Trailerable Kicker Bracket Options

I am putting a 15 hp 4 stroke on my grady, engine weight is 114 lbs. I am wondering wut options are available for trailering with the kicker installed?<br /><br />Thanks!!!

Re: Trailerable Kicker Bracket Options

There are a lot of kicker brackets made. Several for the heavy 4 strokes. Last two years they also have a Hydrolic lift bracket that will lift up to 25 hp 4 strokes. However the transom still has to be strong enough to hold the lift bracket and motor.<br /><br />On MY boat I have a 15 HP 2 stroke on a lift bracket. I actuall made mine out of 2 Lift brackets tied together with a mounting board and a home made handel to release both brackets at the same time. I used 2 brackets rated fot up to 20 HP with a 11 and 1/2 inch lift. Mine works very well and I do trailer with the motor on the bracket. I did also use some 3 inch aluminum channel to reinforce the transom. Mine has been in use since 1981 with no problems except one bad spring but was able to get a replacement part from manufacture.

Re: Trailerable Kicker Bracket Options

Transom is brand new and definetely able to hold the weight, the only thing i was worried about was the bracket holding up, I've heard from several people that they garelicks' don't, however I dunno if that is the newer ones or not, they look pretty heavy duty.

Re: Trailerable Kicker Bracket Options

Mine are Garlick for my motor. I started with the single unit and it worked ok but did not have enough lift for me. Also the unit when trailering would shift from side to side and bounce. My motor is only 80 pounds, a 15 HP 2 Stroke Johnson long shaft. I put it on a braket rated for up to 20HP 2 stroke. I some times would have trouble raiseing the motor. I found two of the springs were week and the plastic center the rotate on was broken. Got new springs and the platic center from Garlick for a small fee. I also ordered another braket and mounted it right along side. Tie them together with a wider mounting board and a homemade handel to tie release latches together. My units actuall slide into a another bracket so the whole thing can be removed in about 10 minutes.<br /><br />Whth the two brakets side be side it took all the side to side motion out of the motor when trailering. When I lower the motor it will go about half way down and stop. To get it all the way down have to push it down. Same coming up when release the lock will come up about half way and stop. Then have to lift the rest of the way up.<br /><br />If I was starting over today I think I would go with the hydrolic unit. It cost a lot but you can raise and lower the motor from the helm station.

Re: Trailerable Kicker Bracket Options

I have a garlick heavy duty four stoke model for my 8hp honda kicker. I do leave it on while trailering, but I have installed a U bolt in the side of the motor well and I run a tie down strap from the u bolt in the motor well around the motor to the trailer tie down u bolt and cinch it up tight while trailering. This keeps the motor from bouncing. The directions that came with the bracket said that it was NOT made for holding the kicker durring towing and to remove the motor for trailering. If I were to do all again, I would look at the OMC brackets or a hydrolic bracket.