1975 evinrude 40 hp Is it a long and short shaft?

jwilkey84 · #1 August 4th, 2007, 03:36 PM

I was looking at buying a 75 evinrude 40 hp, when I went to look at it I realized that it was a long shaft. I have heard about some motors that had a section you could remove to make it a short shaft. Could this be one of them? If so, is it hard to convert. Is there a drive shaft link, or do I need a whole different shaft that is shorter if this is even possible. The model number is 40555 c and there is a serial number of J0001839. Any help would be appreciated!

jl_photo · #2 August 4th, 2007, 09:21 PM

I am working on the same problem.

I just bought a boat with an old '73 40. the section comes out but you need a new drive shaft and a shift rod.

luckily these parts survive most engine failures and should be easy to find.

the new parts are 5 inches shorter. many different horsepower and years use the same parts.

you need to know if its an electric shift or manual shift.

salt water motors may have corosion pits on the shaft seal surface making them useless

jwilkey84 · #3 August 4th, 2007, 10:25 PM

Thanks! That is good news. Now all I have to do is find some parts. I have this guy talked into selling me the motor for $250 so it might be worth it because I need a short shaft and this is both! Or I could leave it how it is and build up my transom 5" higher, right?

F_R · #4 August 4th, 2007, 10:45 PM

If you are careful enough you can cut EXACTLY five inches off the shift rod and renotch it. But drive shaft has to be replaced.

cougar1985 · #5 August 5th, 2007, 05:23 AM

depending what you want to do you can easily build up your transom to accept a long shaft.we did it with a 40 yamaha to a starcraft aluminium boat in about a half to 1 hour using angle and flat bar and it has lasted years.

jwilkey84 · #6 August 5th, 2007, 10:36 AM

Using angle iron? And a flat bar? I can imagine the angle iron, but what was the flat bar for?

jwilkey84 · #7 August 5th, 2007, 10:35 PM

So it would probably be worth $250 anyway, right?

jwilkey84 · #8 August 5th, 2007, 11:13 PM

So I will need a shorter drive shaft and a shift rod. What about the water tube. I have never taken off a lower unit from an evinrude, only mercs and tohatsu's so I don't know what is there. I would guess about the same, so would I need a shorter water tube also?