Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

[jeepzj94]

Re: Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

There's lots of reasons to avoid OMC, but there's no reason to exaggerate.

The same could be said for any make of sterndrive/outdrive. The more I look around, you see just as many threads and topics and questions about the other makes going bad and breaking as you do OMC. And my research yielded the same as far as most of the stringer stuff being available through 3rd parties. Like I said, I feel confident in the boat and its components.

 

[infideltarget]

Re: Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

The same could be said for any make of sterndrive/outdrive. The more I look around, you see just as many threads and topics and questions about the other makes going bad and breaking as you do OMC. And my research yielded the same as far as most of the stringer stuff being available through 3rd parties. Like I said, I feel confident in the boat and its components.

Good for you brother!! Well said. Pics are a necessity BTW.

 

[Don S]

Re: Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

The same could be said for any make of sterndrive/outdrive. The more I look around, you see just as many threads and topics and questions about the other makes going bad and breaking as you do OMC. And my research yielded the same as far as most of the stringer stuff being available through 3rd parties. Like I said, I feel confident in the boat and its components.

Good for you brother!! Well said.

Here's the problem, especially with the OMC stringer drives, and to a lesser extent the Cobras.
Yes, aftermarket parts are available, no one is disputing that, and yes other companies like Mercruiser and Volvo have their problem childs. The big difference is, merc and volvo still exist. There are techs still trained by Merc and Volvo. There are also OEM parts still being made, and yes there are parts that are NLA, But there are no factory trained NEW techs coming on the market, no factory help with problems, no OEM manuals to be had. That's the reason most here do not recommend buying an OMC powered boat, or a 470 Mercruiser or Yamaha stern drives.
Many of the newcomers are not wanting to become marine techs and learn by trial and error that some companies are out of business or not supporting a certain product line any longer.

Edsels, DeSoto's, and Nash Ramblers were good vehicles in their day, but no one recommends them now for someone looking for their first car because they can buy them cheap.

If you happen to own an OMC powered boat and it needs repaired, no problem, ask your question for repairs and you will get answers. If you are asking if you should buy an OMC powered boat, then it's a whole new ball game and every answer is an opinion only, good or bad. Just don't expect everyone to have the same opinion as you.

 

[infideltarget]

Re: Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

Edsels, DeSoto's, and Nash Ramblers were good vehicles in their day, but no one recommends them now for someone looking for their first car because they can buy them cheap.

Nah...Edsels were not any good when they were new

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

you see just as many threads and topics and questions about the other makes going bad and breaking as you do OMC.

not per capita

the upper gearcases on those stringers just loves to take on water like no other drive ever made.
if you trailer/railway/lift the boat and change the upper gear oil every couple of outings it can survive

the 1981 lower unit was a hydromechanical shift- if water gets in there, the hydro assist plunger will rust and parts have not been available for those for over 10 years.

no other drive in history has a $650 shift cable.
and that's not the scary part.... the scary part is after the price:

0982951 CABLE ASSY. $647.13 Limited Availability

All that said, the "seat of the pants" feel of the 400/800 series is sweet. It shifts like a marshmallow, it delivers the power to the stringers which changes the whole feel of the boat. It's a ferrari to drive, especially with tru-course steering.
The power trim components are inside the engine bay. The drive steers a full 90 degrees. It has some nice attributes.

 

[Don S]

Re: Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

Nah...Edsels were not any good when they were new

My dads new 59 was an excellent car. never had a problem with it.

 

[jeepzj94]

Re: Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

Good for you brother!! Well said. Pics are a necessity BTW.

Haha thanks man, and I will definitely post pics after I get it home tomorrow! But see, this is good, instead of just bashing OMC, we've really gotten down to the straight facts of why some peoples opinions are to avoid them. I'll agree, if and when something other than the tilt breaks, it will probably be an expensive headache to get replaced and fixed. But no biggie, the work will all be done by me which will just make me all the more proud to own such an "antique" as an OMC 800 sterndrive lol!

 

[QC]

Re: Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

It's like we need a sticky . . .

I want to double up on what Don has posted:

There is a difference between "should I buy this OMC Stringer, OMC Cobra, Merc 470, Yamaha, or even a BMW sterndrive powered boat?" and whether or not they are able to be fixed, or liked, or loved . . .

The answer to "should I buy" is generally NO. "There are plenty of Merc and Volvo powered options out there, so you should keep looking." That is a fair, honest, reasonable, friendly, neighborly and good answer. I would even say it is the RIGHT answer, but that would be arrogant . . . PLEASE NOTE AGAIN: This is the answer for someone asking "Should I buy . . ."

What seems to always happen is well intentioned members post something like above. And then a well intentioned owner chimes in and says "hey, I love my OMC." And then others remind them that this was a new member asking if they should buy one. Not whether or not it can work, or be repaired, but whether or not they should buy one. Annnnd, again the "good" answer is that there are many less troublesome ways to go, so why not pass?

I had a 400 Stringer. I liked it, I replaced a lot of tilt motors. My BIL is still replacing tilt motors as that boat is still in the family. It's 27 years old now, and we can still get parts and make her run. Buuuuuttt, if that boat was for sale today I would tell anyone who asked to pass and find a similar boat with a Merc in it. It's just the right answer if the question is "should".

