Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

[jbcurt00]

Re: Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

The boat is still on the trailer, correct? Check to see if removing the rims & tires & setting the trailer frame down as low as possible (AFTER removing the outdrive), it may give you enough clearance w/ a 'regular' engine hoist height cherry picker.

If you don't need to move the boat & trailer around while you work on it, having it lower makes it easier to get in & out off during the work.....

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

So I'm either going to build me a frame or call a wrecker. Did some checking and looks like I could build a strong wood frame and grab me a chain hoist for around $200. I'm thinking of two 2 x 10's 10' long bearing on two 10' tall 4 x 4's, 2 x 4's for lateral and rack bracing and lay a 2 x 6 flat on top to keep her from twisting. I would use a 2 ton chain hoist in the center. Any thoughts?

My goal is to get the motor and outdrive out this weekend and get this project rollin!

I'm pretty sure you can get a wrecker to pull it and put it back in for less than $200. If you have a need for the lumber after you're done with the Gantry then I guess building one would be ok. If you remove the outdrive first and then lift the tongue of the trailer until the stern of the boat is almost on the ground, I'm pretty sure a regular cherry picker will lift the motor out

 

[mwe-maxxowner]

Re: Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

A regular old 1.5 ton cherry picker got my motor out with room to spare. And I didn't remove my tires or air them down or anything. I bet it would work.

 

[HalfFish5087]

Re: Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

Guys I have measured it out and there is no way I can fit the picker under the boat and still get the height I need. So I'm still considering the gantry. I drew a sketch of what I'm thinking. Any comments/concerns?

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

The design looks OK to me . . .

I think my garage ceiling is something like 9-1/2 feet and it was just enough to sneak the boat out from under the engine . . .

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

Looks really good. Just make sure you have enough clearance to easily get the boat out from under it after you pop out the motor. No need to make it a tight fit.

Jim

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

Gantry design is fine. With the trailer tilted you truly believe the Cherry picker won't give enuf clearance? I know it won't if you don't tilt the trailer.

 

[HalfFish5087]

Re: Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

Measured last night and with the tires still on, but with jack all the way up. The center back of the trailer was almost on the ground and it appeared that i might even have to let the jack down to slide in a picker. Measured 4.5' from ground to clear the boat and motor is almost 3 ft tall so... Anyways it looks my luck has changed as I got a call back from rental place 45 miles away that has towable hoist that can lift up to almost 9 ft so I'm think I'll be safe with that. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with all that would when I was done anyways.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

Great News!!! Keep us posted WITH PICS!!!!!!!

 

[GT1000000]

Re: Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

Sounds like a plan...
Before you commit to renting the cherry picker, make sure you have everything ready to go...
Remove the outdrive, place to store it...Look on "friscoboaters" thread for a handy dandy home made outdrive stand...
Remove all the cables, wires and accessories...if anything looks like it might get in the way, like the alternator, distributor, starter, etc...it is best to remove them before attempting the lift...
If you need any info on how to remove these. especially the distributor...ask and ye shall receive...
Make yourself a decent temporary stand for the engine, something that if you need to, you could move around...like a furniture dolly with some extra bracing to support it...
You are looking at about 150-200 pounds, I guess, for the outdrive and about 400-600 pounds for the engine...
Make sure you have any necessary chains or straps handy to be able to safely secure the engine...
Keep in mind, you MIGHT need to remove a couple of bolts from the engine and replace them with a couple of Grade 8 bolts that are longer, with the appropriate washers, to secure the chain to it...or at the very least to wrap the chain around a solid mounting point and bolt it to itself...
Keep the chain as short as possible and as close to the cherry picker's arm, to give maximum clearance...
Also, be careful you don't damage the carburetor with the chain...in a worst case scenario, it is cheaper to remove the carb, stuff some rags in the intake, and replace the base gasket, than to damage it...

Make sure you have an assistant to help guide the engine out of the bay...
Once you get everything out, before enjoying any frosty libations, drive the 45 miles to return the cherry picker...Then come home, sit back, enjoy a cold refreshing beverage with your assistant, and daydream about the next hurdle...
Replacing the transom...
Have fun and keep us posted...

