The lower unit of your outboard takes a lot of wear and tear over time, and components may need to be replaced to keep it in top performing condition. If you need to repair parts on your lower outboard, you have a wide selection of lower unit components to choose from to get the job done.
How do you choose the correct lower unit and components?Having good quality outboard lower unit components is equally as important as having a strong engine to propel it. Lower units are measured by hours used and are either compatible with two-stroke or four-stroke upper units. Furthermore, the lower unit must match exactly with the upper units make, model, number of strokes, and the years of production, as well as any other important information, such as V6 or V8. A few other things you will need to know include the:
- Model number
- Prop shaft rotation
- Oil delivery method
Outboard lower units house parts like gears, bearings, water pump, shift linkage, and driveshaft. If there is an issue with one or more of these vital parts, your boats overall performance will suffer.
- The propeller is slipping. Hitting debris in the water is one example of how propellers can become damaged. Additionally, if what the propeller hit was hard enough, the prop may slip on its hub, which will affect the outboards steering.
- Gears slipping. The shift rod linkage or the linkage connected to the gear shifter will wear out over time, resulting in the outboard motor slipping out of gear.
- Oil has turned a milky color. Finding oil in the lower unit that has turned a whitish color is indicative of an oil leak, often as a result of a bad or broken propeller seal. If the motor is sputtering or stalling, this is this first place to look.
Preventive maintenance isnt only about safety, its also about sustaining the value of your watercraft. For this reason, it is good practice to tweak, adjust, and fix problem areas as they arise. Furthermore, keeping emergency spare parts for your lower unit on-hand will save you time and decrease the chances of things getting worse. The lower unit is the mechanism that deals with the most stress, wear, and tear, which is why you should put it at the top of your list for regular maintenance checkups.
How do you choose the propeller for the lower unit?If your boats propeller needs to be changed and you are wondering what type of propeller you need, you should first consider what youre wanting to achieve. Once you have that figured out, find which hub kit matches your engines specifications. Once that is done, select a prop housing that coincides with your boating needs.