Topic: 1969 Johnson 25 HP forward gear upgrade – Antique Outboard Motor Club,Inc

This topic has 10 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 8 months ago by johnyrude200.

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November 3, 2015 at 2:47 pm #2902
Steve D
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You can’t really tell from this picture but where the clutch dog engages the gear is badly worn and forward gear was slipping. So I bought the upgrade kit for the gear and it comes with the needle bearings instead of the standard bronze bearing and I was wondering…do I just push/grind down the pin that was used previously to hold the old bearing? I know it seems obvious but I never did this and wanted to know from others more familiar with it and also anything else I may need to know. Thanks.

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November 3, 2015 at 4:34 pm #26477
fleetwin
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US Member
Hmm, good question indeed! It’s been awhile since I have installed one of those kits, so I don’t remember. Did the kit have instruction? Are you sure there is no cut out/indent in the bearing to accommodate the pin?
Hold off on driving that pin in for now.
November 3, 2015 at 5:04 pm #26480
frankr
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Hmmmm. Parts book for 1978 model which uses the updated parts shows using two 300611 dowel pins, but book shows only one pin used in 1980. Looks like the engineering department was confused for awhile. My guess is if there is no hole in the bearing, remove the pin. One thing for sure, if no hole, you want zero protrusion of the pin because you don’t want it denting the needle bearing shell
November 3, 2015 at 5:16 pm #26481
fleetwin
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I’m still wondering why OMC felt this double bearing arrangement was an "improvement" over the original bronze bushing design. I wouldn’t think that the bearings cost less, but who knows.
November 3, 2015 at 5:56 pm #26482
ede
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Instruction sheet for the upgrade kit say’s ‘ Drive forward gear bearing dowel pin down so top of pin is just below surface of gear case’ First paragraph of instruction sheet states;
‘These kits are designed to improve the severe service life of the forward gear bearing in Evinrude and Johnson 18 through 25 models 1960 through 1978’
November 3, 2015 at 6:20 pm #26483
Steve D
Participant
Thanks for the replies guys. Yeah, if I would have stopped for a moment and unfolded that big wad of paper at the bottom of the box before jumping in, I might have seen that myself! 😳
November 3, 2015 at 8:26 pm #26486
dan-in-tn
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Steve, if it’s not too late, it’s much better to pull the pin! That is if you have a way? Many of those pins get pushed in on gear cases by mistake and it’s nice to have an extra one every once in a while. We are constantly pulling them back up or turning them over. It takes a milling machine to do it accurately. We drill it, tap it , them pull it out with a small puller we built. Seems like a lot of trouble, but you would be surprised at the number you see just pushed in by inexperienced shade tree mechanics. Just my opinion.

Dan in TN
November 3, 2015 at 9:04 pm #26487
Steve D
Participant
Hey Dan, there just wasn’t enough to grab onto. I’ve had success with the rear pin a couple times because it sticks out more but I’ve never been able to pull or pry one of the front ones out. I just lightly drove it in with a small flat punch.
November 6, 2015 at 12:14 am #26600
johnyrude200
Participant
Actually ran into one if these same kits earlier this week. The pin was driven down into the front orifice, with the needle bearing already installed.

This particular gearcase had a worn clutch cradle and shifter. Fleetwin, I was wondering the same thing – why the double bearings so to speak.

I can see how the smaller forward gear protruberances is an improvement, basically a bigger ‘window of opportunity’ when shifting.
November 6, 2015 at 1:37 am #26613
dan-in-tn
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US Member
Don may remember it differently, but many things were done over the years to help this gearcase take on more horsepower and torque as the engine it handled grew in cubes. The final fix was the three lug setup, but was expensive! On the early attempts they were trying to keep the forward gear in place so that it could not move forward away from the clutch dog (shifter). This was done better by a radial bearing and thrust washer than a bronze bushing. Especially if some water was present in the lube. I think everyone has taken one of these gearcases apart and found the bronze bushing oblong and wollered out.

Dan in TN
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