Pre Alpha Trim Sender/Limit Upgrade?

Quintin66

Cadet
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Messages
23
Anyone ever fab a set of trim sender/ limit switches to a #1 sterndrive ring an' housing? I'm fixin' to do this very thing. Just wondering if I was the only fruitloop who would go through that much work to keep that tiny transom plate profile the #1's have.
 

Slick Kraft

Recruit
Joined
Mar 24, 2021
Messages
4
Anyone ever fab a set of trim sender/ limit switches to a #1 sterndrive ring an' housing? I'm fixin' to do this very thing. Just wondering if I was the only fruitloop who would go through that much work to keep that tiny transom plate profile the #1's have.
I'm new 'round these parts, but I'd be interested to see what happens.
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Transom plate profiles are pretty much the same for #1, R, MR, Alpha One, Alpha One gen II and Bravos. The only makers who made enormous cutouts were the early Volvos (up to the 290 drive. SX is the same as Merc. Like, EXACTLY the same) and the original OMC (thank the lord for the demise of those!)

And no, nobody has successfully converted early #1 drive trim limit and senders to later model. If you want the late model senders, you are going to need a late model transom assembly.

Put the '86 hardware in only if you have an engine flywheel housing to swap over.
 
Last edited:

MagKarl

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jan 18, 2021
Messages
47
I'm confused by this, are there different senders for different drives? Most of the descriptions I see say they fit from MC1 through Bravo. I need trim senders for my 1981 228.
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
I'm confused by this, are there different senders for different drives? Most of the descriptions I see say they fit from MC1 through Bravo. I need trim senders for my 1981 228.
Nope, just 2 different styles.

The early style which is a limit switch that fits up inside the gimbal ring, over the top of the bell housing and the position sender that goes with that is an hydraulic ram that is mounted inside the transom. Those are NLA, and Merc stopped using them around 1973.. The gimbal housing on those drives doesn't have the 'ears' for the sender. Note in the picture below.
1616903633747.png

The later style senders are little round 'puck-like' objects that attach to the gimbal ring, so the gimbal housing has a 'bulge' at that point, some people call them ears... See another picture..
1616903773208.png

This style has been around since the mid 70's, and All the LATER MC1, R, MR Alpha One, Alpha One gen II and bravo drive use the same senders. The kit number is -805320A03
0016883_mercury-mercruiser-805320a03-power-trim-sender-kit-alphabravo_550.jpeg


Hope this helps.
 

Quintin66

Cadet
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Messages
23
I'm gonna see if I can fit the late model "puck sender/switch to my early gimbal ring. It'll take some fabwork, but I think I can git 'er done!
Like I said, I have the whole she-bang for alpha setup if I hafta. It just looks cooler 😎 without the ears.
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
I'm gonna see if I can fit the late model "puck sender/switch to my early gimbal ring. It'll take some fabwork, but I think I can git 'er done!
Like I said, I have the whole she-bang for alpha setup if I hafta. It just looks cooler 😎 without the ears.
Good luck, you're going to need it...
 
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