Leaving outdive lifted is bad ??

[av8or09]

I read on a previous post concerning a leaky O/D bellows that you should not leave leave your O/D raised when not in use. Is this right?? I never heard this before and my boat stays on the trailer with the drive raised 95% of the time. Should I lower the drive after trailering to keep the bellows in good shape?? THANKS!

 

[tommays]

Re: Leaving outdive lifted is bad ??

when the drive is up the bellows is stretched to its max and will take a SET in that position <br /><br />if you leave the drive as down as you can it will stay close to its normal shape<br /><br />i cant get it all the down so i just leave the skeg above the pavement and it seams to do well like that<br /><br /><br />tommays

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Leaving outdive lifted is bad ??

Leave it down and straight as much as possible when parked, in the water, or on the trailer

 

[whywhyzed]

Re: Leaving outdive lifted is bad ??

also muskrats cant chew it when it's down

 

[180shabah]

Re: Leaving outdive lifted is bad ??

I don't have a choice, my boat sits low enough in the trailer that I have to set the tounge on the ground to lower the drive all the way.<br /><br />Whe are we going to smith mountain lake?

 

[achris]

Re: Leaving outdive lifted is bad ??

Originally posted by av8tor:<br /> ... I never heard this before ...

Read your owners manual.

 

[Delfina]

Re: Leaving outdive lifted is bad ??

to achris<br />how are you?

 

[av8or09]

Re: Leaving outdive lifted is bad ??

quote:<br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />Originally posted by av8tor:<br />... I never heard this before ... <br />--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br />Read your owners manual.<br /> ACHRIS<br /> I am sure your statement was meant to be helpfull, but I can assure you that as a newbie to boating that was the first place I looked. As a pilot also, I usually go over Manufacturer reccomendations very carefully. Just so happens that the original owner still had all of the SUNBIRD and OMC manuals that came with the boat and even though they talk about the outdrive operation in detail, nowhere in either manual does it say to leave the drive lowered while in storage. Maybe just a mistake on their part or maybe OMC never thought that it was necessary at the time (1989)Or maybe they just wanted to sell more parts, who knows!This boatng thing gets more expensive and time consuming by the day ! LOL! BUT ANY DAY ON THE LAKE BEATS A DAY AT MY JOB!!!

 

[bigbrownbuku]

Re: Leaving outdive lifted is bad ??

the next time you are at your dealer av8tor ask to see a bellows. keeping it that shape as much as possible will extend its life, or at the least make it reliable until you change it as a part of your preventative maintence schedule.<br /><br />for those that have boats moored leaving the drive tilted promotes growth in the bellows gaps, such as mussel or barnacle growth.these could easily puncture your bellows when you lower the drive.