Transom Saver for old 40 year old outboard?

[Ki Ki]

Another trailer question. So, I have a 40 year old outboard 50 horsepower Johnson. It runs great (now). I sometimes travel up to 200 miles in tow to take it to my family's house.

The only method I use for towing is to pull up the boat motor and use the built in 'lock' on the motor. This seems to work well, but seems like a lot of pressure on the back of the boat.

Is a transom saver worth getting? Can anyone provide a link to one that would work for this application? Are they hard to install? I know nothing about these.

Also, with a transom saver do I still use the lock built on the engine too?

 

[foodfisher]

Re: Transom Saver for old 40 year old outboard?

Lots of info behind the search function. The lift lock is for storage, not trailering. May fail under trailering stresses. IMHO, yes, use a transom saver.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Transom Saver for old 40 year old outboard?

Check around. You should be able to get a transom saver for less than $50. They are worth having...just so you never have to look in the rearview and see your outboard bouncing up and down.

 

[Pez Vela]

Re: Transom Saver for old 40 year old outboard?

Might be worth getting if the boat's transom is worth protecting from the stresses of a bouncing motor. http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...toreNum=10116&subdeptNum=10768&classNum=10770

You would not use the engine's tilt lock mechanism at the same time with a transom saver. I say go for it.

 

[Ki Ki]

Re: Transom Saver for old 40 year old outboard?

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...toreNum=10116&subdeptNum=10768&classNum=10770

If I were to use this, my concern would be that how does it bolt onto the trailer? I have a roller on the bottom of the trailer right below the engine.

Also, my 50 horsepower outboard does NOT have tilt/ trim. I just lift the engine manually for trailering and use the lock on the side of the engine.

Another thing I read said that transom savers aren't needed. One mentioned using pvc pipe in between the engine and the back of the trailer? So much info on this stuff, it's confusing.

 

[royal0014]

Re: Transom Saver for old 40 year old outboard?

T/S's mount one of two ways: either a 'stirrup' that fits over the stern roller, or a plate mount, which has a socket for the end of the pole, and a pin to hold it in place. The one's at Wally World are convertible to work either way.

 

[Ki Ki]

Re: Transom Saver for old 40 year old outboard?

http://www.cabelas.com/link-12/prod...-958E-DF11-A0C8-002219318F67&mr:referralID=NA

I don't think one like this, for example, would work on my trailer since the boat actually rest on the roller itself. Is this correct?

 

[Ki Ki]

Re: Transom Saver for old 40 year old outboard?

http://www.cabelas.com/link-12/prod...-958E-DF11-A0C8-002219318F67&mr:referralID=NA

I don't think one like this, for example, would work on my trailer since the boat actually rest on the roller itself. Is this correct?

From everything I'm reading online it sounds like I don't actually need a transom saver. Since my old outboard is manual tilt, the tilt lock is strong enough hopefully to hold the motor securely without the added stress on the lower unit.

 

[royal0014]

Re: Transom Saver for old 40 year old outboard?

The purpose of the transom saver is to SAVE THE TRANSOM. The manuel tilt-lock is not intended for trailering.

If you can't use one like shown in the link, get the bolt-on type.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Transom Saver for old 40 year old outboard?

From everything I'm reading online it sounds like I don't actually need a transom saver. Since my old outboard is manual tilt, the tilt lock is strong enough hopefully to hold the motor securely without the added stress on the lower unit.

You need a transom saver, it's cheap insurance........

 

[Ki Ki]

Re: Transom Saver for old 40 year old outboard?

The purpose of the transom saver is to SAVE THE TRANSOM. The manuel tilt-lock is not intended for trailering.

If you can't use one like shown in the link, get the bolt-on type.

Can the bolt on type swivel to where it will hold the engine from off to the side of the centered roller? In other words--- my roller sits in the center, it'd have to go a few inches to the right of the roller. Do they adjust this way?

Also, did I understand correctly, that I'd only use the transom saver and no longer use the tilt lock too?

 

[Pez Vela]

Re: Transom Saver for old 40 year old outboard?

The purpose of the transom saver is to SAVE THE TRANSOM. The manuel tilt-lock is not intended for trailering.

If you can't use one like shown in the link, get the bolt-on type.

This simple truth seems to be misunderstood by many boaters.

You say that, "Since my old outboard is manual tilt, the tilt lock is strong enough hopefully to hold the motor securely without the added stress on the lower unit." Holding the motor securely is not the primary issue when it comes to transom savers. Whether the tilt lock is secure or not misses the point. The shock loads of a bouncing motor are being transferred to the transom of your boat which may result in stress cracking of the transom. That is what transom savers are designed to prevent, by transferring the shock loads from the bouncing motor to the trailer frame and relieving the stress on the transom. The motor's lower unit is plenty strong to accept the shock loads being transferred to the trailer frame.