And for those of you that thought BMW? You can still get help here: http://www.bmwmarine.net/ but I would still say "are you flippin' crazy?" if someone asked me "should I buy one?"

 

[superbenk]

Re: Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

QC, good response & I wholeheartedly agree with it. I have no problem telling people they shouldn't buy an OMC Stringer, I just have a problem with people who say there are no parts available anymore & everything on it is impossible to maintain, etc., etc. It simply isn't true.

It's definitely an obsolete drive & you'll definitely have a harder time supporting/maintaining it than current production stuff, but mechanically it's not all bad & there are parts available for it for most situations. Facts are good, exaggerated & baseless opinions are not.

Bottom line, you shouldn't buy an OMC Stringer (unless it's mine ), but you can maintain them still if you have to.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

but I would still say "are you flippin' crazy?" if someone asked me "should I buy one?"

Ayuh,... Unfortunately,...
That's Exactly what has earned me a worldwide Reputation of being an OMC Basher,...
When,...
Exactly the Opposite is True....

Every Owner conveniently misses That...

 

[infideltarget]

Re: Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

It's like we need a sticky . . .

I want to double up on what Don has posted:

There is a difference between "should I buy this OMC Stringer, OMC Cobra, Merc 470, Yamaha, or even a BMW sterndrive powered boat?" and whether or not they are able to be fixed, or liked, or loved . . .

That answer to "should I buy" is generally NO. "There are plenty of Merc and Volvo powered options out there, so you should keep looking." That is a fair, honest, reasonable, friendly, neighborly and good answer. I would even say it is the RIGHT answer, but that would be arrogant . . . PLEASE NOTE AGAIN: This is the answer for someone asking "Should I buy . . ."

What seems to always happen is well intentioned members post something like above. And then a well intentioned owner chimes in and says "hey, I love my OMC." And then others remind them that this was a new member asking if they should buy one. Not whether or not it can work, or be repaired, but whether or not they should buy one. Annnnd, again the "good" answer is that there are many less troublesome ways to go, so why not pass?

I had a 400 Stringer. I liked it, I replaced a lot of tilt motors. My BIL is still replacing tilt motors as that boat is still in the family. It's 27 years old now, and we can still get parts and make her run. Buuuuuttt, if that boat was for sale today I would tell anyone who asked to pass and find a similar boat with a Merc in it. It's just the right answer if the question is "should".

And for those of you that thought BMW? You can still get help here: http://www.bmwmarine.net/ but I would still say "are you flippin' crazy?" if someone asked me "should I buy one?"

That is the best, most informative, and well-intentioned answer I have seen yet. I do understand what you are saying, and I, for one, thank you for putting it in nice, calm, non-bashing form. What bothers me, is the responses that just stop short of calling someone stupid for buying one. "It's obsolete", "it's antique"...are some of the quickest responses. While this may be true, this is not what most are looking for. There are plenty of obsolete and antique things all over the place. This computer I am using is obsolete and antique, and it is only two years old. BUT...is it still worth having? Yes. Is it worth fixing? I think so...but you may not. That should be the disclaimer..."IMO". When a new inexperienced buyer, who has no clue what a stringer drive is, and has zero mechanical abilities, is asking about buying his first boat, I agree with you. Maybe this is not the one he should go for. But for those that maybe want the different drive, maybe have experience with them, or just cant pass up a great deal, they should not be discouraged or ridiculed for that decision.
Saying that all OMCs are junk, or that parts are unavailable or too expensive is plain untrue, and just too broad of a statement, as the Cobra is nothing like a stringer. Saying that some parts are NLA may be a valid answer to some people, but to others, it is just a challenge. Those people should not be ridiculed for wanting that challenge. There are plenty of parts for my '53 Hudson Hornet that are NLA, but I (and my grandad) still bought it, restored it, and drove it to many Hudson club meets all over the USA. According to some on here, we should have just left it alone to rust and bought a Prius. After all, the Hudson is obsolete, antique, and has many NLA parts. If we go strictly on the NLA parts thing, we should be junking 80% of all our possessions. Junking anything over 5 years old or so should get us back into the "all parts readily available" realm.

When a current owner asks a question, he has to wade through several posts of "why did you buy it in the first place" or similar crap before he actually starts getting some help. I understand Freedom and the freedom to express your opinions. Hell, that's why I am where I am. But when a person needs help, or has just bought a new toy that he is proud of, or maybe just spent all he had saved on something, the last thing he wants to hear is "obsolete", "antique", "shoulda' bought a Merc", "why would you buy that", "friends dont let friends buy OMC", etc...etc...and so on ad infinitum. Just offer the proud new owner what help you can, or stay out of it. Let him make the decision as to what he wants to do with factual information and help, rather than biased opinions or hand slapping. Preface your answer with "In my experiences..." or "this is just my opinion, but I think..." would help alot in wading through the junk. When a respected and knowledgeable member that has a bazillion posts, or says moderator in his avatar is telling you that what you just spent your hard earned money on is the biggest POS in the world, and you are the biggest idiot and sucker that ever walked the face of the earth for buying it (paraphrased...of course), that tends to offend and demoralize, and drive people away form the forum, and continue to be uneducated and without help.

