Lower end dog check

It appears that by removing the prop, the big retainer nut and the bearing carrier you can inspect both reverse dogs. You may also be able to measure the actual dog throw as pushed or pulled from the helm. Is this true?

That is true.-----But reverse gear is only used for low speed operation and the dog and gear rarely cause problems.-----What leads you to want to do this inspection ?

86 Alpha 350 V8, Reverse has been ratcheting (slipping with clank/click) more and more under load over the last season. I have confirmed full stroke at the shift cable (engine back), so I am reasonably certain the dogs are in full engagement. I know there is a lot of linkage left, but given that, I want to see what a season plus of ratcheting has done to the reverse dogs, and that the water pump is new, going in from the bottom seems just as easy. At rest in full reverse I can turn the prop either way with moderate force producing a loud click/clank. Forward drives fine, strong and quiet. The control cables have been fine tuned with at least 3 of the prevailing methods. If the clutch stroke or the dogs are bad I'll replace rather than repair. With 1200 hours how many good parts are left? As a new owner I am suspecting a previously weak cable setting may have damaged the R dogs? Thanks

You will need a oxy/ace torch to remove the carrier and without the correct puller you will break the carrier ring

When you split the unit and checked the play with the spool test gauge, what did you find?
Did you test for shift spool looseness? Did you test the shift slide to see if it bottoms out in the housing?
If you answered no , your doing a lot of un-necessary work

Leg is still on the boat, Are you saying that even though the cable is within the play and travel spec, some other linkage/spool fault could keep the dog clutch from moving into its rearmost position. Very possible.

If the carrier pulls easy I can check the dogs and the travel from the bottom, If not, your linkage and spool tests (I have the book)would be a much better way to go. One of my issues is, that after listening to the slippage/clanking all summer, I would not trust the dogs on an extended or remote trip without seeing them anyway. I appreciate your knowledge and experience.

the control box determines how far the cable will move,it is a fixed distance and cannot be changed.It gets attached to a arm that controls the lower shift cables movement.The lower cable is attached to a shiftslide. If the setscrew is not correct you will have excessive movement , that eats up the shift cable travel.
If the plastic roller is missing or damaged on the arm, you will have excessive travel, if the upper shoe is loose on the lower splined shaft you will have excessive travel.
When the splined shaft moves the shift spool you can have excessive play in the spool causing excessive travel.

REmove the drive and inspect everything visable , disconnect the lower cable and verift the shift slide bottoms out in the housing,if it dosent no amount of adjusting will get you reverse
Split the unit ,examine the upper shoe to lower splined shaft connection for looseness. Examine the splined shaft for wear/corrosion.
Do the shift spool test and measurement BEFORE ANY DIS-ASSEMBLY

This MUST be in a straight line 12:00 no further. More than 12:00 indicates worn spool or bent crank

Thanks, might be after the holidays, should I reply to this thread or start another when I find the problem?

When you say check that shift slide bottoms out in the housing, it would bottom out moving forward (to bow) in the bell housing?

Yes, it should bottom out with the cable disconnected from the shift plate. If it does not, you can remove the 2 square bolts on the plastic end, remove it, then remove the safety wire and allen setscrew, you may need some heat if corroded. Remove the slide from the core.run a drill bit down inside the shift slide to drill out the mud and corrosion. Now it will bottom out in the housing.

I would strongly suggest that you NOT use Oxy-Acet for heating your expensive aluminum housing. Oxy-Acet can produce extreme heat that may damage the aluminum...... and worse yet, a "neutral" flame can be very dangerous re; oxidation.

Instead, use Map or Propane gas.