TOPIC: Driveshaft needle bearing '62 FGS installation

I have been refurbishing the lower unit from one of my '62 700 FGS. Water infiltrated the seals below the water pump base and the lower unit was seized. I pulled it apart and replaced all the bearings and gears. All went well except the needle bearing on the drive shaft. I am having a hard time getting the bearing to seat correctly. How exactly are you supposed to install this bearing? Any tricks? Thanks in advance!

use the yool and push on the ####### side only. never the other side.

Sorry for my ignorance. The manuals aren't overly specific. Push it down from the top?

Hello,
The roller bearing is placed into the propeller shaft bore with numbered side down and placed onto a "driver". A threaded rod, plate, and nut are all factory tools which install by threading into the "driver" to pull the bearing into position through the driveshaft bore. With careful thought, one could utilize a length of threaded rod and two nuts, but spacers to center the rod in the bearing and to align in the water pump area, plus a carefully chosen very thick washer for the roller bearing would be needed.

Regards,
Joe
www.fergusonpoolemarine.com
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Thank you. I don't have a factory service manual for this motor. I have an Clymer that covers 64 and later, and of course it says the opposite from what you are saying: numbers up in the driveshaft bore. However, when I look at the pictures of the tool, I'm pretty sure I trust your instructions more than that manual.

So numbers on the bearing face down towards the propeller shaft cavity. It is then pulled up with the tool or threaded rod into the bearing race in the driveshaft cavity until it is flush with the top?

I'm on the third bearing: the 1st one broke when I was installing it because I was driving on the non-numbered side. The second one I pulled in from the top of the prob shaft cavity with the number up, but it isn't centered and binds on the driveshaft. I want to make sure this one goes in correctly.

Again, thank you for sharing your expertise!

Sorry to read that you are on your third bearing. It is critical to hold alignment, especially when the installation begins. Although it may not apply with this bearing, some (many) Mercury applications require a GB-xxx or GB-xxxx bearing where the G stands for ground, and is a very slightly smaller outside diameter bearing. If the standard (B-xxx or B-xxxx) is instead utilized, it will bind just as you mention. Certainly the use of grease to ease installation is required.

Regards,
Joe
www.fergusonpoolemarine.com
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Thank you for your help. The old bearing pulled easily. I stacked a bunch of washers, centering the holes and then tacking with a welder so they would remained centered. I also made a pilot that would keep the bearing centered, and it pulled into place fairly easily without damage. Now I can start reassembly.