 

[HalfFish5087]

Re: Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

Well gents thanks for the inspiration to tackle this myself and the experience that you have provided. Also, I need to give some praise to a coworker to coming over and helping, another coworker who knew somebody that a hoist, and great mother in-law for helping with the kiddos, THANKS!
Alright now for the fun stuff… The seats, engine, outdrive and transom assembly pretty much went awesome as I don’t think we broke anything and we got it all done in about 5 or 6 hours. The Volvo service manuals did a good job of explaining steps. However, everyone needs to be aware that there are certainly things not covered within them. As we found that the cable for the sterndrive was wrapped around some coolant and steering hoses that required them to be re-routed and a ground wire that ran from the engine to the transom plate had to be disconnected before the engine could be lifted out. Now for some pics.

The cart did great. It was perhaps a little overkill, but really made it easy.

 

[HalfFish5087]

Re: Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

Some more. We actually had to lower the trailer tongue just about till it was on the ground just to get the hoist under the trailer, which made for a closer call then I hoped. But it worked!


I'm still a little lost on the following photo and would like some help. 2 or 3 weeks ago I changed the oil in the outdrive. Well the manual said it would take 2.5 quarts and I thought to myself that this sounded like way to much, but didnt think anything of it at the time. Well while I was adding oil, I was just pumping away while watching the oil go down in the bottle, to suddenly look up and see oil all just pouring all over the place as I had overfilled it. I say that cause as shown in the photo is new gear oil in the bellow and I dont understand how it would have got in there from overfilling it. Any ideas?

The source of the water into the transom...

 

[HalfFish5087]

Re: Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

Okay, I'm somewhat green here, but this transom this does not look factory at all! I think someone has been here before; grinding marks, different colored paint, tabs not bonded well at all... What do you think?


Another question. This the starboard flapper in the y-pipe. Do you think I could have this welded up and drilled?


The rot is pretty bad, I got almost to PB with my hand.



Lots of work ahead.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

Hard to say until you get the carpeted boards pulled off the transom, but it might be factory work on the transom. My transom had clearly been repainted (the boat was repowered a year before I got it) but the stringers and tabbing were, I believe, original to the boat. They were pretty sloppy, with good-sized gaps where it should have been bonded. (Looked a lot like your picture #4 in the post #33 above.) None of the engineered structure was disturbed, though, and the fabric seemed to match that used in other glassing in the boat.

You lucked out with that lift! That's really a time saver. Also, your engine/drive dolly is quite nice!

You're on your way. Keep at it and post lots of pictures.

Best,
Jim

 

[GT1000000]

Re: Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

Nice job on the pull and kudos to you and your assistants...way to go!

Top notch job on the engine and outdrive stand...

I am by no means any kind of expert when it comes to boats, especially I/O's, but the transom damage looks suspiciously like if the outdrive, at one time impacted something while under way...

After the impact, someone, maybe the PO, got a Band-Aid type repair, just enough to get it back in the water for a season or three, and then sell it off...

You need to inspect very carefully and get core samples of all the structure back there, including the mounts, stringers and any bulkheads...

Hopefully the damage and rot are localized in the rear area, but now is the time to make sure this isn't a very old problem that has been going on for a length of time...

 

[fat fanny]

Re: Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

Jumppin aboard! Whatever you do now make sure you do a very close inspection so as not to miss anything form the nasty transom damage that may come back and haunt you later. That is a beautiful rig which well deserves the future work your gonna invest in it!

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

Transom looks factory . . . They (those folks at the factory) do not always do the kind of work one would expect.

The transom looks like more impact damage than rot, but it is hard to tell from pictures versus the real thing. But. . . . My guess would be that the boat got backed into something while on the trailer. If the transom is not rotted now, it certainly would be in the future, from the looks of it.

that extra tabbing looks interesting, you might have a point about some additional working being done.

 

[HalfFish5087]

Re: Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

Well today I took off my tank cover, which was pretty bad, some back decking and my chipped away some more on the transom. Like Jim's thread, it appears that the original leak was from the ladder and it worked its way down into the bottom of the transom. This transom is really rotted. The back decking seemed great though.

Hoping to get off the rest of the carpet and other seats tomorrow, cut the back stringers, remove a big portion of the transom, and start some sanding tomorrow.

 

[HalfFish5087]

Re: Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

Just thinking of how to cut out these stringers. Does anyone think that it may be better to cut the stringers at an angle towards the stern? I'm thinking that this may be better for strength, but not sure if this would just make it harder to patch later.

 

[fat fanny]

Re: Is it worth it? '98 Larson 5.7GS DP Lower Transom Rot

I would cut them far enough back to do the task at hand with a multi tool and then use a scarf joint on re-assembly with a backer on both sides