Swede, Yes, gearcases are prone to be the weak link of the typical outboard motor. Changes in powerhead technology have been awesome in the last 30 years, guess what has'nt changed. There have been some introductions in the last few years that are bigger and beefier, namely the "Magnum" case. This is a nice piece and durable, unfortunately, they are still vulnerable to fishing line being tangled in the propshaft or unseen objects under the water. If you can stay away from these perils, the Magnum is a big step in the right direction.