Help! 1987 225 evenrude VRO cant get shift rod through gromet

If there is a trick to this I'd love to know. I've been tring to reinstall my lower gearcase for 2 days and it stops when the shift rod hits the bottom of the powerhead. It is almost 1/2 inch off of the hole I've put a little screw driver behind it but it wont budge. It is like it is hitting something and won't go any further forward toward the hole with the grommet.
I even attached a wire and fished it down through the grommet and through the lower unit and through the hole in the shift rod and carefully pulled it up as I put the gearcase back into the motor but no luck. I've tried forward and reverse. I've tried rotating the shift rod and can get a little closer if it is sideways but not close enough. Help!
Thanks,
DC

Re: Help! 1987 225 evenrude VRO cant get shift rod through gromet

got it. had to trim the motor straight up and down and push the gear case straight up. All the youtube videos had the motor trimmed up. It's much easier trimmed up....if it had worked.
Thanks,
DC

Re: Help! 1987 225 evenrude VRO cant get shift rod through gromet

Your lower motor mounts may be swollen from salt buildup and that changes the geometry of the hollow steering pivot tube and the upper motor adapter. The shift rod dog-leg binds on the top of the tube and the lower part is offset from the tube due to the mount problem. You will probably see the front edge of the lower mount covers is not even with the front edge of the motor mount. The steel mount piece is pushed forward, probably about 1/8".

When you lowered the motor vertical, the weight on the upper mounts changed and they moved slightly which helped line up the gearcase and shift rod.