Trim tabs; Smart tabs or Bennett hyd tabs

[QC]

Re: Trim tabs; Smart tabs or Bennett hyd tabs

I've had one leak and replaced a friend's whose did as well . . . they will support, no questions asked, but all hydraulic cylinders are potential leakers over time. Trim rams?

 

[ericcarr2000]

Re: Trim tabs; Smart tabs or Bennett hyd tabs

I really would'nt want to mix water with ANY type of electrical equipment. Id rather deal with a leaking cylinder instead of worrying about the water mixed with electrical issue..

I've had one leak and replaced a friend's whose did as well . . . they will support, no questions asked, but all hydraulic cylinders are potential leakers over time. Trim rams?

 

[nikon]

Re: Trim tabs; Smart tabs or Bennett hyd tabs

You REALLY can say they are prone to leaks and failures? I find that odd as I actually own them, and know MANY others who do too and I can't recall a single incident of leaks or failures. Only issue I ever had was when I hit one up and one down by accident and blew a fuse.

Ya actually. My dads 34' sea ray has em....we've tried to fix them many times. Finally just gave up and keep adding fluid. My friends 30' Center console has them, he loved them. Had it out two weeks ago and both cylinders were frozen. My uncle in-law I guess you'd call him, has them on his 23' center console and just had to replace the hyd motor last season, season before that one cylinder busted rendering the whole system useless and contaminated.

Now on the other hand (won't name off all the boats I know) The lencos have been installed and completely trouble free for years, some trailered, some docked.

So yes, based on my experiences with bennetts I can say they are prone to leaks and failures.

This however is my opinion....I could be wrong

 

[hungupthespikes]

Re: Trim tabs; Smart tabs or Bennett hyd tabs

Bennett's all the way. Over 20 years old and only problem was my fault.:facepalm:
Left one down when loading and the extra long trailer bunk, bent the cylinder, if they were lencos it would have been a lot more to replace.
There is also a motor hatch lift that runs off the the same Hydraulic Power Unit.

 

[blifsey]

Re: Trim tabs; Smart tabs or Bennett hyd tabs

I really would'nt want to mix water with ANY type of electrical equipment. Id rather deal with a leaking cylinder instead of worrying about the water mixed with electrical issue..

Do you have a bilge pump, raw/fresh wash down or live well?

 

[Andy'sDelight]

Re: Trim tabs; Smart tabs or Bennett hyd tabs

I have Bennett's on mine and man I never knew what I was missing before. Before (on my old boat) I was always asking passengers to shift around or had to take wave on at specific angles to avoid getting splashed. Now with the Bennett's I get up on plane much faster (Smart tabs will do this too) but i can also make small adjustments on either side to change the attitude of the boat. I have a 23 foot boat and if I don't use them there are times where weight, prop torque, current, or wind will tend to make the boat lean to port or starboard depending on conditions. Small tab adjustments and you could lay a level down on my deck even in some nasty conditions. took a little while to learn to use them but well worth the lesson.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Re: Trim tabs; Smart tabs or Bennett hyd tabs

When you install the switches, make sure you can comfortably reach them while standing and sitting at the helm. Mine were factory installed and the original switches can only be comfortably reached while sitting. I added a second set for use while standing a couple of weeks ago and wish I'd done it 6 years earlier...

 

[QC]

Re: Trim tabs; Smart tabs or Bennett hyd tabs

TOTALLY AGREE !!!!!! ^^^^^^^ I like them near the throttle so that I can play with trim and tabs within a couple of inches and back to the throttle. Try all throttle positions etc.

 

[high'n'dry]

Re: Trim tabs; Smart tabs or Bennett hyd tabs

Yes, you want the control switches near the throttle so as to be able to make adjustments with both trim tabs, engine trim and throttle quickly and intuitively.

JR

 

[ericcarr2000]

Re: Trim tabs; Smart tabs or Bennett hyd tabs

Well, yeah of course I do, but as you can imagine, I dont think they have a hydraulic bilge pump out there, lol. All I was pointing out was, If you have the option of using hydraulic or electric for underwater applications, I personallky would stear clear of the electric parts.......Just my 2 cents worth...Food for thought..Different strokes for different folks.....

Do you have a bilge pump, raw/fresh wash down or live well?

 

[skargo]

Re: Trim tabs; Smart tabs or Bennett hyd tabs

There is a reason Bennetts are so popular, dead nuts reliable(with the exception of the poster and his family and friends who bought all the bad ones) and their customer service is great!

But buy what you want, and what your budget allows. The OP asked for EXPERIENCED users of the tabs, and I gave mine.

 

[Tabman]

Re: Trim tabs; Smart tabs or Bennett hyd tabs

Ya actually. My dads 34' sea ray has em....we've tried to fix them many times. Finally just gave up and keep adding fluid. My friends 30' Center console has them, he loved them. Had it out two weeks ago and both cylinders were frozen. My uncle in-law I guess you'd call him, has them on his 23' center console and just had to replace the hyd motor last season, season before that one cylinder busted rendering the whole system useless and contaminated.

Now on the other hand (won't name off all the boats I know) The lencos have been installed and completely trouble free for years, some trailered, some docked.

So yes, based on my experiences with bennetts I can say they are prone to leaks and failures.

This however is my opinion....I could be wrong

Nikon,

I would be delighted to help with your dad's SeaRay, how old is the boat? . Please feel free to contact me here at I-boats or at Tabmanhelp@Gmail.com

Also please have your friend with the 30 foot center console contact me, the cylinders really don't "freeze up" and it is likley an easy fix, do you know how old the system is?

And of course I can help your "uncle in law" what type of boat does he have and how old is it?

We take pride in our systems and warranty them for five years. After five years we still stand by our products. The issues you describe can usually be fixed with our help at little or no cost.

 

[sw33ttooth]

Re: Trim tabs; Smart tabs or Bennett hyd tabs

+1 for bernetts only problem i have is the indicators dont light up all the time to tell me where they need to be, before the computer moves it. if i am alone strb side is down 8 and port is all the way up. and if i go into a turn i can futher mess with it dropping port or strb and keep balenced. i have them on my 23 foot cuddy, not compealy sure but i believe they are over 10 years old and they still dont leak so there goes that thoery.


i will say if a line breaks or a cylinder fails its a hydralic system so it will be rendard compleatly useless untill fixed. same thing happens with electic motors a ground wire goes bad or the motor gets water in it its now junk, pick your poison.

 

[Tabman]

Re: Trim tabs; Smart tabs or Bennett hyd tabs

sw33ttooth,

Have you tried recalibrating the indicators? Also I would suggest cleaning the connectors at the control box for the indicators if the problem is intermittent.

 

[Icyharp]

Re: Trim tabs; Smart tabs or Bennett hyd tabs

The smart tab question has been answered for me, they don't fit my needs in what I am trying to acomplish. I need more control of the boat for the waters I travel on with the loads I carry. I just got off the lake today and explained to my wife what was happening when I come off throttle with the stern, I hate the bow rise. So I have her sold as too what I am doing on where people are in the boat and what can be done about it.

Thanks for the replies, you guys did help despite all my ressearch.