Is it possible to make your own Power Trim/tilt?

[rtpassini]

Sorry, im not sure which forum to put this in.

Anyways. I looked at my motor (without PTT) and unless my ignorance is really taking over, I dont understand why the PTT kits are so expensive.
Why cant you just take a linear actuator (instead of hydraulic) make a braket and bushing, then mount it right behind the motor? So it sits parallel with the motor. Any info about this? Or has anyone thought about making one?

If you went linear, you dont have to worry about a pump.

 

[BigB9000]

Re: Is it possible to make your own Power Trim/tilt?

Could a linear hold a 200+ pound engine, 115hp- pushing a 700+ pound boat?


EDIT: Well yeah I guess it could.

They jack up my suburban just fine.

Rust? slow? prone to failure? possible of striping out?

 

[rtpassini]

Re: Is it possible to make your own Power Trim/tilt?

i should get a picture up because that might be easier to understand.

but the way im wanting to do it is use the transom clamps that are already on there. then weld together some type of metal to slip over the back of the transom so you can mount the actuator to that.

i read about a company that talks about how people dont realize linear actuators are just as capable as hydraulic. weather resistant, durable, etc.
i searched lightly and found some actuators for 200 pounds. i have to first check out how much my motor weights

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Is it possible to make your own Power Trim/tilt?

that might work for tilt, but never for trim. you have the pressure of the motor pushing the boat.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Is it possible to make your own Power Trim/tilt?

You can get a CMC TT for @ $400 and it is ready to bolt on and go, you are on the water in an hour.

don't know how much an actuator is but I would geuss by the time you are done you would have very close to that in your system which may or may not work so unless you just want to see if you can do it I would go with the proven system.

Don't underestimate the force at full throttle, you said you found one for 200 pounds, that will cover you to just off idle maybe, at full throttle it has to be thousands of pounds depending on the boat and motor.

Like I said maybe this is just something you want to do which is cool btu for the money the tried and true system is probably alot cheaper.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Is it possible to make your own Power Trim/tilt?

Marine salvage yards have these units thatmuch would bolt onto the engine and you are done. As was mentioned, while an actuator might work for the tilt part of the system, I would question its ability to stand up to the trim function. Trim must not only hold the weight of the motor but it must also deal with the driving force or thrust of the engine. Granted, motor weight is not adding much force in the trim position, but the engine thrust certainly is, especially during hole-shot.

 

[rtpassini]

Re: Is it possible to make your own Power Trim/tilt?

You can get a CMC TT for @ $400 and it is ready to bolt on and go, you are on the water in an hour.

don't know how much an actuator is but I would geuss by the time you are done you would have very close to that in your system which may or may not work so unless you just want to see if you can do it I would go with the proven system.

Don't underestimate the force at full throttle, you said you found one for 200 pounds, that will cover you to just off idle maybe, at full throttle it has to be thousands of pounds depending on the boat and motor.

Like I said maybe this is just something you want to do which is cool btu for the money the tried and true system is probably alot cheaper.

im new to boating and everything so maybe you know places i dont, but the kit i need from cmc seems to be about 600 bucks. then i have to get the transom adapter which is another 80. do you somewhere that it is cheaper? i have an 80 hp merc.

can someone maybe make a list of the things i would need from a boat yard to piece a kit together? all i can find are the replacement pumps. in wisconsin, there isnt any boat yards...

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Is it possible to make your own Power Trim/tilt?

pictures of you boats transom, and an exact explanation of what you are wanting to do would make help much easier. why reinvent the wheel? if what you are wanting to do was cheaper than the existing, all the mfgr's would be doing it.

 

[D.spencer]

Re: Is it possible to make your own Power Trim/tilt?

