I can't imagine how/why anyone would put their boat in gear while pressing on the hot foot. My foot isn't even on the HF when I put the motor in gear.

Not during normal operation, no way. But sometimes the pedal gets stuck, linkage comes apart, something rolls around under the console and interferes with the hotfoot, or someone tunes their carbs a little hot (not me, nope...) and can't figure why it won't shift smoothly...

It happens, but it's definitely not supposed to!

No doubt. If that happens that it operator error and not the fault of a hotfoot. Heck using that logic I guess you could slam it in gear if using a hand throttle as well.

I don't think most newer outboards will let u put in gear if RPMs are over a certain amount. Can someone else please confirm this by trying it?

I can't figure how you even got this idea.

People slowly putting their boat into gear is probably one of the worst culprits.
I hear guys all the time at the ramp slowly shifting the gears and they grind when switching.
You should quickly put your motor in gear. Every time you do slow you cause a little but of damage.

As far a a hotfoot, I don't know if or why they would cause a problem. People are must more used to driving a car and they naturally know not to depress the gas while shifting gears.

This.....I bought a lower unit for one of my earlier rigs because of this........my mechanic gave me a good talking to about how to do it right. The faster the better. If you hear the gears bouncing off each other you are doing it way to slow.....

with a hand throttle you engage gears before any throttle is available

Fact is. The lower unit takes the most abuse. Oil lthe drain plug. If it's clean and there is no water drops, rock on.

I would be glad to try that...can I borrow your boat?

Go ahead and slam yours in gear with the hand throttle.

No problem with my lower and hotfoot! I think it boils down to operator error if you ask me.

So are engaging gears with hand throttle fast or slow? New post? Didn't mean to hijack.

My problem is not my hotfoot, it's those damn stumps that are attached to the hotfoot.

If your engine idle speed is set right, and you allow the prop to stop turning, your LU should literally fall in gear with nothing more than a mild clunk...no grinding or bashing gears.