Jack Plate for a 1990 Mercury black max 175

[OldGuy77]

Okay since I have to pull the motor checked out jack plates.
My shaft puts the cavitation plate at or just above bottom of transom with prop at 21 inches. It's mounted on a 1990 Ranger 375v and performance seems good. Looked at 4 in manual aluminum Jack plate but not sure how much benefit I would get think main plus would just be the engine being set back. Comments?

 

[tphoyt]

If everything is good I would leave it well enough alone. I don’t think you would have any benefit from a manual plate if its only going to push the motor back a few inches.
As they say if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Manual jack plates are a bandaid for improper motor height setting. Agreed not much benefit

Hydraulic jack plates are great for getting in skinny water

 

[Dukedog]

if ya happy with performance and handlin' of what ya got then jus leave it.. tha jack plate has its benefits though.. mostly in performance and a ill handlin' boat.. it also will eliminate havin' ta remove and reseal tha transom bolts and problems with access to 'em if motor removal becomes an issue at some point n time as what ya jus experienced................ i use a jack plate on anything i run.. mainly 'cause i drain every ounce of performance i can get out of 'em..... plus constantly changin' motors and/or set up....... jmo.

 

[Faztbullet]

4" plate will work out fine..