Small HP Outboard clamp, what is it made of?

Jerry_NJ

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 23, 2010
Messages
250
I have both OMC and Yamaha 9.9 HP 2 cycl outboard engines mounted on aluminum fishing boats. Give I have been told never to use any steel hardware on an aluminum boat (not any pressure treated lumber either) I wonder what the clamp on such engines is made of. I know the clamps look to have steel threads, but maybe the clamp ends are aluminum, and if so the clamp thread must be stainless steel if it is to live with aluminum ends/clamp-faces.

Then there is the question of the large contact area of the clamp that pushes up against the rear of the transom, is the whole clamp stainless, or is it some hardened aluminum. I recall it is possible to make aluminum strong enough to be the block of an automobile engine - so I suppose there is a form of aluminum strong enough to carry the load of an outboard engine.

I think I have seen engines as large as 150 HP hung on a transom without the use of a transom jack to mount the engine on.
 

Bob_VT

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian
Staff member
Joined
May 19, 2001
Messages
26,019
Re: Small HP Outboard clamp, what is it made of?

The screw attachment clamps are normally SS with an aluminum handle. SS is fine for an Aluminum boat and be sure to seal all boats through the aluminum with a sealant such as 5200
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: Small HP Outboard clamp, what is it made of?

A handful of anodes won't hurt things either...
 

Chinewalker

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Aug 19, 2001
Messages
8,902
Re: Small HP Outboard clamp, what is it made of?

Most OMCs I've seen have aluminum clamp brackets, aluminum thumbscrews, and aluminum handles. Only thing steel (stainless or otherwise) was the clamp pad itself, and the bolt or clip that held it in place.
 
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