Ok to tilt the outdrive up on an I/O - half way to get out of trouble ?

[Old & In the way]

In the past (50 yrs.) on outboard motors I have tilted the motor up about half way in order to get out of trouble - like when run aground on a soft (sand) bottom, successfully.

I had a OMC I/O on a Sea Ray and I tried to use this technique and the I/O was never right after that.
I have also read that you never want to run a VP unless it is fully down in the water.
Is a Mercruser the same?

Thanks.

 

[KD4UPL]

Re: Ok to tilt the outdrive up on an I/O - half way to get out of trouble ?

You can trim the drive up some if you stay within it's normal range for being under power. If you tilt it too much it puts the U-joints in a bind. My Mercruiser instruction manual is pretty clear on this. That's why most boats have two buttons for trimming up, one says up, the other says trailer. The up button stops before you bring the drive up far enough to do damage. (If it's properly adjusted).

 

[superbenk]

Re: Ok to tilt the outdrive up on an I/O - half way to get out of trouble ?

If it was an OMC Stringer it has ball gears that need to mesh instead of a drive shaft with u-joints. When you tilt a Stringer under power, the ball gears slip & they get chewed up pretty quick. That's why you can't drive an OMC Stringer tilted for any length of time. KD4UPL gave good info for the other drives.

More detail: there is no trim on a Stringer out-drive, only tilt. Trimming the drive was done by changing the attitude of the entire engine & drive together via a jack screw or hydraulic front motor mounts (on some models - SelecTrim).

 

[Don S]

Re: Ok to tilt the outdrive up on an I/O - half way to get out of trouble ?

It would probably help if you told us what outdrive you have now, not what you used to have.

 

[Old & In the way]

Re: Ok to tilt the outdrive up on an I/O - half way to get out of trouble ?

It would probably help if you told us what outdrive you have now, not what you used to have.

Hi Don,
I am still shopping. I can't find an outboard, so trying to consider I/O prospects.
Thanks.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Ok to tilt the outdrive up on an I/O - half way to get out of trouble ?

well as stated above, no it isn't "ok" and you should never do it BUT over the last couple of decades I have tilted alpha's WAY up to the point that the prop was nearing the surface of the water when I had to MANY times and moved my boat out of harms way at idle or slightly more.... the driveshaft and ujoints do make noise while doing this but so far I have had no problems arrive from doing so

again, no you can't do this as the books and all the experts say so (and for good reason) but I have many times with no problem.

Soooo if you copy me and it works I'll take all the credit, but if you copy me and grenade ur drive.... it's all on you... ya know?

 

[90stingray]

Re: Ok to tilt the outdrive up on an I/O - half way to get out of trouble ?

Last summer in my Stingray i had to tilt up past the range by using the trailer button... the prop was right below the water. We didn't move out of idle. She made no noise and i have had no issues. Better than hitting a stump with the prop! It was so we could make it to the party cove I would do it again if I had to... but i just hope the lakes are going to be up this year.

 

[billbayliner]

Re: Ok to tilt the outdrive up on an I/O - half way to get out of trouble ?

In the past (50 yrs.) on outboard motors I have tilted the motor up about half way in order to get out of trouble - like when run aground on a soft (sand) bottom, successfully.

Ed, I presume that you mean that you're tilting the out drive up. Tilting up an anchored down engine is pretty tough to do.

With any universal joint, the system is intended to articulate the bearing crosses within reason. In fact, bearing crosses that do not articulate will actually wear out sooner than if they do articulate some.
Look at the angle of an auto or truck drive line. These are deliberately angled and will articulate the bearing crosses so that the trunion is constantly changing position against the bearing surface.
Then look at a stern drive universal shaft when turning Port or Stbd and under power.
Not much different than trimming up some, it's just a different direction of articulation angle.
So, tilting an I/O up some and while under mild power and low rpm, and to get you out of trouble, should not be an issue. Just keep it within reason!

 

[JimS123]

Re: Ok to tilt the outdrive up on an I/O - half way to get out of trouble ?

Mercruiser's Owner's Manual says if you tilt it up the rpms should be kept below 1500. I asked my original dealer and he said it was OK. The same year my buddy bought a boat from another dealer and he said don't do it it'll hurt the u-joint.

I'm still running the original U-joint, prop and gimble bearing. My buddy is on his 3rd outdrive and i can't remember how many props because he believed the dealer not the manual. He is forever hitting the bottom.

When on the trailer I trimmed up to observe the point on my trim gauge where the prop is just above the bottom of the boat. In my case, that's about 3/4 up on the trailer button. I run in and out of a shoal on every fishing trip, most every weekend all summer long. I keep the rpms at 1000 all the time. I also lube my u-joint every 100 hours.

Been doing this for 28 years and haven't had an issue yet, and I hear no noise from the outdrive either.

That was a 1984 Merc manual. What does the 2012 manual say?

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Ok to tilt the outdrive up on an I/O - half way to get out of trouble ?

Is it a good idea, not really. Have I done it myself, yup.

Yes.......We've ALL done it at one time or another...............

. I had one mercruiser powered boat that I operated from 1966 (when Dad bought it) until I sold it in 2005 and it was operated tilted for many years for trolling, running in shallow water etc (always idle power) with no apparent ill effects. I've also operated my Bravo III the same way.

Since the U-joints cannot tell the difference between turning left or right of center and "tilting" above (or below) center (the whole point of the "GIMBAL"), It shouldn't make much difference.

The transom mount is designed to operate at full power from FULL left to right........... It's not intended to operate at full power, full-UP because of transom loads and what it will do to actual boat control.

I haven't measured whether full up exceeds the full left/right angle. but if it does, you could break something (a U-joint) and when the U-joints break a WHOLE LOT of other stuff breaks too........ ($$$ very messy and very expensive$$$)


Just don't operate the drive "tilted" to an angle that exceeds the degree it will "turn" left or right, keep it near idle, and ensure that you keep the water pickup covered with water or you'll suck air, cook the raw water pump and over heat the engine. (I wouldn't tilt a Ball-drive stringer though)


Regards,



Rick

 

[billbayliner]

Re: Ok to tilt the outdrive up on an I/O - half way to get out of trouble ?

Since the U-joints cannot tell the difference between turning left or right of center and "tilting" above (or below) center (the whole point of the "GIMBAL"), It shouldn't make much difference.

The transom mount is designed to operate at full power from FULL left to right ........... It's not intended to operate at full power, full-UP because of transom loads and what it will do to actual boat control.

I haven't measured whether full up exceeds the full left/right angle. but if it does, you could break something (a U-joint) and when the U-joints break a WHOLE LOT of other stuff breaks too........ ($$$ very messy and very expensive$$$)

Just don't operate the drive "tilted" to an angle that exceeds the degree it will "turn" left or right, keep it near idle, and ensure that you keep the water pickup covered with water or you'll suck air, cook the raw water pump and over heat the engine. (I wouldn't tilt a Ball-drive stringer though)

I fully agree, just as I said about turning Port or Stbd and under power. The bearing crosses don't know the difference. And this is not limited to the Gimbal system drives. Works the same for the AQ Volvos.
The warnings must be somewhat of a disclaimer. Just use your heads!