Instatrim tabs

[thataway]

The CD 25 has a set of Instatrim tabs. There is no motor run or selenoid activation.

I am not sure if a factory or after market installation. The power to the plug on the plastic unit which houses the pump, selenoids and the resivoir is correct (ground is continuity to battery, up and down power, as well as selenoid power P & S show 12 volts.) No obvious corrosion.

The unit with the pump etc is back under the deck, so it is not accessable, and looks like it was installed before the deck was put in place.

I suspect I have to pry off the hyraulic hoses, to get the unit out in the open, and inspect further connections and see if the motor is OK.
Any thoughts about getting these hyraulic hoses off easily? I took the hose clamps off, and no budge. The brass connectors to the manufold do not easily unscrew. (the manual says these are hose barbed connections).

The manual also relates a black ground wire to the motor--not sure if this is the wire in the bundle from the switch (which is fine) or another separate wire. I don't see any separate ground wires to the unit--anyone know if there is a separate ground wire?

If worse comes to worse, I can cut the hoses, put in a connector, and cut the hose off the barbs to the unit--putting in a short lenth of hyraulic hose on each side. Any other suggestions? Anyone else have the Instratrim tabs?

Thanks in advance!

[thataway]

I had one private message, and that suggested that the unit was a factory install--it is. One of the problems is that no loop of line was left so that the unit could be pulled out of the area under the deck to be serviced.

I called the Insta-trim factory and was immediately connected with a technician (owner?). He was very helpful, but, I finally cut the hoses, both to free the unit up, and eventually to remove the unit's plastic cover.

The pipes which went from 1/8" pipe thread to 1/4" hose barb had to be unscrewed to get the cover off. As one turned these fittings, the selenoids they are attatched to rotated.

Once inside, it was obvious that the water level had been to a point where the motor and pump had been submerged. The motor was frozen, and there was actually some water in the oil. After reviewing the issues with the technician, we decided to buy an entire new pump unit. It will be overnight expressed, and we will purge the system of old oil and put in new tubing.

So, now I know about "instatrim" tabs. They work very similarily to the Bennett, and I suspect the Bennett would also have failed under these circumstances.

[Dora~Jean]

Interesting Bob. I have Boat Levelor brand trim tabs/pump. Very similar to Bennett, but seems Bennett's weren't installed until later. I had very good response and advice when I increased the size of my tabs when my boat was 1 week old. Had zero problems so far, hoses routed well with service loops and all connections accessible. What s/n is your CD-25, mine is 013? Maybe the buyer requested Instatrims?

[thataway]

The CD25 is #30, and was delivered on 4/02//03--HIN gives it a date of manufacture of Jan 3 2003. Sometimes hull numbers can be decieving--not sure when the 2003 model year started--and if there was a 2002 year for the CD 25?

I have the origional invoice, and the trim tabs were factory origional--not a requested option. (Options were the Wallas, and refigerator.)

There is a block that the pump is mounted on, which is about 3" aft of the hatch cockpit floor hatch, on the inboard stringer, starboard side. The hoses are well routed, secured with clips and no way that they could have installed after the cockpit deck was put on. There is no loop, so that the pump can be moved--I had to cut the hoses. I have 1/4" hose barbs, and will try double clamping to the new hose with loops--if this leaks, then I will have to run new hoses to the cylinders--which would be very difficult to get the hose thru the hose clips. ( I am taking a day off because of back pain, working on the pump yesterday).

I suspect that it was "buy what every was available at the right price". This is not uncommon in the marine industry in competative boat building (not so in custom building--that is usually to the NA's or owner's specs.) This is why you will see some boats with Jabsco pumps, others with Flojet etc.

I was talking with a very good service person about repairs on a CD 25, and he pointed out that by trimming 2 feet off a sheet of marine plywood (making the transom wood core only to the edge of the splash well, instead of across the full transom)--that over 4 boats an entire sheet of plywood was saved (actually may be two because the transom is doubled 3/4" ply)--Not sure what it cost in 2003, but today that is $80 (less than an hour of labor). Of course since the boat apparently is built with AB exterior ply, instead of marine, it was about half that amount...On the other hand--a good high density foam is the same cost as marine ply, and then there would not be a water intrusion problem!

[thataway]

Hmm--the package for the new InstraTrim pump just came. The under lying company is "Boat Leveler"--Don't know if this is the same as "Boat Levelor" trim tabs or not--but suspect just a different spelling...so maybe they were using the same product--just got "smart" and put in a couple of feet less hose? (Hose cost me $3.50 a foot currently).

[Dora~Jean]

Mine was born in early July 2002, I believe their next model year begins July 1st. And yes there were about 6 boats before mine in 2002. Boat "Levelor" and Boat "Leveler" are the same company, I probably misspelled it, didn't check. Their design (hydraulics, pump and tab mounting) seems very similar to Bennett. I was skeptical at first not having Bennett's but now I'm a believer that this brand is fine as well.

Sounds like they began doing some cost-cutting measures between mine and yours, hmmm.

[thataway]

Steve,
If your #13 and they did 6 boats in 2002--are the earlier CD 25 cruisers numbered in this sequence? I belive that there were 7 of those--and the numbers would add up.

Thanks.

Bob

[Dora~Jean]

Yes, that's how I deduced 6 boats in 2002, 13 minus 7! The mid-90's CD-25's were 1-7.