I/O support when trailering

[zlman1970]

I know outboard owners can use the transom saver but what about us I/O guys? Is there a support of some sort that I should be using?

 

[BIGALF]

Re: I/O support when trailering

No . Just drive safely.

 

[Oshkosh1]

Re: I/O support when trailering

I use the ram supports(trailering clips)...I also just use nylon line to secure the drive to my tow rope hard point in order to keep it from swinging side to side on longer drives.

 

[am_dew]

Re: I/O support when trailering

My Volvo 270 outdrive came with a trailering bracket like so



which I have replaced with this

 

[zlman1970]

Re: I/O support when trailering

I use the ram supports(trailering clips)...I also just use nylon line to secure the drive to my tow rope hard point in order to keep it from swinging side to side on longer drives.

Does anyone have a link to these? I've done a search and the only items that come up are for outboards.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: I/O support when trailering

I'm cheap, so I just use a line and loop it through the rams on the outdrive and then tie it to the ski tow eye . . .

But I would not tow without some support, the cost of failure is quite high.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: I/O support when trailering

Does anyone have a link to these? I've done a search and the only items that come up are for outboards.

I havn't seen ram supports since OMC went away, but here are a couple links. Clips do absolutely nothing to "save" the transom, they only keep the drive from coming down if the rams fail.
http://www.thmarine.com/products/Tr...rd-Motor-Supports/Sterndrive-Trailering-Clips
http://www.iboats.com/OMC-Sterndrive-Cobra-Trailering-Motor-Support-Clips/dm/view_id.269565

If I ever saw someone who tied the drive to their tow point, I'd assume the boat was falling apart. Tens of thousands of sterndrives around here and I've never heard of anyone trying to use any sort of transom saver with one.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: I/O support when trailering

so what your saying oldjeep is that OMC had history of failing rams and needed extra bit to keep their drive together? :facepalm:

zlman1970, generally supports not needed on I/O's

 

[oldjeep]

Re: I/O support when trailering

so what your saying oldjeep is that OMC had history of failing rams and needed extra bit to keep their drive together? :facepalm:

Who knows - I never had one fail on my old OMC drive, but omcs are the only thing I've ever seen clips on. And honestly I can't remember the last time I even saw them on an OMC.

When you think about it, a whole Alpha one only weighs about 90lbs - its not even close to the same as having heavy outboard hanging on there.

 

[bekosh]

Re: I/O support when trailering

Technically, no. The hydraulics will hold the drive up.

But...

the cost of failure is quite high.

All it takes is a small leak and your drive will slowly drop and....

When I had my Wellcraft with a Bravo 1 I used the blue plastic clips. For less than $30 why not?
I used the T-H Marine Trailering Clips but I bet the OMC ones linked above would work just as well even on a Merc.

Now if you have older Volvo drives like I do (AQ series, 250, 270) then the clips won't work because the rams are internal. You would need a bracket like am_dew posted above.

 

[zlman1970]

Re: I/O support when trailering

Thanks for the help!

 

[skydiveD30571]

Re: I/O support when trailering

Red trailering clips like in the link above came with my 07 VP equipped boat so I use them. In the beginning I thought that I was helping the hydraulic rams support the weight of the outdrive when I hit a pothole or something like that. That's probably true to some degree, but now that I realize the strength of these rams I doubt thats the purpose. Now I use them because I have a loading and unloading routine down and helps me always make sure I remember to raise the drive for trailering. It works why change it!

 

[Oshkosh1]

Re: I/O support when trailering

Use 'em...don't use 'em...probably isn't the end all be all. I use them(clips) just because they take the weight off the hydraulics...kinda the same reason you don't leave a tractor bucket "up".. The line I use does nothing but keep the drive from swinging and provides no real support.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: I/O support when trailering

I use clips on my Volvo SX. The day I don't, I will have some sort of hydraulic leak and the drive will sink to the pavement. Cheap insurance.

 

[TJDave]

Re: I/O support when trailering

I also use ram (trailering) clips. Only on long out of town trips. Had them on my old Mercruiser outdrive. Now on my 93 OMC Cobra. I bought them right here on iboats.

Probably don't need them, but the outdrive dropping is one thing, among many, I don't have to worry about on long trips.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: I/O support when trailering

Technically, no. The hydraulics will hold the drive up.

But...

All it takes is a small leak and your drive will slowly drop and....

Exactly, I use trailering clips for the same reason.

Hydraulic lines can and do fail, I blew a hydraulic line while prepping the boat for a trip... Luckily I was at home and swapped it out quick and re-filled the pump reservoir. If I was on the road and running without clips when the line blew, the drive and prop would have been eating pavement

 

[rparde]

Re: I/O support when trailering

These here trailering clips I've never seen before. Do you just snap them on, incase of failure, or do you lower the rams so the weight rests on the clips? Thanks, trying not to hijack

 

[JEBar]

Re: I/O support when trailering

When I had my Wellcraft with a Bravo 1 I used the blue plastic clips. For less than $30 why not?
I used the T-H Marine Trailering Clips .

very interesting, didn't know they existed .... thanks for posting the link

Jim

 

[fishrdan]

Re: I/O support when trailering

Do you just snap them on, incase of failure, or do you lower the rams so the weight rests on the clips?

Raise the drive full up, put the clips on, then lower the drive to pinch the clips on the rams. If you don't lower the drive to pinch the clips, they could fall off while trailering.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: I/O support when trailering

Raise the drive full up, put the clips on, then lower the drive to pinch the clips on the rams. If you don't lower the drive to pinch the clips, they could fall off while trailering.

I never bother lowering the drive on the clips. I have a short piece of line that attach the two(through the supplied holes) to keep them together so I don't lose them and to keep from losing one if it happens to fall off.