Trim Tab Adjustment - Mercury 45 Jet 50-55 Service Manual

b
a
a - Nylon Spacer
b - Shift Shaft Coupler; Used on Models NOT Equipped with
Power Trim
c - Flat; MUST BE Positioned Toward Front of Gear Housing.
9. Shift gear housing into forward gear position. In
forward gear the gear housing will ratchet when
propeller shaft is turned clockwise and resistance
will be felt when propeller shaft is rotated counter-
clockwise.
10. Apply Loctite Grade 271 on threads of gear hous-
ing retaining bolts.
NOTE: If, while performing Step 11, the drive shaft
splines will not align with the crankshaft splines, place
a propeller onto propeller shaft and turn it counter-
clockwise as the gear housing is being pushed toward
drive shaft housing.
NOTE: During installation of gear housing, it may be
necessary to move the shift block (located under cowl)
slightly to align upper shift shaft splines with shift shaft
coupler splines.
11. Position gear housing so that the driveshaft is pro-
truding into drive shaft housing.
12. Move gear housing up toward drive shaft housing,
while aligning upper shift shaft splines with shift
shaft coupler splines, water tube with water tube
seal, and crank shaft splines with drive shaft
splines.
13. Install 4 bolts and washers (two each side).
14. Install locknut and washer.
15. Torque bolts and locknut (or nuts only if applicable)
to 40 lbs. ft. (54 N·m).
6B-34 - LOWER UNIT
c
b
a - Bolts and Washers (4)
b - Locknut and Washer
16. Check shift operation as follows:
53925
a. Place shift lever in forward gear. Gear housing
should ratchet when propeller shaft is turned
clockwise and resistance should be felt when
propeller shaft is turned counterclockwise.
b. Place shift lever in neutral. Propeller shaft
should rotate freely in either direction.
c. While rotating propeller shaft, place shift lever in
reverse gear. Resistance should be felt when
propeller shaft is rotated in either direction.
IMPORTANT: If shift operation is not as described,
preceding, the gear housing must be removed and
the cause corrected.

Trim Tab Adjustment

1. Check trim tab position as follows:
a. Operate boat at the speed at which it normally
would be operated.
b. If the boat pulls to the right (STARBOARD), the
trailing edge of trim tab must be moved to the
right. If the boat pulls to the left (PORT), the trailing
edge of trim tab must be moved to the left.
2. If necessary, adjust trim tab as follows:
a. Shift engine control into NEUTRAL and turn igni-
tion key to "OFF" position.
NOTE: Loosen trim tab bolt sufficiently to allow trim tab
to disengage from locking ridges in gear case before at-
tempting to move tab. DO NOT strike trim tab with a hard
object to make adjustments.
b. If boat pulls to the left, adjust trailing edge of trim
tab to the left. If boat pulls to the right, adjust trail-
ing edge of trim tab to the right.
3. Tighten trim tab retaining bolt and washer to 22 lb.
ft. (30.0 N·m).
a
53922
90-817643R1 DECEMBER 1996