Bravo 2 historic stiff starboard gear shift

[dave1dpc]

After many years of a stiff starboard shift last season i changed all the cables from both helm stations inc. the one to the leg and change over tray etc . No improvement so opened the leg to find the detent canister to be inoperative [stuck in] . But this should not effect the shift but to the contrary. I took the leg to a Merc dealer and after a couple of weeks picked it up to be relieved of nearly £500. No parts were changed and only a clean up of the linkage had been necessary . When i replaced the leg ive done at least 10 x2 legs over the last 20 + years] the shift was much much harder than before. almost impossible . The dealer agreed to come to the boat to check it out insitu . He agreed it was not a cable issue and took off the rear vertical panel. The shift was then was much improved but only when the detent spring was removed would the shift revert to near normal {no better than before}. He therefore suggested the spring had been added at some stage and left it out promising he would get back to me after checking the parts list. He never got back so i phoned him and he said the spring was NOT shown and to live with it . He also indicated I may receive another invoice for his time.. Ive had the boat from almost new and know for sure the canister can only work spring loaded {just google bravo outdrive canister and spring ] Any advice will be welcome before the boat gets wet again.

 

[spannerman]

As a Mercruiser drive specialist I can absolutely confirm that there should be a spring behind the ball, it centers the clutch to hold it in neutral, what can happen is the shift quadrant which has a detent for the ball can wear and its difficult for the ball to move over the edge of the recess it sits in. Another thing I have experienced is the linkage which goes through the drive to the gear wire can get rusty and its important that the clevis jaw which closes around the end of the gear wire isn’t damaged or bent as there is very little clearance in the square tunnel it slides in.

 

[dave1dpc]

As a Mercruiser drive specialist I can absolutely confirm that there should be a spring behind the ball, it centers the clutch to hold it in neutral, what can happen is the shift quadrant which has a detent for the ball can wear and its difficult for the ball to move over the edge of the recess it sits in. Another thing I have experienced is the linkage which goes through the drive to the gear wire can get rusty and its important that the clevis jaw which closes around the end of the gear wire isn’t damaged or bent as there is very little clearance in the square tunnel it slides in.

 

[dave1dpc]

Thanks Spannerman for confirming what i already knew. Dont know how to proceed should i find the gears shift when underway. Should I contact the dealer in writing?

 

[spannerman]

I would be demanding my money back as there is no improvement and theyhave made it worse by removing a part that Mercruiser deem essential to the operation of the shift mechanism, the spring is evident in the workshop manual and parts catalogue. Sounds like a cowboy outfit that shouldn’t be allowed near anything more complex than a lawnmower!