Re: why/how did this happen?
 

hillbilly is 100 % right merc never had and bullitens or campains about the lock ring they have been using them in there drives and lowers over 30 yrs its real simple whoever was in it last didnt bend it over there are 4 tabs you bend 3 in and one out that locks the retaning ring cant spin out ive been building drives over 20 yrs ive seen it before but only after someones been in it and ive seen people forget to bend them over.