You are correct...there are two different scenarios in play here. And members offering "advice", should be mindful of which scenario is happening before chiming in.

I feel much better now.

 

[infideltarget]

Re: Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

The answer to "should I buy" is generally NO. "There are plenty of Merc and Volvo powered options out there, so you should keep looking." That is a fair, honest, reasonable, friendly, neighborly and good answer. I would even say it is the RIGHT answer, but that would be arrogant . . . PLEASE NOTE AGAIN: This is the answer for someone asking "Should I buy . . ."

Oh...one more thing. If anyone is going to state the horrible side effects from OMC purchase, they should aslo balance that with the "other side" of Volvo or Merc ownership. I cannot attest to Mercs, as I have never owned one, only driven them. But Volvos can be, and in my experience ARE, more expensive to buy and maintain than a Stringer or Cobra ever thought about being. Is the Volvo better? Thats an opinion. Is it newer? Thats a fact. Which one should someone buy? Well...that depends on what they can afford, and their mechanical aptitude. $4k for a rebuild on a Volvo SX is more than many are likely to have in the budget for a whole boat refurb, much less just a drive rebuild. Not all of us are mega rich, or have the money to throw down on a new Volvo outdrive. And believe me, they are quite difficult to find used (in many areas). Whereas a Cobra drive can be located quite easily, and rebuilt very cheaply in comparison. Even if they can buy the Volvo powered boat as cheaply as a Cobra powered unit, can they afford to fix it WHEN it breaks?

Just one more thing that needs to be taken into account before um...'discouraging' that potential OMC buyer.

Now, the Merc may very well be the best all around answer. But sometimes, that just isnt an option.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

(paraphrased...of course),

Ayuh,... I'm a single digit typist,...
I don't write a novel for each reply,...
If I did, my post count would be well under 100...
If you don't like my responses, please feel free to put me on your ignore list....

If yer fishin' for an apology,...
It Ain't gonna happen.....

 

[infideltarget]

Re: Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

Ayuh,... I'm a single digit typist,...
I don't write a novel for each reply,...
If I did, my post count would be well under 100...
If you don't like my responses, please feel free to put me on your ignore list....

If yer fishin' for an apology,...
It Ain't gonna happen.....

Dont want or need apologies. Wasnt *necessarily* speaking to you in particular. Guilty conscience? I personnaly respect your knowledge, and enjoy reading your post...mostly. Dont plan on ignoring anyone. Just sayin' you folks (in general) should maybe chill on the OMC bashing if you want this forum to continue to grow. There are a lot of us owners, present and future, out there.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

Dont want or need apologies. Wasnt *necessarily* speaking to you in particular. Guilty conscience? I personnaly respect your knowledge, and enjoy reading your post...mostly. Dont plan on ignoring anyone. Just sayin' you folks (in general) should maybe chill on the OMC bashing if you want this forum to continue to grow. There are a lot of us owners, present and future, out there.

Nope,... Don't need a Guilty conscience...

You're using My words in quotes....

 

[infideltarget]

Re: Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

Nope,... Don't need a Guilty conscience...

You're using My words in quotes....

They were closest. I have NOTHING personally against you, Bond-o. I respect and admire your knowledge, in fact. But that knowledge can get lost if the intended audience receives it in a demeaning or provoking manner. They will simply stop listening, and leave. And then no one is helped.

Maybe the mods should separate the I/O section into different manufacturers so people can ask questions in the appropriate section without fear of getting bashed, and those that dislike that particular brand, or have no knowledge of them can stay out.

 

[QC]

Re: Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

Maybe the mods should separate the I/O section into different manufacturers

Stay tuned

 

[jeepzj94]

Re: Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

Hey guys, just had a quick question, and since this thread was originally about what I'm going to ask, I didn't think I should start a new thread on it. Anyway, I got the boat home after what turned into a nightmare with the trailer. It had a wheel bearing failure less than a mile from the PO's house, and it sheared a spindle off the axle and I lost a wheel! Really fun let me tell ya. Anyway, this boat has the gear drive tilt, and I was wondering if anyone knows if it has any kind of limit switches that will stop it from trying to be raised or lowered past its max positions?? Or does it just rely on the clutches to slip if it reaches its limits and the switch is not released right away?

 

[jeepzj94]

Re: Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

Also here are a few pictures...I got the boat parked on a golf course after the wheel came off. Then returned later with my tools to remove the damaged axle and get it to a trailer shop for repair. But it wouldn't be done for a few days, so I had the boat and trailer towed home on a flatbed. Like I said a nightmare as the boat was about 24 miles from my house. Plus it barely fit on that rig!

 

[superbenk]

Re: Omc stern drive / TILT ISSUE

No limit switches. You need to listen when raising and let off the switch when it stops. Going down you'll want to tap the switch in little bursts so the drive doesn't slam against the stops. If you let it slam you can easily bind up the quadrant gear, break the hammer blow coupler on the worm shaft, break the worm shaft or do other expensive damage.