Raising Motor Position

[jd438]

I have 70 hp Mercury on v bottom aluminum boat. With my current setup the engine creates a bunch of drag because the AV plate is 1" below the hull line. The holes are about 3/4" raise each, so I am thinking 2 holes higher. I don't have a hoist to lift the motor. I do have other tools and a good sized floor jack. Any suggestions would be helpful, I don't want to drop it on the ground.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Raising Motor Position

You need to be very careful doing this as some transom brackets do not allow removing all four mounting bolts yet allow the engine to hang on the boat. You need a couple of hefty friends to help you or you need to rent a "come along" or "block & tackle" to suspend the engine while raising it and reinserting the bolts.

 

[BaileysBoat]

Re: Raising Motor Position

I wouldn't lift from the bottom because the engine is top heavy.

I use a come along over a roof joist.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Raising Motor Position

lift from the top. really need lifting eye that screws into the flywheel.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Raising Motor Position

I used a pair of ratchet straps and a roof joist, easier to go up than down but it can be done.

If you need to come down just get one strap almost tight and release the first one and it will get you an inch or 2.

I went all the way up on mine then started dropping it till it was right, mad ea huge difference.

 

[crb478]

Re: Raising Motor Position

If you can strap the motor to an overhead joist or beam you and lower the stern of boat by raising the trailer jack. If your motor has two elongated bolts on the bottom you can just get those bolts good and loose and take the top ones out. Go up two holes and then reseal and tighten everything back down.
If you do not have the elongated holes you will have to muscle it some while it hangs in the air to get everything to line back up. A strong friend would be helpful here. If you want to use the floor jack to help you with fine tuning cut out a block of wood that supports the skep and AV plate to help spread out the weight.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Raising Motor Position

JD - You saw all the advise on how to raise the motor. Have you determined how high to raise it? Determining the height is an inexact science. You can guess, or better yet experiment. If you trailer the boat, it will be easy to get the motor to exactly the correct height. First raise it up more than you think you should, say all the way. Now water test it with a tach and GPS. Make sure you move the load in the boat around a bit, since that simulates real conditons. Obviously watch the cooling and if the boat ventilates badly, drop the motor down a hole. Keep records of performance and you should be able to zero it in.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Raising Motor Position

Lower the trailer jack as much as possible, put a block of wood under the skeg, remove the bolts that hold the motor in place, some motors have a slot for the lower bolts so you don't need to take them out, just loosen them. If the bolt holes aren't slotted, have your buddy hold the motor upright, if they're slotted you can do it by yourself. Now raise the bow, this raises the motor, just line up the holes you want to use and put the bolts back in. This method takes about 15 minutes if the bolts come out easy, 20 if they don't.

 

[jd438]

Re: Raising Motor Position

Here's how I did it. I clamped blocks on each side of the transom plate and chocked each wheel, so the boat wouldn't move. Then I ran as strap from each of the transom eyes and through the transom bracket to hold the motor forward. I lowered the jack all of the way in the front and lowered the motor until it rested on a block of wood. I took out the bolts and raised the jack slowly until I got to the desired location. I put the bolts back in with just a little wiggle and sealed it all back up.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Raising Motor Position

Good job, now tell us how it works when you get it on the water.