Shift Rod/Connector Linkage

Joe, already re-installed, here's a pic from earlier at a little different angle.....not sure if you can see what you need to see. There is a little wear on the corner edge, but doesn't seem unusually excessive to me.

After sleeping on it, I'm starting to believe this is a shift linkage issue and has been all along. The clutch that I replaced wasn't worn all that much....I'll get it all back together later today and take it to the lake and see if I can do some more adjustments. It sounds like the clutch is just seating enough on the forward gear to work until pressure is applied and causing it to jerk in and out , if I can adjust the shift lever more, perhaps it will allow the clutch to stay in gear. I've done all the things you guys have suggested, so it's gotta be related to the linkage is my thinking. Like I said, I'm not a mechanic, but if all the parts are ok, then it must be in how they work.

Are the forward gear bearings / thrust bearings in good shape.------------If not then forward gear may not be in the correct position.

They appear ok racerone ....not sure how to tell for sure.

Got the LU back together this morning and took it to the lake, same thing....jerk!!! So I took it to the local mechanic and after he looked at it, he had me install a new brass connector on the shift rod, made sure the notches were lined up, did some adjusting on the shift lever and said that should work. BTW....he did the adjustment at the shift lever in forward gear NOT in reverse as the manual said....I told him the manual said reverse and he said he'd never heard of adjusting the shift lever in reverse. Anyway....just got back from lake and it ran like a new one! Thanks guys for all your help, I wouldn't have gotten as far as I did without your guys help!!!!! PS: He thought perhaps my connector was slipping on the shift rod and said it only takes a minute movement for it to get out of adjustment and do exactly what it was doing.

I have a 1995 Johnson 50hp 3 cyl. After stumbling through the instal of a water pump kit I installed the lower unit and now the shift linkage will not function properly. The shift rod unscrewed and I screwed it back in. Now it will not shift correctly; forward-neutral-reverse. It seems to go only in neutral and maybe forward but not 3 positions any longer. I have a service manual but it really doesn't talk about this shift rod ;-(. I have many years of working on cars and truck and this is a challenge but not to hard till I got to this problem.

The shift rod has to be screwed in and set to a specific dimension.-------It is not to be screwed in tight.-------So step # 1 is to remove lower unit again.---The factory manual has all the details on this.---Not sure on those other shoddy manuals that belong in the wee house with the 1/4 moon in the door.

OK, I will adjust the shift rod I did find in the manual the rod needs to be a certain length. With the lower unit out I am unable to move the shift rod in all 3 positions; forward, reverse, neutral. It only will go into forward and neutral. I AM AFRAID I DAMAGED SOMETHING. I previously made an attempt to install the lower unit. I started tightening the lower unit bolts and it stopped. The shift rod got jammed into the shift lever assembly. I then realize that was wrong so I loosened the bolts. got it back in there and connected the rod to the assembly. That is when it would only shift forward and neutral. Going back and loosen the rod to proper adjustment length to see if it will shift correctly. Trying to shift it with lower unit removed the rod would only move to forward and neutral position. I question changing the length will change the shifting with lower unit removed. I can pull the rod up two positions all the way up it locks with the output shaft one level down and it is in neutral, but it will not go down to engage reverse. Also going to remove rod and see if I bent it. I do question if it is bent it still should shift with the lower unit removed. Thank you in advance for your input, I fear I am going to end up at the Johnson/ Evinrude dealer with this one...

This thread is over 4 years old!