My drive is hard to put into reverse all of a sudden, sometimes it won’t even go, but it seems okay into forward. The cables seem okay, any thoughts?

Mine did the same thing a couple of seasons ago, and this might help. Try this...take the rear plate off the out drive. There is a spring loaded ball mechanism behind the plate. The ball/spring mechanism when centered, locates neutral at the shift lever. The mechanism and cavity where its is located can get corroded, and crap/crud can accumulate. When you take the cover off, clean the ball/detente mechanism, and clean out any crud in the cavity where it is located. I used gasoline and carb cleaner. Dry everything off completely and use a good marine grease on the ball/spring mechanism. NOTE: there's a rubber gasket between the plate and OD. I removed it, cleaned it, put a very light goat of grease on it, and re-installed it along with the plate. Probably should have replaced it.

Hope this helps...

Sounds like something to try, but i'm not clear on what plate you are talking about. Do i leave the drive on? is the plate you are talking about righ below the top cover? I guess i will have to drain soem oil of course.

Yes, thar would be the plate he is talking about. However, when Mine acted like yours, my problem was the cable from the transome to the drive.

Could be the adjustment of the cables down at the engine.

If you have a left hand rotation prop it pushes into reverse and it could be a broken shift cable cladding between the transom and the drive. Not very likely if it is a right hand prop.

need new cone in uppers

Sorry, I should have been more specific on the plate location. Yes, it is the plate just below the top cap. Checking behind the back plate for corrosion/crud is a good/basic place to start. Could be the fix will be a cheap and simple clean and lube. If not, stay tuned, and hopefully one of these guys can be of further help.

The cover also covers an area where grease is so it is a cleaner job if you drain the outdrive fluid first.

It fixed that very problem on my old boat.

Idle set too high can cause this too, but usually the same degree of difficulty going into forward or reverse.

BT