Leverage is the key here when talking about PT&T. One thing already pointed out was the thrust the engine has when underway. This is not to be taken lightly as there is a lot more there than first explained. The issue here is the engine is like a long lever with the prop being at the long end pushing and doing the work and the fulcrum all the way near the top where the engine hinges on the transom. Basically a three foot pry bar. Think how much weight you could move/lift with a pry bar that size. Now, the Oem's usually have actually four pistons to move - one small set within the engine brackets at a steep angle to help initially move the engine and another set outside the brackets that assist and then "take over" when they( smaller-short ones) reach the end of their stroke to continue lifting the engine. It would be different if the acuator could be installed so that it was actually pushing on the nose of the lower unit( just forward of the prop) to tilt/trim the motor but that would be difficult and most likely impractical to accomplish due to interference and the turbulance (clean water for the prop to bite) it would create.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Is it possible to make your own Power Trim/tilt?

I'm not that familiar with linear actuators but wonder how much force we're really talking about to adjust trim at speed. Maybe if you stayed away from trying to adjust during a hole shot it might stand half a chance. Say once on plane at moderate cruise or something.

I also recall in the early early days of I/Os, weren't some of those an electric motor and ring gear kind of setup? Perhaps that was straight tilt and no trim.

Anyway, fun to consider if the engineering and fabrication challenge is part of the attraction for you. From and time and materials perspective, you may not be any further ahead over laying out the cost for an off the shelf unit, which I agree seems like a lot of dough.

(Edit: here we go. Now that I look at it, I see this unit depends on a recess in the transom for the gear rack. No suck luck with an outboard. Also, what has been said above about leverage is very astute. Probably LOTS of power required considering where the leverage is being applied, far from the prop.)

 

[rtpassini]

Re: Is it possible to make your own Power Trim/tilt?

i went and took some pics so maybe i can do an illustration of what im looking to do.

im not realy concerned with the trim part, mostly just tilt. its an old boat with an old motor. So im not looking to do anything crazy with it.

 

[rtpassini]

Re: Is it possible to make your own Power Trim/tilt?

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l121/rtpassini/actuator.jpg
theres one idea.

http://cgi.ebay.com/HEAVY-DUTY-LINE...-5-1679-B_W0QQitemZ200232992315QQcmdZViewItem
bracket.

http://www.e-motionllc.com/High_Force_Electric_Actuators_from_Burr_s/82.htm
actuator.

otherwise just use the dimensions from CMC since they provide them, and copy the brackets and just use a linear actuator instead of hydraulic pump.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Is it possible to make your own Power Trim/tilt?

Geez -- maybe that won't be so hard assuming these components are up to withstanding regular submersion, etc. Looking forward to updates and pics as you progress. Good luck!

 

[rtpassini]

Re: Is it possible to make your own Power Trim/tilt?

Im a broke 24 year old. so its going to depend on what happens around christmas time. if i get enough money for an actual kit. otherwise ill be going to talk to a metal shop next to where i work and see what they think. lol
ill be coming back to you guys to see your ideas, since you all know boats. and i dont. lol

 

[Mark42]

Re: Is it possible to make your own Power Trim/tilt?

I thought of using linear actuators a few years ago to make a power tilt for a 40 hp Evinrude on my MFG. The problem I ran into is that the actuators are just too big when strong enough to tilt a 200+ lbs outboard. Even if using them in pairs (which has its own set of issues) Also, the waterproof models are really expensive.

The original posts are probably in the boat building forum if you want to search for them.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Is it possible to make your own Power Trim/tilt?

Jumped on Ebay and found this in about ten seconds

http://cgi.ebay.com/CMC-Power-Tilt-...14&_trkparms=72:1205|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

If you look around you can get them for cheap.

My point was trying to use the actuators you are going to spend close to the same amount for something that may work where if you spend maybe alittle more you will get something that is tried and true.

I understand the wanting to do something and being broke part too, half my boat is things I came up with and built myself of coarse I work for a boat company in the weld shop so I have an advantage there.

Hope your Christmas comes out like you want

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Is it possible to make your own Power Trim/tilt?

tell Santa about the cmc unit, on ebay.