1999 Ficht 200, Lower Unit prop seals?

[Team Mud]

1999 Ficht
Model No. E200FPLEEN
Serial No. G 04672910
I'm getting ready to replace the prop seals on my lower unit.
Ive got a manuel & have read it a bunch of times.

It looks strait forward but I was wondering if there is anything I need to look out for or any tricks to make the job easier?

When I use the puller to remove the bearing/seal housing will it come out easily? This motor has only been used in freshwater & is only 3 years old.

Thanks
Mud Man

[ChampioNman]

Yep pretty much I use a harmonic balancer puller with 2 3/8" X12" threaded rods with jam nuts on them and pull the carrier out. then remove the seals with a seal puller. Nothing magical. A little light touch of emory cloth where the seals go a shot of BRP cleaning solvent, gasket sealer on the outer edges and press them in. Triple guard on the rubber seals and bearings and pressure test.

[Team Mud]

I replaced the prop seals in the lower bearing housing. I'm trying to slide the bearing housing into the lower unit and it won't go in all the way. I have a shop manuel and it says to press the bearing housing in & then tap with soft mallet to seat the o-rings. How do I press the housing in?

thanks
Mud Man

[ChampioNman]

Just use a piece of 1X1" wood or cut an angle on a 2X4 and push it against the carrier cross member and then smack the wood with a mallet or hammer. Should go right in.

[Team Mud]

How hard do i need to hit the wood, I tried hitting a cut piece of 1" dia broom stick & it didn't move at all

thanks
Mud Man


Modified by Team Mud at 2:37 PM 1/18/2009

[ChampioNman]

Lube the lips on the seals also but sometimes they need a pretty good smack.

[Team Mud]

The Manuel says to put OMC gasket sealing compound on the FWD O-ring & RTV on the AFT O-ring.

What kind of lube do you reccomend? Do you still use the OMC compound & the RTV?

Thanks
Mud Man

[gearcaseman]

It would be O.K. to use the gasket sealing compound on the forward O ring, but there's no reason for sealant on the rear one. Use grease on it to let it slide in easier. Also, smear some grease inside this same area inside the housing. This will prevent picking up a gall as you're driving in the carrier.

[Team Mud]

I finally got it in!!

I put the gasket sealing compound on the fwd O-ring & grease on the aft, just as you said & it went right in.

Thanks for all the advice

Originally when I tried this last weekend I used RTV on the aft side like the manuel said & it would not go in. I had to take it all apart & clean everything up so I could start this job all over.

Thank You ChampioNman & Gearcaseman

Mud Man

[gearcaseman]

No Problem. A lot of times when driving in the R.B.C., the reverse gear is cocked just enough to prevent the carrier from going in. It helps sometimes to put the case in a " Propshaft Vertical " position ( prop end of shaft facing up of course ), this helps position the gear in a more cooperative manner. Hope this helps.