Hard to tilt a 1973 115 hp Johnson motor up

[cougarjim]

Is there a way to relieve the pressure on the shock cylinders? or are all these engines extremely hard to tilt up?

Thanks, Jim

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Tilting a 1973 115 hp Johnson motor up to travel

Re: Tilting a 1973 115 hp Johnson motor up to travel

Without having a pic of your boat I cant say much. there is a lock that will hold the motor up but its not for travel, just to load and unload. If you have a bunk trailer you can get a "transom saver" if you have a roller trailer you will need to build something for the saver to rest on , on the trailer side.
there is a a pin on manual tilt motors that you can raise to the highest point for travel, but its a real good idea to get a transom saver of some sort. I built one for my old boat out of scrap steel a chunk of rubber and a bungee cord.

 

[F_R]

Re: Tilting a 1973 115 hp Johnson motor up to travel

Re: Tilting a 1973 115 hp Johnson motor up to travel

Jim, would you mind rephrasing the question? I think you are saying it is hard to tilt, not how to hold it up once tilted (?).

Your picture is a bit dark in the area, so I can't tell if you have power tilt or not---but it doesn't look like you do. Power tilt models are hard to tilt manually, but the obvious is to run it up electrically. There is a manual release on the pump for emergency.

If NOT power tilt, and it is extremely hard to tilt, something is rusted or corroded, causing abnormal resistance. I seriously doubt it is the shock absorbers. They don't even "stick" in salt water use. It probably is sticking where the tilt tube goes through the brackets.

Having said all this, can we assume you have the programmed tilt lock/release swung up in the tilt position?

Please clarify.

 

[cougarjim]

Re: Tilting a 1973 115 hp Johnson motor up to travel

Re: Tilting a 1973 115 hp Johnson motor up to travel

No I don't have power trim & tilt and yes the tilt and run lever is in the tilt position. I don't think a 1973 Johnson had power trim & tilt, I may be wrong about that, if I am wrong it will be the first time LOL.
Any way it takes two people to lift it up for travel. I will take a better picture today and post it.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[cougarjim]

Re: Tilting a 1973 115 hp Johnson motor up to travel

Re: Tilting a 1973 115 hp Johnson motor up to travel

Here are three pictures of the motor mount. The first one is on the starboard side and the other two are on the port side.
I don't know what the little tag that says tiller lock push and turn means. There is nothing to push or turn. There is a hole there but nothing inside, not even any threads.

Jim

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Tilting a 1973 115 hp Johnson motor up to travel

Re: Tilting a 1973 115 hp Johnson motor up to travel

your mention of shock absorbers leads me and others to guess there is a power tilt in there.
Otherwise, you may need lubricating at the tilt tube area.
Lifting a 115 must be a bear; my old 55 was enough when I was a kid.
Maybe you need a lever?

The 'tiller lock" is a mystery, too. Those motors don't have tillers! A previous owner is haunting you.

 

[F_R]

Re: Tilting a 1973 115 hp Johnson motor up to travel

Re: Tilting a 1973 115 hp Johnson motor up to travel

No I don't have power trim & tilt and yes the tilt and run lever is in the tilt position. I don't think a 1973 Johnson had power trim & tilt, I may be wrong about that, if I am wrong it will be the first time LOL.
Any way it takes two people to lift it up for travel. I will take a better picture today and post it.

Thanks for the reply.

Gotcha---you're wrong. Two power tilt kits were available as accessories. One was power tilt only and the other was power tilt and trim. But you have neither, so that question is moot.

As I recall, those were gas charged shocks to make it easier to manually tilt. Maybe they have leaked all the gas out over the last 38 years. But it still shouldn't take two people to tilt it. I stand by what I said, something is tight or siezing in the tilt tube or possibly the pivot pins for the shocks. Does it go back down easy? It should fall down with a crash if it were not for the shocks. They are in there to prevent violent tilting and slamming in the event you hit something. You will have to examine it from where you are.

Sorry to say, I don't remember the push and turn decal. Hey, at my age I'm allowed to forget some stuff.