Attempting to open the gear box...

Have the 4 Stroke with the Stage III gearbox. Would love to be able to get the cover off to apply lithium grease to the gears. The problem is that I can't turn the 7 screws to get the cover off. They are super tight & no screwdriver I have can even begin to turn the screws. Any suggestions short of TNT to get the cover off? Would I be able to replace these screws with 10mm bolts or will the screws come off easier next time?

Plus...got some 85W-145 gear oil. Several have said lithium grease works best...but others have said gear oil's not good. Any suggestions?

GearNut said:

I recommend using a hand held impact driver (the hit it with a hammer type). They are sold at most automotive parts stores for a reasonable price.
Yes, it is a good idea to replace the screws with allen head screws at your earliest convienance.
After you get the factory screws out, take them back to the auto parts store or your local hardware store to match the size and thread pitch.
Go with the white lithum grease, and be careful to avoid getting any inside the clutch. BTW, the clutch hates oil, so don't go that way.

Click to expand...

Got the impact driver...but won't be able to do anything till I get home on Monday from vacation. Been a great time...looking for work & finding several subbing jobs here in Idaho. 2 months...should be able to show these folks what an MB is.