Lower unit removal

[Parrothead71]

My apologies if this is posted somewhere but here it goes.
I'm trying to remove the lower unit from my 1976 Evinrude 115hp mechanical shift motor. I've followed the instructions in the repair book but I could be missing something.
Unhooked the shift rod, removed all 5 bolts (6 including the trim tab)....if I'm not mistaken it should just about fall off at this point shouldn't it?

Thank you for any advance

[Joe Reeves]

Did you remove the one "under" the trim tab?

[Parrothead71]

Originally posted by Joe Reeves View Post

Did you remove the one "under" the trim tab?

Yep, turns out the splines on the drive shaft were all rusted.
IMG_0778.jpg

[Joe Reeves]

Rusted splines! Consider yourself lucky in getting it removed so soon. It amazes me that anyone would go to the trouble to install a water pump of perform some other repair... and then neglect to install a "O" Ring and/or grease those splines to prevent just such a happening.

Good luck to you.

[Parrothead71]

Originally posted by Joe Reeves View Post

Rusted splines! Consider yourself lucky in getting it removed so soon. It amazes me that anyone would go to the trouble to install a water pump of perform some other repair... and then neglect to install a "O" Ring and/or grease those splines to prevent just such a happening.

Good luck to you.

My thoughts exactly! I just bought the boat back in August and in getting it ready for winter I decided to pull the lower and replace the impeller and get the skeg repaired over the winter. I guarantee that the splines will be either greased or given a healthy coating of anti-seize.
On that note which do you think would be better?
Grease or anti-seize?

[Joe Reeves]

Which one might be better is a unknown to me, however, on splines I prefer anti corrosive grease.