Benett trim tabs

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fishingmark

New member
Just received my benett trim tabs instructions say to coat the screw with epoxy then to screw into the transom. I am wondering if that is enough to protect against water intrusion. I was wondering if I should over drill and fill with thicken epoxy and then use 5200 sealant .
 
Over drill and undercut then fill with epoxy is best. I'd use other than 5200 though. 4000 or 4200 so it isn't so difficult for later removable if you bend a tab.
 
fishingmark":3vdfe9ia said:
Just received my benett trim tabs instructions say to coat the screw with epoxy then to screw into the transom. I am wondering if that is enough to protect against water intrusion. I was wondering if I should over drill and fill with thicken epoxy and then use 5200 sealant .
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Hello Mark,

You DEFINITELY want to "drill, fill, drill" on your TT installation. I would drill a OVER-SIZED hole (like 3/8 or even 1/2"), coat the edges of exposed core material with neat epoxy, then fill the hole with thickened epoxy. Filling the hole is easier said than done since the thickened epoxy will want to run out unless you use tape (a syringe to inject the thickened epoxy helps you here). Getting the thickened epoxy really THICK so it doesn't run back out is the trick. This will require some form of silica which is an ingredient in many proprietary filler compounds. For instance wood flour will thicken the epoxy but it will NEVER keep it from running; you need a bit of silica mixed in to get it to hold position. Once cured, you drill pilot holes into the new epoxy plugs and the core material is NOT exposed so you can used whichever bedding compound you want.

I agree that 5200 is overkill. And that the Bennett instruction are WOEFULLY inadequate to protect the core from water intrusion.

Fair winds and epoxy plugs!

/david
 
Im going to use thickened west systems epoxy and over drill the transom I did this when mounting a transducer. I may have an issue with the length of the actuators and will be contacting Benett about the shorter ones. The boat is a 1987 22' angler with a susuki 70 four stroke and a Yamaha 9.9 four stroke that is going to be mounted on a panther hydraulic kicker bracket so the transom is going to be a little crowded.
 
Great on the over drill. I also route a little of the core out, so that the plug also has some of the glass structure to "hand on too". I also would use 4000. It will "let loose" from screws when backed out. It does not yellow as the 4200 or 5200 does. I use the Cabosil until the epoxy does not run, and then mid density filler, until the material is the thickness of peanut butter.

I assume that the length of the actuators, is an issue for mounting. Of course you want the full stroke, and power of the trim tab.
 
Ok update on trim tab install. The standard actuators are going to work out ok have over drilled coated hole with epoxy and then filled with thickened epoxy. There is very little room for error have not had to remove fuel tanks missed wiring and fuel line by a bout 1/4 " ready to run electrical and hydraulic lines. The instructions leave a lot to be desired but a call to benett was quite helpful. I am so looking foreword to completing this project along with a panther hydraulic kicker bracket on the starboard side.
 
Trim tabs installed and work great unfortunatily the tab position indicator doesn't. I contacted Benett after trouble shooting them and they agreed that the tpi was probable bad so now waiting on one from Benett.
 
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