How strong are they?

Alasgun · Guest

I was recently asked and could not give a credibly answer, what being the new guy and all. Why don't you see the transom savers in use here in Alaska? Which raises my question, are there any concerns in this area of trailering these things? I pulled our new toy (Huda Thunkit) home from the dealer the other day with the main motor up and locked. If this is suffecient then great, if not point me in the right direction. (Alasgun)Mike Layman

MichaelOnTheClaraMae · Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 6:33 am Post subject:

I have trailered the Clara Mae thousands of miles, but always with the motor down or slightly tilted. I have plenty of ground clearance and my logic has always been to keep the motor's center of gravity and height as close to the transom as possible. Right or wrong, I have had no problems.

Sea Wolf · Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 7:39 am Post subject:

Here's my two cents:

For ordinary on-road trailering, it probably doesn't make any difference to the transom, which is strong enough so that it doesn't make any difference which way the motor rests.

If you're going over a really rough and long section of road that will make the boat pitch up and down by the stern, it would make more sense to choose the position that would minimize the effect of the pitching of the motor on "working" the transom back and forth.

So would that be up or down? Up puts the motor's center of mass more up and balanced over the center of the transom, while the down position puts it aft. Which one will minimize the working motion? Before we get lost in the analysis of the dynamics of this question, we can look at one other factor, which makes this question moot.

That would be the possible wear and tear to the tilt and trim hydraulic cylinders and systems. To minimize the thrusting and wear and tear to these, one should tilt the motor up, engage the lock in the up position by dropping the lever down in place, then use the hydraulic trim control to lower the engine down so the weight rests on the lock mechanism and there will be no pitching motion transferred to the hydraulic cylinders.

Considering the overall strength of the transom and the very important, perhaps over-riding need to protect the trim and tilt mechanisms, the up position wins.

To me at least, leaving the motor down on very short trips with flat roads would be OK, but I'll always tilt it up and lock it on longer trips, knowing that the hydraulics are fully protected and I'm ready for any kind of road condition to be encountered. Joe.

El and Bill · Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 9:01 am Post subject:

Just finished a 3,000 mile trailer pull with engines down, resting on a dowel. This has been our position for many tens of thousands of miles of trailering -- no problems (yet?) with the transom or any of the hydraulic systems. So, we figure, down is fine -- and, since many trailer with engines up, without problems, up is fine.

Pat Anderson · Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 9:42 am Post subject:

Just for fun, I thought I would check the Honda manual (BF135A-BF150A). Page 84 is headed "Transporting." It says "When trailering a boat with the outboard motor attached, leave the engine in the normal running position, if possible." So, I asume the normal running position is DOWN (!!) The second paragraph goes on to say "Use a motor support bar to prevent the outboard motor from moving while trailering the boat. Refer to the manuafacturer's instructions for using a motor support bar." The drawing shows the motor tilted UP (!!) with a support bar beween the lower unit and the trailer. I think there is a guy in Japan whose SOLE FUNCTION is to write diabolically ambiguous manuals, who walks around with a devilish grin, rubbing his hands in satisfaction each time he writes one of these puppies. He used to write the manuals for VCRs, but since they have essentially become obsolete, he has switched over to outboard motor manuals...

Sea Wolf · Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 12:55 pm Post subject:

El and Bill-

I'm sure the dowels do much the same as the tilt lock, taking the strain off the hydraulics.

Pat-

My Yamaha dealer put me on to the "UP' position and hydraulics issue, and my owner's manual backed him up.

The problem with the struts ("transom savers") is that they ride against the rear trailer crossbar, which can move around relative to the motor, and actually contribute to "working" the transom, pumping it back and forth on the transom.

One additional safe measure is to install an inner plate (a' la Tyboo) on the inside top of the transom against the through bolts to distribute the load and guard against pulling the bolts through the transom. My dealer has one readily available that comes with the new motor for an additional $18, measuring about 4 inches tall and about 4 inches wider than the bolt pattern. It's cast aluminum, is 5/8" thick, has "Gunther's Outboards" cast into its front surface, and is painted black with white raised letters. Well worth it. Joe.

Alasgun · Guest

Well folks, I'm comfortable with the strength of the transom thing. A thought I had earlier this morning is How Strong the C-Brat fraternity is! You guys have been great , timely with response, great information as well as new ideas and of course plenty of humor. My hat is off to the founders. Mike on Huda Thunkit.

DaveS · Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 2:09 pm Post subject:

"Motors Up"? ....."Motors Down"?

Who would have thunk?, Heck, I was so confused about the issue, that I just remove both of my 50's throw 'em in the cockpit and then remount them when I get to the launch ramp Rolling Eyes

....never any strain on the transom that way!....

Just jokin'.....actually, it's motors up for me...tried motors down but I was always too worried about rippin' the engine skegs off on speed bumps etc.
(Bill and El's solution has worked well for them and they have never had a transom problem and probably have more trailering mileage than 2/3rd of us combined).

Not For Hire · Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2005 9:33 pm Post subject:

I trailer with motors down. Rather than use a dowel (which would probably be faster) I move the pins to the highest of the four holes and trim them down onto the pin. When boating I move the pins back to the lowest hole. I think there is less leverage working on the transom in the down position and with the higher pin hole there is good road clearance. Also less chance of being rear-ended in the props.

digger · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 12:58 am Post subject: Forget Transom Saver

I tend to agree with motor up/motor down ---> fine either way.......Transom savers do put a strain on the transom's I've seen cause when the boat is tied on the keel winch, the flexing of the trailer tends to push through the transom saver to the lower unit of the engine all the way to the transom when it sags, and pulls on the transom and the motor leg when the trailer flexes the other way. I think the individual unit of the motor/transom works better together, especially when you have trim/tilt that provides a hydraulic lock both up and down. If the motor were a manual tilt, then the transom saver would make sense in that it would hold the motor in a neutral position without relying on the minimal locking mechanism the the manual systems have.

dotnmarty · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 11:56 am Post subject:

I keep the boat in the water--and drink instant coffee.

Mighty Bite · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 2:01 pm Post subject:

I agree with Bill and El. Travel with the motor in the down position against a short piece of dowel, handrail or 2" x4". Once the motor is snugged down against the "dowel" it is solid.

Transom savers are not a consideration for me. They merely confirm that the motor will work the transom.

If you were traveling nice smooth highways all the time it might not be a huge issue, up or down, but traveling the frost heaves we have up here in Alaska it is significant.

Enjoy!

Bill.Secure

After reading this somewhat older thread and mentioning it to Lynda, she pointed out another possible consideration.

Having just been rear ended with the motor down (normal operating position) and the lower unit severed from the top half of the unit, it made me wish I'd had it in a raised position.

Lynda pointed out, quite accurately I believe, that the driver who hit me would probably have then died in the accident.

Bill
Edgewater, MD

lloyds · Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 6:35 pm Post subject:

Not a 100% certain but it seems my honda manual said in the up position, or maybe les told me that. I used to trailer the whalers' engines down but my c-dory doesn't have the road clearance. Another lesson learned on that one.

sailor-d · Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2006 7:03 pm Post subject: Up or down?

I tow engines down with dowel a la El and Bill (I stole their idea). Was in the Yamaha dealer a month or so ago and overheard part of a conversation from the service guy and I think he recommended down. The reason he gave was that the locking tab is not strong enough to withstand the rigours of towing over logging roads , which a lot of guys do here to get to the west coast of the Island. He said he has had to replace the locking tabs (on Yamahas).

Cheers - Dave (under even more snow on Vancouver Island)