# Motor Position when Transporting



## fish4thriLLs (Aug 7, 2011)

Just wondering how most of you haul your motor when transporting your boat on the road. Do you raise it up to the highest position or do you use some type of support like a motor toter or transom saver thingy? Or, do you just leave it all the way down? Does it hurt the transom to raise the motor all the way up in the lock position when transporting a 25 HP Mercury 2 stroke?

I had to make my own thing to hold the motor up because my trailer doesn't come back far enough to use a regular transom saver. Here's my homemade setup.


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Aug 7, 2011)

I use a transom saver.


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## Alumacraft (Aug 7, 2011)

you should definatly extend your bunks another 1 or 2ft. to help with the weight of the engine on the boat. you need the bunks to support the transom when the motor is bouncing going down the road.


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## chavist93 (Aug 7, 2011)

All the way down. Doesn't hurt a thing as long as you have the ground clearance.

X2 on extending your bunks or pulling the boat further up on the trailer.


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## fish4thriLLs (Aug 7, 2011)

chavist93 said:


> All the way down. Doesn't hurt a thing as long as you have the ground clearance.
> 
> X2 on extending your bunks or pulling the boat further up on the trailer.



Not enough ground clearance if I put the motor all the way down, it's a long shaft motor.

So, basically what you're saying is that my trailer is too short. Will extending my bunks be just as good as a longer trailer? 

I don't think pulling the boat further up on the trailer is an option as it will be hard to get enough clearance when turning.

Thanks guys! Keep it coming!


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (Aug 8, 2011)

A longer trailer would be better. Can lengthen the tongue? 
I need to on my trailer but until then I went with longer bunks.


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## BaitCaster (Aug 8, 2011)

Although the TinBoats experts say you don't need a transom saver with a small motor, I use one ayway to keep the motor from bouncing around on rough roads.


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## flatboat (Aug 8, 2011)

i agree with the longer boards , but ,if you don't have anything to support them ,maybe longer trailer . i use a transome saver keeps it straight and presents a smaller target for road debris


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## redrunner (Aug 12, 2011)

Transom saver is the only good answer. I had to do a transom repair because of never using a saver from day one. The transom cracked on the top channel near the motor. I did a transom repair/raise at the some time.


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## fish4thriLLs (Aug 12, 2011)

Okay, I moved the winch brace up towards the hitch more and I was able to pull the boat up farther as well. I took pictures of both the front end and the back. 

Does it look like I have enough trailer support under the transom now? And what about the tongue end, does it look like I have enough clearance length when I'm backing up and turning so as not to hit the front edge of the boat(or trolling motor) on either side with my truck?

I am contemplating lengthening the tongue end of the trailer if necessary.

Thanks to all.


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## bulldog (Aug 12, 2011)

I have a jet and keep mine all the way down for transport. If I am going a long distance I'll even put a strap to hold it all the way down to keep it from bouning on the highway.


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## Canoeman (Aug 15, 2011)

bulldog said:


> I have a jet and keep mine all the way down for transport. If I am going a long distance I'll even put a strap to hold it all the way down to keep it from bouning on the highway.



same.. 

The 3 knee transom is strong like bull!!


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## RivRunR (Aug 16, 2011)

fish4thriLLs said:


> Okay, I moved the winch brace up towards the hitch more and I was able to pull the boat up farther as well. I took pictures of both the front end and the back.
> Does it look like I have enough trailer support under the transom now? And what about the tongue end, does it look like I have enough clearance length when I'm backing up and turning so as not to hit the front edge of the boat(or trolling motor) on either side with my truck?
> I am contemplating lengthening the tongue end of the trailer if necessary.
> Thanks to all.



It looks better, but you really need the bunks to line up so the transom sits directly on them, or even have the bunks extend slightly past the end of the transom. Looks like you only need to move it 6" or 8", so you might be able move the winch post further forward by relocating your trailer jack further back. In other words, swap the positions of the winch post and the jack, as long as the jack handle clears the boat when you turn it. That's how my trailer is set up. Can't give any help on the turning question, it looks like you've got plenty of tongue length, but you'll just have to test it.


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## fish4thriLLs (Aug 16, 2011)

RivRunR,

I took your advice and did exactly what you said and now my bunks are extended past the back of the boat by about 2 inches. But, the tongue is definitely too short. So, I went and got me a 5 foot piece of 2.5" X 2.5" square tubular steel that is 3/16" thick walled. I will cut the tongue about a foot back from the hitch and insert the piece of steel all the way into the tongue and insert the other end into the trailer beam and use it to lengthen my trailer by 14". I will drill two holes and install two bolts through everything on the trailer end and weld a bead at the seam where the steel meets the edge of the tongue area. This will give me enough clearance so I can back up and turn sharp.

Kinda like this dude did in the pics below:


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## RivRunR (Aug 17, 2011)

Great, glad it worked out (mostly)!

Sounds like a good plan to me, welds + bolts should be plenty strong enough, but you'll want to use heavy-duty bolts of course (grade 8?). And you'll probably have to extend your wiring and tow chains too.

Speaking of chains, I noticed you had chains in the back instead of ratchet straps. Might want to replace those too, so you can cinch the boat down on the trailer so it doesn't bounce.


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## fish4thriLLs (Aug 17, 2011)

RivRunR,

Yes, I am planning on using Grade 8 bolts. And yes, I will have to extend my wiring, but not my tow chains because I will cut the trailer behind the chains. I also took your advice and replaced the transom chains with straps.

Here's pics of the latest stuff I did today and yesterday. Now I'm ready to cut the tongue and install the extension bar.


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## DanMC (Aug 19, 2011)

Transom saver by Attwood with built in shock absorber,around $ 60.00 at BPS...US made too =D> .
Dan


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## RivRunR (Aug 25, 2011)

So far so good! Post up when you finish the extension.


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## fish4thriLLs (Aug 25, 2011)

Okay, I cut the trailer yesterday. It went very well with the Sawzall. Then, I inserted the 5' section of 2.5"X2.5" square tubular steel into both sections. I inserted one end all the way in 'til it was embedded deep into the coupler and bottomed out there. I then drilled two holes into the coupler/tubular steel end and installed two 3/8" bolts and tightened them snug. I will have this welded as well, where the two meet. Next, I marked where the other end is inserted into the trailer at the correct depth. Soon, I will drill a couple of holes and install two more 3/8" bolts in the trailer part too and then spot weld where the two parts meet.

My question now is, will I have to make the gaps in the same place as far as the way the tube steel fits into the trailer?(the inner section is 2.5"X2.5" and the trailer is 3"X3" with 2.75"X2.75" inside dia.) Presently, the gap on the coupler end is on the bottom side and the gap on the trailer end is at the top side. I can make the gap, on the trailer end, at the top side to match the other, end if I need too. But is it really necessary? 

It's kinda hard to explain but maybe the pics below will help.


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## fish4thriLLs (Aug 27, 2011)

Okay, I went and shimmed the bottom and sides for a better fit and then bolted it with grade 8 bolts. I think the trailer extension turned out purty good, if I do say so myself.  

Do you guys think I should have any part of the trailer extension welded, like where the trailer meets the tubular extension? Do you think any part of the 2.5" X 2.5" X 3/16" thick walled tubular extension will bend anywhere? (It's 5 feet long total, but only 14.25" is exposed)

Now, I have enough trailer length at the tongue so as not to hit it with my towing vehicle when turning sharp and my home-made transom saver works better after I was able to shorten it.

Pics below, in no certain order.


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## RivRunR (Aug 29, 2011)

Looks good =D> 

I'd weld it, if only so I didn't have to think about it anymore.


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