Bennett SLT vs Smart tabs. Actuators vs Springs.

[Stumpalump]

Does any body know or understand the difference between the Smart tab actuator and the spring used on the Bennet SLT tabs. I'm leaning toward the Bennett but it only uses a spring vs the Smart Tab shock absorber thing. Any benefit of one or the other? I'm not interested in hydraulic or electric tabs. This is a small 16' aluminum lake boat. Thanks for any advise!

 

[Stumpalump]

Anybody seen either of these two tabs? Since the site is in a ditch gimme a ring. 48o 266 434o. Michael

 

[nlain]

I do not know anything about the Bennett tab, I have the Smart Tabs and they work great. If you decide on Smart Tabs I would say call them and tell them what boat you have and they will get you the right ones. It is sometimes tricky getting just the right thing, they will work with you should you just order and get the wrong one, usually just the gas shock is all you need to change.

 

[MRS]

I have the Bennett SLT tabs and love them best thing I added to the boat. I went with them because nothing to leak I am sure the Smarts are good but I just try to go with what is bullet proof for me.

 

[Stumpalump]

What if any advantage does the gas strut do over the spring?

 

[nlain]

The strut is manually adjustable so you can change the pressure setting to get the best boat balance, I do not know if the Bennett spring has adjustment or not, I don't see anything about adjustment on their website. Other than that I think they both do close to the same thing.

I will say that both products have excellent customer support.

 

[NSBCraig]

Do a search its been discussed a lot on here. In fact people from both companies have joined in the conversation. Seems to me the difference is the nitrogen cylinder is "stiffer" from moment one where as the spring gains as it compresses.

 

[H20Rat]

Do a search its been discussed a lot on here. In fact people from both companies have joined in the conversation. Seems to me the difference is the nitrogen cylinder is "stiffer" from moment one where as the spring gains as it compresses.

The compression curve on both of them is probably somewhat similar, but the big difference is the rebound. The spring will be instant, the gas strut is more controlled. Is that an advantage? Don't know. Given smarttabs history and personal experience with them, I wouldn't have ANY issues recommending them over the springs. Just have no history there.

 

[UncleWillie]

The strut is manually adjustable so you can change the pressure setting to get the best boat balance, I do not know if the Bennett spring has adjustment or not, I don't see anything about adjustment on their website. Other than that I think they both do close to the same thing.
I will say that both products have excellent customer support.

If you look closely, the Bennett's have a choice of 3 mounting positions on the lower end.
The Smart tabs have 5 for a +-20% adjustment range.

Is the Bennett actually just a coiled spring???
The Smart tabs are a Gas Shock, Rapid Compression with a slow dampened release.

The Bennett's have one one choice of force per tab size. 50# or 80#
The Smart Tabs have a choices from 30# to 90#. They are very lenient at swapping out different actuators if you select the wrong one initially.

 

[Stumpalump]

Is the Bennett actually just a coiled spring??? The Smart tabs are a Gas Shock, Rapid Compression with a slow dampened release. .

Right the Bennett is just a coiled spring and their 50 would work. Now wrapping my head around what that dampening will do or not do.........? Idk

 

[ssobol]

I have the Bennett tabs with the hydraulic control system. On advantage to this system is that you can manually set the trim to where you want for the prevailing conditions and you can adjust the tabs individually for lateral trim control. The spring system is going to do what it wants based on the impact pressure of the water at the back of the boat and may not give the desired tab position when you want it.