Trailering Clips?

[2300max]

I purchased a set and looking at the way you place them on the ram...peopl that use them do you lower the unit down flush against the clips to keep them in place or do you leave any slack? I know you have to cut them down to fit the ram on the outdrive just not sure how they stay on without pressure to keep them in place.

 

[Daleg70]

Re: Trailering Clips?

Here is my take on this -- after having towed boats with I/O drives for over 25 years --- across the US several times and from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada. I use them for long hauls. I have a set and used them last year when I did a 14 hour straight tow from FLorida to South Carolina to a Lake there for a week. Mine did not need shortening and I have used the same set on both a Mercruiser and a Volvo outdrive. I do not try to cinch them down with the outdrive. They would be there just in case somehting happens to the trim system.
I have never seen my outdrive go down and tighten on them. I do not use them for the short trips like this weekend when we went to Snorkel -- maybe a 20 minute tow. I have seen other discussions where people put them on and then trim down to put slight pressure on them. That is one thought. I consider them a backup but not really necessary. I always store the boat with the drive down. We are serious trailerboaters and have boated in many many places. Good luck.

 

[2300max]

Re: Trailering Clips?

Here is my take on this -- after having towed boats with I/O drives for over 25 years --- across the US several times and from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada. I use them for long hauls. I have a set and used them last year when I did a 14 hour straight tow from FLorida to South Carolina to a Lake there for a week. Mine did not need shortening and I have used the same set on both a Mercruiser and a Volvo outdrive. I do not try to cinch them down with the outdrive. They would be there just in case somehting happens to the trim system.
I have never seen my outdrive go down and tighten on them. I do not use them for the short trips like this weekend when we went to Snorkel -- maybe a 20 minute tow. I have seen other discussions where people put them on and then trim down to put slight pressure on them. That is one thought. I consider them a backup but not really necessary. I always store the boat with the drive down. We are serious trailerboaters and have boated in many many places. Good luck.

Thanks, I really didn't want to cinch it down with the drive...I only have to trailer it approx 30 miles to the boat/club marina for dry docking. I'll still install the clips since I bough them.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Trailering Clips?

bring the drive down on the clips. This takes the pressure off of the trim cylinders.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Trailering Clips?

no need to lower .... honestly no need for the clips but as a backup I spose if nothing else they'll give you peace of mind. if you do lower the drive onto them you will likely just pressurize the down side of the cylinders anyway which is the side that could leak outside the cylinder.... the up side could only leak internally

 

[AZSenza]

Re: Trailering Clips?

The ONLY reason I use them is a trim cylinder or line failure en route will make for an ugly day. I dont take pressure off, I tilt full up and clip them on. when I go to remove them if one is "Tight" I know why! I have a "Remove before flight" streamer on them and they are ties together on a lanyard. Part of launching and recovering is the clips. By the way, we have the $30 blue ones. Had em for years...

 

[90stingray]

Re: Trailering Clips?

I just clip mine on whenever she's in tow... no matter how short the trip. Cheap insurance in case something fails. I don't lower the drive on them... if they are hard to take off you know something has gone bad. Mine are red, so you wont miss them when at the ramp. Hope this helps.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Trailering Clips?

Therer is no pressure on system in the down side. All fluid return to resivour.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Trailering Clips?

Therer is no pressure on system in the down side. All fluid return to resivour.

wrong.... the cylinders build pressure both up and down....