Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

[redone4x4]

Re: Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

If anything breaks when you push up on the plate by hand it's going to break in the water. Go ahead and push up on them, they won't break. I had the same fear, but figured I'd rather find out at home than on the water. Good news, they didn't break.

exactly. If they break from pushing up on them, then theres problems. I also couldnt compress the shock until it was mounted. I had to apply some force, but i didnt feel like anything would break at all. it felt kinda neat to see what they are going to do while under way, as far as compressing and applying force, etc.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

I would be very carefull doing that because while in the water the forces are equally spread over the entire area, pushing up by hand is not the same, for instance, push up on the rearmost corner of a tab and with 80lb actuators and there's a good chance you'll break out the hinge point.

 

[redone4x4]

Re: Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

I would be very carefull doing that because while in the water the forces are equally spread over the entire area, pushing up by hand is not the same, for instance, push up on the rearmost corner of a tab and with 80lb actuators and there's a good chance you'll break out the hinge point.

okay, i'll put it this way. I carefully knelt down, and grabbed the Smarttab with two hands and carefully applied upwards pressure in a controlled manner . seriously, thats how i did it. i wouldnt just grab one side and yank on it, thats not a good idea. maybe i should have explained that before someone tries it

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

That sounds better, not everyone would exhibit the awareness, my buddy for one is rough on things, if it doesn't go force it.

 

[maddog2112]

Re: Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

Ok, went outside when I got home from work and gently and evenly applied pressure to smart tabs. THEY WORK, and went up above level. The way I read the instructions, they said to drill and connect the bottom plate, then install the tab with hardware, then let the tab lower down as far as the plate will allow which gives you the 25 degrees. Attach the actuator to the tab hole of your choice and measure the top fitting in this positon, mark the holes and drill. Hope this helps.

 

[Jdeagro]

Re: Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

You guys are great!

First let me apologize for the confusion in the instructions vs. the parts. We should have included supplemental instruction in the parts bag which contains the Nylon Bolts. Apparently this was missing.

We decided to remove the snap and lock hinge pins (3/8" x 1 3/4") from the
kit and replace them with the 3/8" x 1 3/4" nylon bolts and nuts, because in some instances when the pin is not completely locked into the hinge, the side torque of the plate can compress the slotted end of the pin and allow the plate to come loose. The four 3/8" x 1 3/4" Nylon bolts and nuts will not allow the tab to come loose.

Second, we include two 5/16" x 1" Nylon Bolts and nuts in substitution for the 5/16" x 1" snap and lock pins to make the adjustment easier. We found that removing these snap and lock pins was a "pain".

Pulling up on the plate will not break anything, in fact when stress testing the system (using 80 Lb. actuators in hole #5) the fixture pushed only on one corner of the plate (trailing edge corner). The test cycled every 1.5 seconds for a total of 21 hours (just over 50,000 cycles.) The actuators had to be water cooled. Nothing broke!

We have had some failures which were mostly due to the hinge pin issue.

I hope this information helps.

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

You guys are great!

First let me apologize for the confusion in the instructions vs. the parts. We should have included supplemental instruction in the parts bag which contains the Nylon Bolts. Apparently this was missing.

Well, Well you better be sorry!! I better get my supplemental instructions when I order mine!!

 

[redone4x4]

Re: Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

great work redone and btw slow down will ya

im all out of stuff to do for now...put in my new 800gph auto bilge pump today, that was it. im gonna re-tint the windows, im not happy with how they came out after it sat for a while. cant wait, 12 hrs until i get to test my SmartTabs!!!!!

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

im all out of stuff to do for now...put in my new 800gph auto bilge pump today

Is the 800gph pump the one that is recomended for our size boats or did you go with a bigger more powerful one to be safer??

 

[smartwork]

Re: Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

Jdeagro -

Just a couple questions:

1. Any problem using stainless bolts for replacements?

2. The included nylon nuts for the 1.75" nylon bolts for the hinge seem to rotate freely (no friction or locking). If those are used, what keeps those on the bolts?

Thanks!

 

[delta1]

Re: Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

When I installed mine I measured the angle of the transom. It turned out to be right at 10 degrees (slanting aft). If I would have installed them "free hanging" I would have ended up with a total of 35 degrees downward angle on the tabs. I'm not sure if this is within allowable tolerance or not. Either way I set them up to have the 25 degree angle relative to the bottom of the hull. I'm using the 60 lbs set on hole 3. I've tried holes 2,3 and 4. I think I like setting 3 the best, although setting 4 is pretty good too.

