Trim Switch

[BigWeakSauce]

1974 Mercruiser I/L 6 with "pre-alpha" drive. Ive heard the drive referred to professionally as R, MR, and Pre Alpha so I dont know exactly what the outdrive is called other than it was manufactured in 1974 and its not an Alpha.
That said I removed my gimbal ring today and noticed the cable running from the top of the ring through the transom was corroded and snapped, freeing the gimbal ring. I believe this is part number 45942A 1 labeled Tilt Stop Switch Assembly (no trim sender).
My question: does that need to be fixed? Or can I just run the trim up "by feel" and not use a switch? And with the cable exposed now do I run any risk of a short curcuit with the pump system? I highly doubt I would since the cable was already exposed, but last thing I want is to drop the boat in the water and not be able to trim up to get back on the trailer.
I'm hoping the switch is more of a luxury than a necessity because it doesnt seem to be available as a new part.

 

[achris]

First up, read this post...

What is a ‘Pre-Alpha’ drive?

What is a ‘Pre-Alpha’ drive? We see this all the time…. I have a ‘pre-Alpha’ drive, can you tell me…..??? What parts do I need for my ‘Pre-Alpha’? And so on…. Before anyone can answer those questions, we need to know, exactly WHICH ‘Pre-Alpha’ drive do you have? Mercury never produced a...

forums.iboats.com

You can't buy anything to replace or repair those sender switches anymore. You're only option is to replace the entire transom assembly (along with most of the back of the engine) or just run the boat by 'feel'....

Disconnect the switch wires at the pump, and add a short 'shorting wire'. If you do that, be aware that the 'OUT' button (centre of the 3 button console) will run the drive all the way up to the full tilt position. If you don't add the shorting wire, you always need to press the UP and the OUT buttons together to get the drive to raise. That switch has no affect on DOWN.

Chris...

 

[BigWeakSauce]

First up, read this post...

What is a ‘Pre-Alpha’ drive?

What is a ‘Pre-Alpha’ drive? We see this all the time…. I have a ‘pre-Alpha’ drive, can you tell me…..??? What parts do I need for my ‘Pre-Alpha’? And so on…. Before anyone can answer those questions, we need to know, exactly WHICH ‘Pre-Alpha’ drive do you have? Mercury never produced a...

forums.iboats.com

You can't buy anything to replace or repair those sender switches anymore. You're only option is to replace the entire transom assembly (along with most of the back of the engine) or just run the boat by 'feel'....

Disconnect the switch wires at the pump, and add a short 'shorting wire'. If you do that, be aware that the 'OUT' button (centre of the 3 button console) will run the drive all the way up to the full tilt position. If you don't add the shorting wire, you always need to press the UP and the OUT buttons together to get the drive to raise. That switch has no affect on DOWN.

Chris...

Hey thanks Chris! My "out" button already doesnt function, perhaps because that wire was already exposed and damaged. Always have to push both out and up as it is, was the same on another 70's era boat I had perhaps for the same reason. I'll disconnect those wires and go by feel on the trim, I'm not racing or looking for optimal performance, really just an A to B from shore to fishing spot on Lake Erie.