Transom saver or no?

HoosierHacker89

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Feb 5, 2024
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87
I got my new trailer set up pretty well. My boat launches and loads really easy now. My next question is should I use a transom saver? My trailer doesn’t explicitly have a place for one so I’ll either have to drill a hole or use some u bolts to mount something. Motor is 35 HP Johnson. In the all the way locked down position I’ve got about 7.5-8 inches of clearance as is now. I’ve just throwing a ratchet strap across the back to keep it from turning side to side while towing.
 

Mc Tool

Senior Chief Petty Officer
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Aug 7, 2024
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I got my new trailer set up pretty well. My boat launches and loads really easy now. My next question is should I use a transom saver? My trailer doesn’t explicitly have a place for one so I’ll either have to drill a hole or use some u bolts to mount something. Motor is 35 HP Johnson. In the all the way locked down position I’ve got about 7.5-8 inches of clearance as is now. I’ve just throwing a ratchet strap across the back to keep it from turning side to side while towing.
Thats about the same clearance as my set up but I aint brave enough to chance it and I tilt the motor up a bit
 

jlh3rd

Master Chief Petty Officer
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Jul 10, 2017
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I can't speak for a 35. That's a lightweight motor.
For my 2021 Merc. 115hp, I use one. I was surprised at the bounce and flexing of the transom on my pontoon just by using my hands .
 

airshot

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Jul 22, 2008
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How sturdy is the transom the 35 is mounted on...what us the max hp rating on the boat ? Does the motor flop around when going down rough roads ?
If your motor is at max capacity, or your transom can flex, or your motor can flop around ....then yes, a saver is recomended. If boat can handle more hp, transom is really rigid with no flex and motor doesn't flip around, a saver is not needed. For example...my transom is all aluminum and rated for 80 hp.
I also have power trim and tilt so the motor stays in any position it is left in.
I have a 40 hp motor well under the max rating. I do not use a saver, no need for one. If you tilt your motor and have no way to hold it in position when going down rough roads, then you should use a saver as the flopping of the motor can cause damage. Have a friend follow you towing your boat down a rough road....if the motor flops, you need support !!
 

redneck joe

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Mar 18, 2009
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Also remember when tilted it is balanced when you wiggle it you are doing it on the end point of a lever. That doesn't happen on the road. Also, imo but debated fiercely in the internet and elsewhere, if you are worried about a sloppy transom on a trailer id be more worried about it off the trailer and in the water,
 

jimmbo

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May 24, 2004
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If the Motor flopps around, then yes a Saver may be a good Idea. If the Motor is Locked Rigidly by Hydraulics, then Avoid them, because if the Boat shifts ever so slightly forward or backward, a lot of Stress is placed on the very Transom you think you are protecting
 

roscoe

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Oct 30, 2002
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Those of you that have studied physics, specifically wave oscillation and amplitude, will see the value of have the trailer, boat hull, and motor, locked together as one unit.

Have seen several “newer” boats with separated transoms, one was only 4 years old, only an 25 hp motor, and trailered less than 4,000 miles.

Bumpy roads and no transom saver were the common link.
 

Mc Tool

Senior Chief Petty Officer
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Aug 7, 2024
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When I got my boat ( Marlbrough Dart 4.1m , 35hp Honda ) I just used the latch on the motor to rest it while traveling , carted it thousands of Kms with no issue .........but it was nagging at me , and I had to straighten the latch at some point so Im liking the spring loaded outboard support version .
Jimmbo has a good point in that boats do move about on the trailer ,Previous boat I removed the safety chain that holds the bow to the trailer and fitted a stout stainless turnbuckle instead . Every trip I went the hook on the end of the turnbuckle snapped off . It was mostly down to the trailer flexing ......which I was OK with but I went back to the chain and just threw a ratchet tie down over the outboard bracket at the back .
 

Jeff J

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Jun 23, 2021
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281
A boat shouldn’t move much if it’s on the trailer correctly. A properly loaded boat stiffens the trailer. That’s not to say there are not strong forces at work. If something breaks or straps are left off then the boat will move. Sometimes a lot.

