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270 drive reverse safety lock adjustment.

P

pugetsounder

Advanced Contributor
How do you adjust the reverse safety lock mechanism? I replaced the original rod with a bolt of similar size and now it won't unlock with the trim button. I think the bolt i used is the cuplrit but it's impossible to find the original rod. I can unlock it manually to lift the drive. It looks like a bit more adjustment and it will work but adjusting it seems impossible short of taking the mechanism lever out which i don't want to do. Lots of springs and pins to get lost or broken. I can get to the lock nut but the end piece that adjusts is impossible to get a grip on and turn it. I think the bolt is bigger than the rod but not by much. Anybody ever adjust the mechanism?
 
Are you speaking of the Reverse Latch unit?
Take a look here, and post back.

If you are talking about what I think you are, the push rod and upper thrust sleeve must be Volvo Penta in order to work properly.
It must also be adjusted correctly.

Your drive has a Lift-Out unit, but no trim.
When the lift-out unit vice rod "pressure plate" contacts the thrust sleeve, the push rod will release the reverse latch, and will allow the the drive to raise up into trailer mode.

I have extra push rods. The cost for a good used is peanuts. If interested, shoot me a PM.
I'd have to charge Volvo Penta prices for a new thrust sleeve, however.

.
 
The push rod and mechanism work fine, it's the trim adjustment pin (horizontal) number31 http://www.marinepartseurope.com/en/volvo-penta-explodedview-7742840-44-15807.aspx I replaced the old one with a ss bolt but I think it's thicker than the OEM pin. If you have one laying around can you measure the diameter for me? I can have my neighbor lathe the bolt down for me. Everything worked before but the old pin looked like it might break someday soon from rust so I replaced it with the bolt. I think this would be easier than taking out the latch mechanism and push rod for adjusting! Thanks.
 
Is this pugetsounder from the BOC? If so, take a look in the BOC Vault at the AQ series frequent Q's and A's thread.
There's a link to some good threads on this system. In particular, Bob Case's thread on the reverse latch.

As for your set pin, if the bolt was too large, it would not fit within the bore in the transom shield.... unless someone bored the set pin ears out... and lets hope not.
The latch hooks are profiled for the OEM diameter set pin.

The push rod may still require adjustment at the thrust sleeve.
The vice rod pressure plate (when it fully contacts the suspension fork) needs to fully depress the rod, so that the rod can release the latch hooks from the set pin.
 
Thanks Rick I read that article on the BOC vault. Funny that guys have the opposite trouble I'm having. I guess I need to a manual and tear the reverse latch assembly apart becuase volvo made it impossible to adjust it with out doing that. I can barely get my hand up there without a tool of somekind. Kind of bad engineering since you won't know if you have proper adjustment until it's all back together and if it's not adjusted properly you will be tearing it apart again. And there are lot's of little parts that can get lost or broken in the process. I priced out a fix it kit for the reverse lock mechanism and @ $180 not cheap if I lose or break something!

As far as the bolt size it fits all three adjustment holes so I don't think they have been drilled out. This is not a crucial issue but I would like to fix it. My boat sits pretty high on the trailer and I can launch and retreive with the drive down no problems.
 
That's not necessarily how I see it. The only adjustment will be the thrust sleeve, and how high it extends above the suspension fork arm. This sets the throw that the pressure plate provides to the push rod travel.
Any other work, is cleaning corrosion, repair or replacement of springs, latch hooks, etc.

Just exactly what is it not doing?
 
Pretty much the latch push rod isn't pushing the lock mechanism down far enough to clear the reverse lock pin. There is an adjustment at the top of the push rod correct? Unless you have tiny tiny hands and tools I can't see any other way of getting in there and adjusting this except taking the push rod mechanism out. And to do this it looks like you have to dismantle the whole reverse latch mechanism just to get the push rod out correct? If Volve would've created a hexagonal on the bottom of the adjuster cap at the top of the push rod I could cut down a wrench and turn it. That's what I did to get the lock nut loose but that's as far as I've gotten. After 30 years this adjuster doesn't turn by hand even if I can get my hand in there.

I would like to read what volvo suggests for adjusting the reverse lock mechanism.
 
So in this diagram number 44, 43B, and 43 are the reverse lock push rod mechanism. The adjuster is 44 that screws onto the top of the push rod 43. 43B is the locknut that holds 44 in place. The problem is getting to 44 while in place. It's next to impossible to get any kind of tool in there to grab and turn 44. a 3" long pipe wrench might do it but I've never seen one that small. I cut down a 10mm wrench and can loosen 43B. If I could raise 44 a few turns I think my reverse lock would be adjusted and let loose when the trim ram pushes it down.

Does anybody have the Volvo Penta manual write up on how to adjust the reverse lock? Does it require special tools?
 
If you will raise the drive by hand, and push down on the thrust sleeve, you may be able to access the jam nut and loosen it.
With the jam nut loose, the thrust sleeve can be adjusted. (many times these are corroded and won't turn)
All it needs to do, is to allow the vice rod/pressure plate (what you're calling the "trim ram") to push down far enough to release the latch hooks from the set pin.
Now the drive can be raised w/ the lift out unit.

When you lower the drive, make sure that the vice rod fully retracts, and that the pressure plate is free from any contact with the thrust sleeve.
If you have the Amber helm light, the light goes out when the vice rod is fully retracted.

.
 
If you can find any excuse.... I mean any excuse......, to re-seal your drive, or install a new pivot tube bushing or pivot tube lower needle bearing, or any work that involves removing both lower unit and transmission, you open this up to pivot tube removal.

Once the pivot tube is removed, the bearing sleeve and all of these parts, can be cleaned up. Wire brush.... wire wheel.... a good solvent washing, etc.
It makes a tremendous difference when the corrosion is removed.

PB blaster, and/or some of the other similar products, just won't get in there and do what we hope for.

Best results are from when this has been dissassembled and cleaned.

.
 
Last edited:
RicardoMarine said:
If you will raise the drive by hand, and push down on the thrust sleeve, you may be able to access the jam nut and loosen it.
With the jam nut loose, the thrust sleeve can be adjusted. (many times these are corroded and won't turn)
All it needs to do, is to allow the vice rod/pressure plate (what you're calling the "trim ram") to push down far enough to release the latch hooks from the set pin.
Now the drive can be raised w/ the lift out unit.

When you lower the drive, make sure that the vice rod fully retracts, and that the pressure plate is free from any contact with the thrust sleeve.
If you have the Amber helm light, the light goes out when the vice rod is fully retracted.

.
Click to expand...
I know this is an old thread, but does anyone know where to find the measurement for this thrust sleeve (#44)?
 
See attached... this is for the 280 and later, should work for the 270 as well.
 

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