Paul

 

[redone4x4]

Re: Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

Is the 800gph pump the one that is recomended for our size boats or did you go with a bigger more powerful one to be safer??

i pulled out a 360 gph if you remember to donate to my buddys sinking boat on the water lol. So i just upgraded to the 800, which is really closer to 610 gph accounting for the rise to the thru-hull fitting. Waay better off safer than sorry, imo. i still have the 360 with alligator terminal clips wired up and ready to go just for a backup though. i ended up getting it back, so i rigged it up as a portable spare.

 

[redone4x4]

Re: Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

When I installed mine I measured the angle of the transom. It turned out to be right at 10 degrees (slanting aft). If I would have installed them "free hanging" I would have ended up with a total of 35 degrees downward angle on the tabs. I'm not sure if this is within allowable tolerance or not. Either way I set them up to have the 25 degree angle relative to the bottom of the hull. I'm using the 60 lbs set on hole 3. I've tried holes 2,3 and 4. I think I like setting 3 the best, although setting 4 is pretty good too.

Paul

this is what i need to do. I'll see after this weekend how it performs, and I'll check and might have to move the upper shock mount higher to achieve the proper angle. mine just dont look right for some reason. they push up quite a bit, but not even with the hull i dont think.

 

[redeye1962]

Re: Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

just curious for those who may have used nylon lock nuts below deck.......if there is no access to the area below deck is there a way to get the lock nuts to work?

 

[smartwork]

Re: Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

I'm using nylon lock nuts, but these are on the bolts for the hinge and also on the actuators. Everything is accessible. The hinge plates and actuator plates are held to the transom using stainless wood/sheet metal type screws that are included. 6 for each hinge plate and 4 for each actuator plate. All installed from outside.

 

[vegasphotoman]

Re: Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

Ok all of this talk and no answers
on how good they work....
and whether they slow the boats top speed performance down alot or no change... GO TO THE LAKE ALREADY! LOL
I like top end performance myself....Lets hear how the weekend goes!

 

[maddog2112]

Re: Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

I too was concerned about the 1.75 nylon bolts that go thru the lower hinge and tab. It looked to me that the way they were designed, the tab itself locks the nut and bolt head from spinning loose. The other concern was whether they would be strong enough for the job. As someone else had mentioned, maybe they are designed to fail before further damage could happen to the transom? Don`t know. Just to be safe, I added a tiny dab of marine sealant to the nuts of the 1.75 nylon bolts before I screwed them on for locking.

 

[highN'dry]

Re: Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

I don't understated these tabs, they seem to go down on their own? Spring loaded? So, when running an inlet upon return or encountering large waves where it is correct practice to raise your tabs to bring the bow up to prevent punching into the wave, ok, how do you do that with a Smart Tab? Seems like they are always forcing the bow down, especially at low speeds where in large waves you need the tabs up---NOT down?

 

[Jdeagro]

Re: Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

To answer the question regarding the Use of 3/8" nylon bolts to attach the trim plate to the hinge plate, and if they will come loose, they will not. The plate has a raised trim edge which acts like a retainer to keep the bolts from backing off.

Using stainless steel is OK as well but in the case of use in salt water corrosion from electrolysis could occur since there is no way to ground them.

To: higNdry;

This question has come up numerous times over the years and each time it is difficult to explain when the person has not used Smart Tabs in this situation. What you are thinking will happen does not.

Why? First the Smart Tabs are not being held down with electric or Hydraulic actuators that do not move. Therefore they will provide only the amount of lift that the Nitrogen Gas Actuator and the adjustment in the system will allow. For example the 60 LB actuators will only provide a nominal 60 LB of lift. Once the water pressure has exceeded the 60 LB the tabs will retract. Next, if you have tilt trim on the out drive or motor it is still functional, therefore raising or lowering the bow is still possible. Finally the most effective tool you have to control the following sea or any sea condition is your throttle.

You reasoning would be correct if you used hydraulic or electric trim tabs and left them in the deployed (down) position as they would not self regulate.

 

[SS194]

Re: Pics of Smarttabs install and a question

Well, I'm sold and about to order my blemished set. But one question, is it recommended to get the retract bracket? The PR500?

Jdeagro, what's your take on them?

These are them, right?
http://www.iboats.com/NAUTICUS_TRIM...4939584--**********.627267277--view_id.472234

Thanks,
Steve