I was dragging a 20’ ski boat one day and noticed the bow seemed to be moving a lot. The winch strap had broken allowing the bow to bounce independent of the trailer like it was porpoising across the lake.
 

jlh3rd

Master Chief Petty Officer
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Jul 10, 2017
Messages
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Also remember when tilted it is balanced when you wiggle it you are doing it on the end point of a lever. That doesn't happen on the road. Also, imo but debated fiercely in the internet and elsewhere, if you are worried about a sloppy transom on a trailer id be more worried about it off the trailer and in the water,
with all do respect:
The original merc 60 4stroke on my pontoon did balance fairly evenly over the transom using the latch on the motor, which I later learned was not to be used for such. Regardless, any hand bouncing I did reflected the weight was centered over the transom. I didn't use a transom saver.
However, the new merc. 115 hp I got surprised me with how much "flex" I could see in the transom. It is the max rated motor. And it wasn't just the transom, it was the motor pod that flexed too. This was because this bigger, heavier motor wasn't equally balanced over the transom and weighed a heck of a lot more.This all stopped after getting the transom saver.

a 35/hp?...probably no concern. The motor size does make a difference.
It's a choice.
 

airshot

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My outboard is a 1980. No tilt/no trim hydraulics. Is there anyway to "tilt" without these?
It will tilt, but needs to be locked into place. The power trim on a motor is strong enough to hold it in position, but without that, the motor can flip up and down on rough roads. In the past, I have made a wood block to fit into the tilt mechanism to hold the motor in position, then add a ratchet strap to hold everything in position when going over a bump. Have someone follow you pulling your boat and see if your motor flops around. If it does, you need to support it !! It can and will damage your transom.
 

airshot

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with all do respect:
The original merc 60 4stroke on my pontoon did balance fairly evenly over the transom using the latch on the motor, which I later learned was not to be used for such. Regardless, any hand bouncing I did reflected the weight was centered over the transom. I didn't use a transom saver.
However, the new merc. 115 hp I got surprised me with how much "flex" I could see in the transom. It is the max rated motor. And it wasn't just the transom, it was the motor pod that flexed too. This was because this bigger, heavier motor wasn't equally balanced over the transom and weighed a heck of a lot more.This all stopped after getting the transom saver.

a 35/hp?...probably no concern. The motor size does make a difference.
It's a choice.
Typical issue when maxing out the engine size on any boat, especially older boats built before the heavy four strokes came into play. Many are more than 100# heavier than there old two stroke models. Hanging out over the back enhances that leverage....
 

redneck joe

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Mar 18, 2009
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13,091
with all do respect:
The original merc 60 4stroke on my pontoon did balance fairly evenly over the transom using the latch on the motor, which I later learned was not to be used for such. Regardless, any hand bouncing I did reflected the weight was centered over the transom. I didn't use a transom saver.
However, the new merc. 115 hp I got surprised me with how much "flex" I could see in the transom. It is the max rated motor. And it wasn't just the transom, it was the motor pod that flexed too. This was because this bigger, heavier motor wasn't equally balanced over the transom and weighed a heck of a lot more.This all stopped after getting the transom saver.

a 35/hp?...probably no concern. The motor size does make a difference.
It's a choice.
Then is flex on a pontoon transom is allowed? Or am I missing the point
 

jlh3rd

Master Chief Petty Officer
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Jul 10, 2017
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817
I don't know how much flex on an aluminum transom is too much as a repetitive force that would fatigue the aluminum. Some is allowed, I guess.
Aluminum wings flex all the time and don't break....so I dunno.
My point was with my boat, just to use as an example for someone asking a question. My 60hp was fine. The powerhead was more over the transom, it was more balanced....and lighter. The 115 was visibly not, and the transom saver does it's job.

And I have no idea what a smaller boat can handle, even though the engine is smaller, it still might over stress the transom. I dunno, again.
 

Mc Tool

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 7, 2024
Messages
732
. A properly loaded boat stiffens the trailer. .
Yeah it sure did :) . In the end the tie down about 1.5m from the back clamped the boat down but the bow lifted a bit over rough ground ( we winched the 4wd towing the boat out of some locations ) as the trailer flexed so I used the chain as a fail safe and just held it on the trailer with the winch ........which pulled from a different angle .
 
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