Whether the tilt lock mechanism is secure enough for trailering is a secondary issue. It is not designed for that purpose, the motor manufacturers recommend against it, but many people do it and get away with it.

 

[royal0014]

Re: Transom Saver for old 40 year old outboard?

Yeah, what pez said ^^^ Good explanation

Do some research. If you can't hook to the roller, then there are those that bolt to the trailer frame, some of which are extended to go under the trailer frame.

Might take a little brain power and effort on your part to figure out what will work on you boat/trailer combo............

 

[Ki Ki]

Re: Transom Saver for old 40 year old outboard?

Great points guys. I'm buying one.

Here's what is confusing; I found this one, but it says 'for power tilt trim'. I don't have power tilt/ trim, I just lift the engine manually. Will it work?

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_10205174____SearchResults

 

[JimS123]

Re: Transom Saver for old 40 year old outboard?

Back in the 1950's nobody used transom savers. I guess since we didn't have a lot of extra cash for fancy gadgets we just improvised. We knew that we couldn't trailer with the motor tilted up (that's what the book said and that's what the boat dealers told us). So, why not design something that will work perfectly well for 2 bucks! I wish I had a picture of my old setup.

If you have a manual tilt motor, it has a series of holes on the transom bracket for tilt adjustment. Buy 2 washers and 2 wingnuts to fit a piece of allthread that will fit thru the tilt pin holes (in other words, the same diameter as your existing tilt pin). Laminate a few pieces of 2x6 together to form a block, drill a hole at the appropraite position to fit the allthread. Put several coats of varnish on the wood. Buy a turnbuckle with screw eyes on both ends. Drill the engine bracket (the side that's mounted to the lower leg of the motor) and install another eyebolt.

Raise the motor and engage the tilt lock. Install the block and allthread thru the top (outermost) holes. Release the lock and let the motor gently rest on the block. Finally, clip one end of the the turnbuckle to the allthread and the other to the eyebolt on the motor. Finally, tighten the turnbuckle.

Now that motor ain't bouncin up or down cause its firmly tightened against itself. The block aint gonna fall off because its bolted on. Just buy cheep cadmium hardware and SPF wood cause you'll take it off, wash it off and put it away once you get home.

Now you do at times see a simple piece of 2x4 stuck between the motor bracket, held by a bungie. They DO fall off at times and the bungie doesn't hold the motor all that firm.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Transom Saver for old 40 year old outboard?

The only reason I can think of why it would only work on a power t/t motor is that with power tilt you can apply a constant down pressure. I use that same type, never heard of it being for p/t or not, there's a bracket and pin on the last cross member with a pin that holds the transom saver pole in place. The other end goes around the lower unit and is secured with a bungee cord.

On my trailer, the bracket that holds the transom saver is bolted right onto the roller bracket, dead center. Post a few pics of your set up and see if we can find the right solution for your boat and trailer.

This is the most common type:
http://www.iboats.com/Seasense-Adju...52887014--**********.285811943--view_id.56637

These come with both roller mounts and a bracket that bolts to your frame. You choose which to install. The trailer mount is a single bolt hole drilled straight through the frame. You can put the bracket either right through the roller bracket and frame, or under the bracket facing downward if there's room and it won't interfere with it's use.
I drilled a hole right through the roller bracket, If the roller bracket extends down past the frame, you may well be able to only drill the bottom edge of the roller bracket.

See the pic below to see what the trailer end bracket will look like.

 

[Ki Ki]

Re: Transom Saver for old 40 year old outboard?

Post a few pics of your set up and see if we can find the right solution for your boat and trailer.

This is the most common type:
http://www.iboats.com/Seasense-Adju...52887014--**********.285811943--view_id.56637

These come with both roller mounts and a bracket that bolts to your frame. You choose which to install. The trailer mount is a single bolt hole drilled straight through the frame. You can put the bracket either right through the roller bracket and frame, or under the bracket facing downward if there's room and it won't interfere with it's use.
I drilled a hole right through the roller bracket, If the roller bracket extends down past the frame, you may well be able to only drill the bottom edge of the roller bracket.

See the pic below to see what the trailer end bracket will look like.

I'll post pictures tonight of my trailer set up. Thanks guys.

 

[Ki Ki]

Re: Transom Saver for old 40 year old outboard?

Here's the requested images. As you can see the bottom roller usually has the boat resting against it. It's a manual tilt boat. Can someone advise me to what transom saver would be applicable, but also affordable?

 

[Ki Ki]

Re: Transom Saver for old 40 year old outboard?

next

 

[Ki Ki]

Re: Transom Saver for old 40 year old outboard?

Finally got it to work