trailering an outboard

[pjbrnci7800]

I recently purchased a 2007 Bass Tracker Pro Team 175 with a 60Hp Mercury outboard. The boat came with a trandsom saver and I have been using the saver to trailer the outboard while towing. I always trim the engine down onto the trandsom saver untill it is snug then I secure the lower unit with a bunge strap. However, during tow of the boat the engine always seams to lean to one side or the other, even with the bunge strap securing it. Is this normal or okay? Or should I be doing something else to keep the motor in the middle while trailering?

 

[Jlawsen]

Re: trailering an outboard

Some of the transom savers do not securely hold the motor straight and others do. I use the this type: http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...toreNum=50802&subdeptNum=50814&classNum=50816

and it holds my 60 straight. I snug it down in with the trim but not so tight as to put excessive force on the saver. As long as your boat tie down straps are keeping the boat from moving around on the trailer and you have the saver adjusted correctly (not holding the motor too high) it should stay straight.

 

[JB]

Re: trailering an outboard

Howdy.

Welcome to iboats.

I did exactly what you are doing for 40 years, always worked okay. I worried about the outboard turning one way or the other for years but it never caused any sort of problem.

 

[batman99]

Re: trailering an outboard

.

When boat is on my trailer and I manually forcing its OB engine from side to side (as if working on it), I noticed the boat's steering wheel spins in either direction. To stop the steering wheel from spinning (which stops the OB motor from flopping side to side), can one install a vehicle anti-theft bar (re: http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQYZ9rTJcxiSmNaoJvOkfQnvn3pFX902lKbHVi0X5q7eucTkrO41g ) and rope tie its one end to the driver's seat lower brackets. If wondering, I haven't tried this tool myself. But, it does look do-able (from a white board).

Hope this helps..

 

[roscoe]

Re: trailering an outboard

Either get the type in the post above, or just put a rubber bungee strap on the steering wheel.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: trailering an outboard

Either get the type in the post above, or just put a rubber bungee strap on the steering wheel.

+1 on this one ^^^^^^^

 

[emoney]

Re: trailering an outboard

I'm with JB on this one. I've too have "worried' about it, but its never been an issue. Next time you trailer it, let it flop over and when you stop, take a peek at the transom saver. As long as it still looks ok, is attached correctly and doesn't have undo stress on it, nothing to worry about. Carry on.

 

[TomsSearay]

Re: trailering an outboard

An aside; Why do they call these things "transom savers". I thought that their major function was to keep the motor from bouncing off the roadway in the event of a trim/tilt failure. Do they really keep the transom from suffering some kind of damage from trailering? Just askin'.

 

[Outsider]

Re: trailering an outboard

Do they really keep the transom from suffering some kind of damage from trailering? Just askin'.

The theory is that with a motor raised somewhat, road bounce will cause the motor to torgue the transom (aside from loading and unloading any trim and tilt). In theory, a transom saver will dampen the motor bounce which will lessen the transom torgue. In theory ...

 

[JimS123]

Re: trailering an outboard

Do they really keep the transom from suffering some kind of damage from trailering? Just askin'.

The theory is that with a motor raised somewhat, road bounce will cause the motor to torgue the transom (aside from loading and unloading any trim and tilt). In theory, a transom saver will dampen the motor bounce which will lessen the transom torgue. In theory ...

My FIL insisted on putting his 40 HP OB at full tilt when trailering, even though he had a good 12" road clearance. Once I was behind him on the road and saw the abuse the transom was taking. He wouldn't listen. There was a 5 mile bumpy road between the highway and the lake cottage. I'm sure that's where most of the damage occurred.

The boat was a tinny and the transom was riveted in around the edge. It leaked more and more every year at the transom seam.

Doesn't leak any more. The transom and motor are at the bottom of the lake!

