Adjusting trim level and trim limit senders

dlogvine

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
May 4, 2015
Messages
839
I recently changed the bellows on my Alpha one gen 2 outdrive. I put the old trim limit and trim level senders. However, looks like they require adjustment since the trim level gauge does not show the outdrive movement, it is stuck in the top position. I looked online for the sending unit adjustments. It requires the outdrive to be in the lowest position, which I can achieve only in the lake without removing the outdrive completely. Any suggestions? Thank you
 

harringtondav

Commander
Joined
May 26, 2018
Messages
2,520
There is a good chance you replaced your senders out of position by at least one spline tooth. I've been there myself. Do as tpenfield suggests so you can trim full down w/o the skeg hitting the concrete floor. Or do it in soft dirt, but get it fully down. Remove the clamps and screws and start rotating the sender until the gage needle moves close to full down. I'd guess to start rotating CCW, but that's a guess. When you get the gage needle close to full down, pull the sender and rotate it to where the screw holes are visible and engage the closest spline. Then fine tune the hsg. till you get a full down gage. By now you'll be in adjustment range, and know if you have to reengage a new spline, and which direction.

Trim limit is basically the same, but you'll want a helper to run the helm trim control. Starting drive down, have your helper trim up until the drive stops. If it doesn't move, rotate the unclamped hsg. CCW until it starts to lift, and then continue rotating until the distance between the trim cyl. pins is 20 1/4". If the drive goes above this when starting the adjustment, lower the drive down, and repeat by turning the hsg. CW until you find the cut-out point, and repeat the above. Again, you may be off by one spline tooth, but you'll know which direction to reposition.
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Lower the front of the trailer, raise the back of the trailer, dig a hole under the drive... Or all three.

Just recently (about 2 weeks ago) went through the adjustment procedure... Start reading from about HERE...

Chris.........
 

dlogvine

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
May 4, 2015
Messages
839
Thank you. Will try it on the lake since the boat now is sitting too far forward on the trailer and the outdrive does not go all the way down.
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Adjusting the sender in the water is, well, not easy... Really, try and find another way...

Chris......
 

Oshkosh1

Ensign
Joined
Jun 8, 2009
Messages
968
Adjusting the sender in the water is, well, not easy... Really, try and find another way...

Chris......

I honestly don't know how it can even be done...

I'd get a floor jack and some wood blocks to jack it "down" off of your hitch and drop the tongue that way.
 

harringtondav

Commander
Joined
May 26, 2018
Messages
2,520
I honestly don't know how it can even be done...

I'd get a floor jack and some wood blocks to jack it "down" off of your hitch and drop the tongue that way.

..or put the jack and blocks under the transom keel sharing the transom. If your boat is sound, it will take jacking it up enough for the skeg to clear. Remember to block your trailer tires each way.
 

AShipShow

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jul 8, 2016
Messages
1,803
Was gonna suggest what harringtondav said, but what Oshkosh said is ever more brilliant.
 

dlogvine

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
May 4, 2015
Messages
839
I was going to take the boat to the lake and adjust its position on the trailer, so that i can get full drop of the outdrive. Then do the senders adjustment. I would not try to work on the boat in the water, since i have a bad habit dropping various things like tools or bolts all the time. I am going to change the trailer bunks sometime this week, would be a good time to work on the senders as well.
 
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