I've tried to get it out and and now its stripped. It's stuck in there pretty good. Any advice on getting it out? I've been pumping grease till it comes out of the prop. I know this is bad for the seals and can blow the seal lips out but I don't really know what else to do. I can't weld either so trying to weld a bolt to turn it isn't really an option.

this thing has been used in saltwater....it doesn't look like its corroded in to the threads but it might be. I havent' been able to get this screw out as long as I've owned it. How hard are the seals to change? I guess I need to get the driveshaft out to do all of this? I feel like I'm getting into some stuff that's over my head and I'm nine hours from the gator tail shop. btw as far as I know, grease only comes out when I'm squeezing it in.

thanks for the quick response. I think i'll try to get her done myself. Is it straight to run for now though? Season opens this saturday and I don't really want to mess with it if I'm not hurting her too much to just run her how she is. I will try to get all this done during the split.

Yeah...you should be okay.

The rear seals are easy to change. Your ok runing like it is for a little while just pump a little greas once in a while because the grease will eascape due to the seals not holding.

To replace the seals remove the prop, then take a pipe wrench and Unscrew the rear bearing housing (Left hand threads = turn RIGHT to unscrew, LEFT to screw). Once that is off you will see the Wear sleeve on the shaft ans the needle bearing race aswell. Take a block of wood on a table and slam the bearing housing a few times onto the block of wood to remove the bearing out of the housing, then punch out the two seals (note the orientation, The inner lips face the prop and the closed metal section faces the pulley). Drive one in with a socket until it bottoms out in the machining, then drive the second one in but leave a little space between the seals. Before you drivethe bearing back in, grease the lips on the seals and take the bearing RACE and slip it through the seals then carefully guide the wear sleeve right behind it and then take the race and slip it back on the shaft. Drive the bearing in till it seats, then coat the roller bearing with grease and screw the bearing housing back on the shaft housing, carefully pushing the wear sleeve up as you go. Once tight put the prop on and pump freshe grease into the housing and your done!

I run 100% saltwater and mine never sticks. Do like Maxxis & Craig said just don't over tighten.

Is there some reason why GTR won't put seals in the lower end that aren't shot as soon as u pump a little grease through them. Surely there is a good reason 4 this.

The seals in the bottom of a PD are meant to have grease squeeze out without blowing out. The maintenance schedule calls 4 pumping grease into the prop shaft housing until a little comes out around the shaft.
It makes it a little harder for some mechanically challenged people to mess it up doing general maintenance. Is the plug on GTR for changing all the grease in the tube, or does it really need to b opened even to fill it?

Coe the way the seals are in the lower bearing housing if Too much is pumped in it WILL come out near the prop. It isnt advised but that lower seal Is moreless designed to keep contaminates out, as much as keeping the grease in. Once you see the orientaion of the seal and how seals work.. Its clear as Day.

^ I recall your thread. It was you bearing housing that backed off and contaced your prop. It houses the 2 lower seals and the bearing.

thank you very much for all of the help and instructions on the seal change! I got that screw out easily once I used a little brain power. I just got a big phillips and tapped it in pretty good with a rubber hammer and it came right out. I pumped out all of the old stuff through the drain and I suppose I'll change those seals soon (probably do it during the split in a couple of weeks). Any idea on how much they cost? GT said somewhere around 80? Is that correct?

It is around $100 for the WHOLE Lower unit rebuils kit. Thats seals, and bearings, But all you really need to change is the lower wear sleeve and seals. Maybe the lower bearing if you cant slam it out and have to resort to punching it out like mine LOL.

^true that craig!

thanks guys! I called back and told 'em to hold off on the seal kit. I don't think the seals are leaking as i never see any grease on there unless I'm forcing it out. I'm glad that drain screw came out nice and easy though, not sure why I couldn't get it out before b/c there was no sign of corrosion or rust? wierd. I guess it was just a fail on my part, lol. Opener is this weekend and my boat is ready to roll!