How do you store your outdrive

[Texas Parrothead]

When storing your boat do you store it with the outdrive trimmed all the way up or down?

I have been told that storing it trimmed all the way up can damage the Rubber hub that absorbs shock from the engine to the drive.

 

[ziggy]

Re: How do you store your outdrive

during the summer when stored for a week in between uses. my i/o gets stored down. less stress on the bellows. like in not stretched out.
during the winter. i've been storing it with the drive off the last couple of years. much less chance of any freeze damage. it get's pm over the winter. lub ujoints, change fluid, pressure test. alignment gets checked. regular pm. also, less likely to be stole when in my basement..

 

[bruceb58]

Re: How do you store your outdrive

ALWAYS ALWAYS down...even if just for a week.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: How do you store your outdrive

Trim out on mine, not trailer position just trim out because I raise my trailer tongue high plug out, can't do it with drive all way down.
So I guess neither I'm half way between.

 

[myoldboat2]

Re: How do you store your outdrive

down.

 

[ShaneCarroll]

Re: How do you store your outdrive

I keep it with the drive down, can't go all the way down because of the trailer, but most of the way until the skeg is about an inch above the ground. For some reason, the little wheel on the front of my trailer is on steroids. It is twice the size of any wheel I have ever seen. I like it, but this seems to be the only downsize. It looks like it could support a triple axle trailer or something.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: How do you store your outdrive

I can't vote int he poll. I remove my drive for winter storage.

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: How do you store your outdrive

I keep it with the drive down, can't go all the way down because of the trailer, but most of the way until the skeg is about an inch above the ground. For some reason, the little wheel on the front of my trailer is on steroids. It is twice the size of any wheel I have ever seen. I like it, but this seems to be the only downsize. It looks like it could support a triple axle trailer or something.

Hmmm, you may have just solved the "where to put my spare tire dilema"

 

[John_S]

Re: How do you store your outdrive

On a stand in the basement.

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: How do you store your outdrive

Down......

 

[Knightgang]

Re: How do you store your outdrive

Not to pick on anyone, but you I/O guys just kill me. I never thought about taking the outdrive off, but then again, I am an OUtboard man, and OUtboards seem to be the majority around here. There are some I/Os and a few Inboards, but they are rare.

Of course we are in the South, and really do not have to do winter storage of boats, but we never thought about taking a foot off of an outboard for storage, and certainly not removing the motor... HEHEHE

 

[TowRoper]

Re: How do you store your outdrive

down

 

[bruceb58]

Re: How do you store your outdrive

It is especially critical to sore the drive in the down position if you have an OMC Cobra. The lower shift cable is really stretched and has a lot tighter bend in it when it is tilted up. Way better to have it in its operating position. The cable will last a LOT longer.

 

[steddy]

Re: How do you store your outdrive

Down as far as possible. As per the Mercruiser manual, it should be stored in the trimmed down position to save the bellows.
I also have the problem of skeg clearance when the tongue is all the way up, so I just can't quite go all the way down with it. I figure 85% of the way down is better than all the way up.

 

[meesh]

Re: How do you store your outdrive

Always down, anytime it's not in use.

 

[joncrisler]

DOWN, and here is why-

DOWN, and here is why-

You should store it down if it will be sitting more than a day or two. If on a trailer and you need ground clearence while moving, then up for obvious reasons.

But, store it down- this reduces the tension/pressure on the drive u-joint bellows and shift cable. Doing this, I have gotten bellows to last 10-15 years. If the boat is in the water, you should do the same- a leaking bellows might sink your boat if your bilge pump fails. Also, while in the water, when in the down position much less of the bellows is exposed to water animals, specifically muskrats which seem to like chewing on bellows. Newer bellows are reportedly made with some anti-animal poison in the rubber to discourage muskrats etc., but there might be dumb muskrats who learn slower than others

Also, storing it down keeps water from accumulating in the lower gearcase exhaust passages- if this freezes it can burst the passages in the gearcase casting (ask me how I know).

As for removing it for the winter, this is a good idea because outdrives are stolen all the time. However, if you want to leave the outdrive on the boat, I would suggest getting an outdrive lock from McGard. These locks are a bit more sophisticated than your regular wheel locks, and are darn near impossible to remove without the key- forget those "locking lug nut removal tools" from places like Snap-On (I have one when I lost a lock key from my boat trailer mag wheels) - those tools will not work on the Stern Drive lock due to its rotating collar design. They run about $20-25 if I recall.

 

[ziggy]

Re: How do you store your outdrive

Also, storing it down keeps water from accumulating in the lower gearcase exhaust passages- if this freezes it can burst the passages in the gearcase casting (ask me how I know).

for sure true. what kills me is when i drive by my local boat repair store in the winter. not the one i go to. many of the boats stored in the yard have the drives up... not real inspirational for me as for frequenting that shop...

 

[Chris1956]

Re: How do you store your outdrive

Hey Knightgang, A lot of the merc Outdrives need to be pulled each year to grease the U-joints. At that point, it is easy to toss 'em in the garage.

A lot of my neighbors wrap plastic around the outdrives. I would think this is much worse than allowing exposure to the elements. The plastic can trap moisture so the outdrive slowly corrodes over the winter.

Heck, I am sure my outdrive would prefer a bit of cold, rain and wind on it's exterior, over being kept in salt water.

 

[TojosMojo]

Re: How do you store your outdrive

I'm storing mine off and in the garage, but I always store down too.