 

[TomsSearay]

Re: trailering an outboard

In my case, I have an 18' bow rider with a 115 hp. 4cyl. engine (heavy) mounted on the transom. When raised for trailering the motor’s center of gravity is well forward of the transom. As such, most road bounce forces would be on the inboard side of the transom and very little would be transferred downward and out toward the "saver". Is motor movement controlled by the bungee strap or is it simply used to keep the "saver" from being lost. I can see where a heavy outboard motor could put stress on the transom but aren’t the transoms built for that purpose. Aren’t the transoms subjected to a lot more stress just pushing the boat around at speeds and through rough water? I just don’t see how the “transom savers” are doing much except to keep the motor off the road in the event of a tilt/trim failure.

 

[JimS123]

Re: trailering an outboard

Aren’t the transoms subjected to a lot more stress just pushing the boat around at speeds and through rough water? I just don’t see how the “transom savers” are doing much except to keep the motor off the road in the event of a tilt/trim failure.

The difference here is dynamic vs. static stress. A transom is intended to take a lot of static force in the forward motion, plus a little up and down when you hit waves. Put that puppy half way up and the dynamic forces back and forth are what you need to avoid.

As a corollary, think about a car on jack stands. The stands are strong enough to keep it up in the air until you start wiggling the car - then it'll fall down.

It probably doesn't matter to most of you (because 3 years and you trade her in and then the new owner has the problem) and you won't believe it because you haven't seen it. Once you've seen a transom fall off (literally) or a perfectly good solid fiberglass transom
crack because of that tipped motor, it'll make a believer out of you.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: trailering an outboard

I was at Cabela's a few days ago looking at fishing rigs. Nice 19 foot Lowe with a big Merc 4-stroke was fitted with a "motor deflopperizer" (transom saver) -- but it stands to reason since they sell them. And at an all up price of $32,000 it should have been gold plated.

 

[TomsSearay]

Re: trailering an outboard

As a corollary, think about a car on jack stands. The stands are strong enough to keep it up in the air until you start wiggling the car - then it'll fall down.
.

Yes, but if the car was meant to be moved around while on the stands they would be designed to compensate for the movement. Sorta like a boat with motor on a trailer. Just sayin'

 

[TomsSearay]

Re: trailering an outboard

I believe that I'm pretty typical of the average boater with a small bow rider. In my case, the boat is 12 yrs. old and has about 350 hrs. on it so 99.7% of the time the boat is sitting on the trailer somewhere with the motor hanging off the back. The manufacturers should design and build the transoms accordingly and if a transom saver is needed it should be part of the package. Just sayin' more.

 

[JimS123]

Re: trailering an outboard

Yes, but if the car was meant to be moved around while on the stands they would be designed to compensate for the movement. Sorta like a boat with motor on a trailer. Just sayin'

Jack stands with castors ARE designed for that purpose. But even then they are moved slowly and in one direction. My point was to imagine 4 guys on each corner of the car moving it back and forth in all directions. Trailering on the high way is not a straight line force, considering all the bumps and potholes.

 

[JimS123]

Re: trailering an outboard

I believe that I'm pretty typical of the average boater with a small bow rider. In my case, the boat is 12 yrs. old and has about 350 hrs. on it so 99.7% of the time the boat is sitting on the trailer somewhere with the motor hanging off the back. The manufacturers should design and build the transoms accordingly and if a transom saver is needed it should be part of the package. Just sayin' more.

When my boat was 12 years old I had about 600 hours on her - not sure how average I am!

I agree wholeheartedly about what should be provided. Silly manufacturers.....LOL.

The funny thing is that the low end "packages", like Tracker, Do come with all the parts like that. But, its a cheap bunk trailer and all of the components are cheap.

If you buy one of the more upscale brands then everything is an option.

Its a Marketing gimmick. You really need to be an educated consumer!

 

[TomsSearay]

Re: trailering an outboard

When my boat was 12 years old I had about 600 hours on her - not sure how average I am!

I really need to get the boat off the trailer and into the water more!:facepalm: