Volvo 280 Revers lockout problems

[Big Will]

Hi everyone,
I am having some issues with the revers lockout on my volvo 280 outdrive it's a 1983 and locks half of the time. I just pick up this boat and the outdrive was the cleanest thing I have seen looked like brand new outdrive.It was serviced last week and cleaned and oiled and worked fine. used it all day then in the evening the drive pops up when I put it in revers.I then raise it and re-lower the drive to lock it back in with no luck. Does the outdrive trailering bracket mess with the lock on the outdrive? Or is there something else to look at any help would be great.

Will

[Orion]

Will,

I had similar issues with a 280. Mine would not lock at all. The problem could be a variety of things including, the return spring, the "dogs" that catch the horizontal rod, and the aluminum rod that feeds up to the tilt motor shaft. If the rod is not going up far enough, the dogs wont catch the horizontal rod which locks the lower unit down. If the spring is broken, the dogs won't catch. If the dogs are worn or rounded, they won't catch. My problem included two out of the three. The dogs were good. The spring was broken, and the rod would not go up far enough. Replaced the spring. Freeing up the rod is a process. If that's the problem, send me a PM and I will share (as Paul Harvey says) the rest of the story.

Orion