Remove leg on 1973 Evinrude 50 hp

Picked up the above engine and boat late last year and was going to do an impeller change and maybe change some of the seals as well. I have always had Mercury before so this is my first Evinrude change over. I got a 15 hp trolling motor with it as well and it came apart and I serviced it much like any other. The 50hp I can't seem to get the leg to drop. I have followed the procedures in the manual I have. Taken off the 4 main bolts, removed the countersunk screw, removed trim tab and bolt underneath, taken off nut and piece to shift lever. It does come down a slight bit but will not drop right out. It moves a quarter inch or so and that is all. I am afraid to pull too hard in case I break something inside. Anyone got any ideas or is there another screw or clip somewhere that I am missing.
Thanks

you tube has some great videos on outboards on removeing lower units thats how i was able to do mine sometimes you have a carbon build up on shaft but im not sure on yours now if it was a omc stringer electric shift thats a diffrent story

use a cpl screw drivers to assist in prying it off,the shaft o ring is prob being stubborn,..u do have the correct shift rod screw out?

It sounds like you have have not dismantled the shift linkage in back of the bottom carburetor. Remove the small 3/8" nut on the exposed end of the two levers, then remove the 5/8" or 3/4" hex head shoulder bolt from the center of it (I forget the exact size head of that bolt), then sit aside the two shift lever brackets. This releases the vertical shift rod and will allow it to be lowered out with the lower unit.

When reinstalling, make sure that the nylon bushing is in the top barrel portion of that shift rod. It will be impossible to have a equal shift movement without that bushing.

Thousands of parts in my remaining stock. Not able to list them all. Let me know what you need and I'll look it up for you. Visit my eBay store at:

http://stores.ebay.com/Evinrude-Johnson-Outboard-Parts-etc?refid=store

Thanks guys, got her off finally. Turns out everything was just corroded together. A good soaking of pb blaster and some grunting she finally dropped off. Hard to believe it can get that seized on there. Prop was same as well, had to use pb blaster and a puller to get it off.

Be sure to use some good marine lube (Triple Guard) on the splines (not the top) of your drive shaft when reassembling. Same with the prop shaft.