BF15 how to remove shift shaft.... help!

I am trying to figure out how to remove the shift shaft. I need to replace the lower unit seals around the drive shaft. The diagram I have shows removing two pins.... that ain't happening with this model. Does the prop shaft clutch dog assembly have to be removed to release the shift shaft. could use some help.

You can remove the vertical shaft without removing the shift shaft by taking out the prop shaft holder assembly and taking the bevel gears out of the housing.

But, to remove the shift shaft to replace the seal for that, you do, indeed, have to press two pins out of the shift shaft. See items 31 and 32 in link below

http://www.boats.net/parts/search/Honda/Outboard Engine/0/BF15AH LAS /VERTICAL SHAFT/parts.html

It is next to impossible to do unless you have a special pin push tool. I tried to buy one but could not find anything that worked. So, I made one. Then, I loaned it to someone and I have not gotten it back! I need to make another one.

Good luck.

I bought a punch from Sears and it works good.

Mike

All I can say is you're a deader eye than I am! After the fourth Sears and second Snap-On broken pin punches, I made the "pusher". That thing works great! supports a very small section of the shaft so that it doesn't bend and gets the pin started moving and acts as a "receiver" so that I can finish with a pin punch without worrying about breaking one anymore.

It's just that it works for somebody else now and I can't find him!

Oh, yeah, forgot to mention that the pin in the "pushrod" or "shift shoe" as I like to call it, only comes out and goes back in one way.