How many of you use transom savers? I did years ago but now I'm wondering if it is really helps that much.
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How many of you use transom savers? I did years ago but now I'm wondering if it is really helps that much.
I think they help protect the orings of the trim unit more than anything and keeps your motor from swinging around
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Had them on all 3 boats I've owned. 50HP, 70HP, and my current 90HP outboard.
One thing I can say .... always have a good stout strap on them, and if it start showing wear or starts losing it's "stretch", get a new one. I've had one transom saver bar come off and lost on the way home, somewhere on the Parkway. Had another slip off and drag down the highway until half of the U end was "sanded off" by the road, and I didn't know anything about it until I stopped for gas and happened to see it. :Doh:
I use the inserts between the trim rams and the Mid Section. My E-Tec and most OMC Outboards has a build in one in the Mid Case. Attaching any device from the trailer directly to the lower unit is a No No by any engine manufacturer. If you film a normal sized boat & trailer, the trailer is not over sized or beefed up and play it back in slow motion you will see the trailer & Bunk Boards deflect on impact of a hole Hammering the Hydraulic unit (the most expensive part to replace & why you need a strap to hold them on when this happens) valving in the internal Hydraulic pump and seals. Aluminum Trailers are the worst for this. All my trailers (Steel) get a extra set of boards with beefy double U-Bolt bunk brackets. Also I use the bunk brackets with the place for a bolt to prevent slipping out of adjustment. Just my :twocents.
I’ve always used one up until about a year ago. Have had a few incidents over the years with them getting loose, dragging. Went to these 2 products now instead. Don’t know if I’m right or wrong, but we’ll see.
Attachment 479319Attachment 479320
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That is the exact 2 products I recommended to all of my customers. Thanks for posting. Few actually read their owners manuals or read the TSB's produced by Outboard Engine Manufacturers. All say do not connect the engine to the trailer with only the Hydraulic unit in between.Quote:
Originally Posted by J White
I use both of those devices when trailering locally. If I hit the road, I ad my motor-toter from trailer to Suzuki.
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I had that exact thing happen last time I used one. The trailer side came off, and I'm SO glad the front didn't catch on something and do serious damage!Quote:
Originally Posted by CrappiePappy
My Yamaha dealer told me not to use the one on the left, suggested a motor toter.Quote:
Originally Posted by J White
Yep, Thill ... that's exactly what happened to me. The transom saver somehow popped off the trailer roller and was dragged along the highway. Not sure why no one honked at me about it, or drove up beside me & motioned to me that it was dragging ... as I'm sure there were sparks flying at some point along the way. Luckily I saved what was left, as sometime after that the replacement saver got damaged & I used the other damaged one to replace the broken head of the newer one. ("head" meaning the end that cradles the lower unit ... the rubber bumper tabs were damaged, leaving the bolt heads showing & potentially rubbing against the lower unit. Luckily I saw it before that could happen & switched out the transom saver heads.) Saved me some $$$ not having to totally replace it with a brand new one, which I would have done had I not had the remnants of the previous one.Quote:
Originally Posted by thill
Like you, I was amazed that it hadn't hung up on something on the highway and potentially done great damage to the lower unit.
Used a transom saver for 40 years and never had a problem.
I had a crutch type on my bass boat without issue, 150hp. I’ve got a small one on the 25 I have now. I’ve watched small outboards really take a ride while following folks. The ones built into the smaller motors aren’t made to take a hard shot without something breaking.
I use the rite hite motor holder & a set of TH marine steering clips.
Same here and nothing attached, no bungie, nothing, just the motor.Quote:
Originally Posted by tlefire
One thing to take into account on this would be the condition of the transom. I would think the weight of the outboard would flex the transom on older boats or ones with compromised transoms.
I picked up my new boat today. It has a Panther brand transom saver on it. It screws into the trailer with really course threads. Seems pretty sturdy.
Had a friend just have an "F AND F " wielded because who owned it first did not use a motor toter . F/F are very well built .