Re: 75 Johnson 25 hp clutch dog replacement
Are you sure we are talking about a 1975 25hp here? I only question it because I have never had any problem getting the detent into the dog on that type lower unit.
Put the spring and balls into the hole, mash them as hard as you can with your fingers while sliding the ears of the dog over them.
Oh-oh. That brings up another point: Do you have the correct dog? Does it have the inside ground for the balls to ramp into? I can certainly see where you would have trouble if you are trying to put an un-ground one in there.
Hmmm...The new one I bought is a genuine BRP part, (from Ishopmarine.com) and it came with a note from the mfg saying it is "New and Improved" and to use the new cradle set supplied as opposed to the old one. There does appear to be a bit of a difference between one end of it and the other, and the entire circumference of the dog (on the inside, of course) seems to have a groove cut into it, as opposed to the old one which only had a short spot on either end grooved.
Which leads me to the next question. Is there a front and back to it? Namely should one end only face the fwd gear and the othe face the rev gear? The old one looked interchangeable, and from the wear pattern it looks like at some point in time was reversed. This new one appears to be slightly different one end to the other...
(Just a note): I did have a mild stroke a couple years back and I kind of like playing with fixing outboards for the therapeutic value--my right hand is not quite as dextrous or as strong as my left, but it is showing marked improvement. I offer that only as a lame excuse for some of my clumsiness on some tasks, especially those requiring a coordinated effort with two hands. I'll get it, though.
