Motor Up - OR - Motor Down

[PitchFork]

Re: Motor Up - OR - Motor Down

Up when trailering or it will drag and down when in storage or garage.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Motor Up - OR - Motor Down

Just for giggles and grins I dug out my box of owners manuals. Mercruiser, Evinrude, Johnson, Mercury outboard and one lone Sears...LOL

They ALL said trailer down, unless a problem with road clearnace, then use a transom saver.

Transom savers are ALSO for boats with GOOD transoms. My father-in-law routinely would go 350 miles on vacation with a 40 HP OB all the way up with only the tilt lock in place. His boat was all aluminum with exposed wood at the top. No rot anywhere. The bouncing stressed the corners and rivets and on one trip the transom pulled right out.

 

[Seadoomanls]

Re: Motor Up - OR - Motor Down

I definetely say down. I have a jackplate so I have no clearance problems. But if you tilt it up use a transom saver...please!!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Motor Up - OR - Motor Down

good thing the transom pulled out on the road and not while he was bouncing over some waves, or with 40 HP pushing against the transom.

 

[cr2k]

Re: Motor Up - OR - Motor Down

Doesn't matter on my boat there is NO stress on the transom either way. But I do need the clearance over the road and up the ramp.

WELL THERE... SEE THERE IS A GOOD POINT FOR A STRINGER DRIVE!!! Neener neener neener!

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Motor Up - OR - Motor Down

Although my manual does say tow with engine down if at all possible, I sure can't do it with this kind of clearance...

I have also noticed that, when fully tilted up, the resulting relationship of engine block and leg to the hull means that any bouncing action is in line with the transom, pretty well centered directly over it. I would have thought this is a much better configuration than the levering action that must result with the entire weight of the engine hanging off the back in the down position.

 

[jaymasta]

Re: Motor Up - OR - Motor Down

Tilted up and as I don't have any clearance for down, normally I go to a boat launch 5 minutes away but if I go any further I use a winch strap and snug the motor down so it can't bounce.

 

[scbackpacker]

Re: Motor Up - OR - Motor Down

Up.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Motor Up - OR - Motor Down

I have also noticed that, when fully tilted up, the resulting relationship of engine block and leg to the hull means that any bouncing action is in line with the transom, pretty well centered directly over it.

Mine is the same way. The center of gravity sits pretty much centered on the transom. Rotational forces are next to nothing

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Motor Up - OR - Motor Down

that's why you don't need transom "savers."

 

[lingcod]

Re: Motor Up - OR - Motor Down

I trailer with it up. For a while there we ads in bass pro and cabelas stating "use a transom save to keep the loads of the road from damaging your transom". and another ad for trailering clips saying "use trailering clips to keep from putting all the stress on your trailer". well which is it? I don't know. What I do know is my transom is new and I don't have the clearance to trailer "down"

lingcod

 

[bob johnson]

Re: Motor Up - OR - Motor Down

I was thinjking a little about this subject just yesterday when i saw a 21 footish fiverglass boat with a 150 merc on it...he had it tilted so far up, and inside the boat the leg was almost HORIZONTAL!!!!

thinking about it...he got most of the weight inside the boat...

but i think about my motor and I think about why would they have a latch to lower the motor down onto...if that is not where it should be on trailering...what else would the latch be for?

and it doesnt tilt the motor anywhere close to way up inside the boat..

there is a lot of tilt past the latch that can be swung over .

then you back the tilt back down on the latch..

personally since I have a hydraulic jack plate with a 10 " set back and am running as big a motor as the boat is rated for...i use a transom saver.

well just read the book....and it says the tilt system should not be used when trailering the boat...ie it should not be able to bounce on the hydraulics...they say use the TRAILERING BRACKET

funny I never knew about the tilt SUPPORT, which the book says to use when moored or storing the boat and can be set at 50 or 73 degrees!!!!!

and it is not the TRAILER BRACKET but a seperate piece.

bob

 

[bob johnson]

Re: Motor Up - OR - Motor Down

Although my manual does say tow with engine down if at all possible, I sure can't do it with this kind of clearance...

I have also noticed that, when fully tilted up, the resulting relationship of engine block and leg to the hull means that any bouncing action is in line with the transom, pretty well centered directly over it. I would have thought this is a much better configuration than the levering action that must result with the entire weight of the engine hanging off the back in the down position.

is that what they call a "STEP" on your transom??? that recess you have that almost looks like a mini tunnel!

bob

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: Motor Up - OR - Motor Down

My Tohatsu 9.8 4 stroke owners manual says DOWN.

With the jon boat and trailer I have their are no clearance
problems.

IT DEPENDS.

 

[cwhite6]

Re: Motor Up - OR - Motor Down

I would say depends on the boat/motor also. My 25hp is trailered down with a tie down strap run between the ubolts on both sided of the motor. This straps it down very tight and holds it still. Keeps it from moving side to side and bouncing. I have plenty of ground clearance also.