finding transom saver for trailer / motor

Jeff F · Jul 13, 2024

trying to find a transom saver that will support the lower unit and attach to the trailer , the problem is the rear cross member on the sprint made trailer is just behind the axle and the back of the boat goes beyond the rear cross member by about 16 inches , this is a 14 ft aluminum MicroCraft with a 9.9 hp Johnson out board on the transom . setting on 2x4 wood bunks which stop at the end of the rear of the boat, all I can find is a straight type transom saver which if mounted to rear of trailer crossmember will not angle up enough to hold the lower unit up with out hitting the bottom end of the boat, does any one know a company that makes something that would angle up at the end of the boat and come up to the lower unit when tilted up ? I tried to up load a picture of the rear of boat and trailer but it will not up load Thanks jeff

FuzzyGrub · Jul 13, 2024

Hard to help without that pic. maybe something like: THIS

Jeff F · Jul 13, 2024

I was able to convert picture to jpeg and attach , now you can see how the boat sits on the trailer Thanks jeff

LDUBS · Jul 13, 2024

Here are a couple more (see pics). Instead of a traditional transom saver that connects to the trailer I use a product named M-Y Wedge that acts as a block to hold the motor up. There are several other versions.

Bailey Boat · Jul 14, 2024

The M-Y wedge only provides clearance to keep the skeg from dragging and does nothing to take the weight of the engine off the transom..... sadly.....

Jeff F · Jul 14, 2024

Thanks for finding this !! I will take some measurements to see if it how well fit , even If I have to modify it a little, getting this would be so much better than trying to bend and build something. Thanks jeff

airshot · Jul 14, 2024

If the motor can be locked into position where it can't bounce or flop up and down then your good. That is all a transom saver does .. that OB motor isn't heavy enough to cause a problem unless your transom is soft.

LDUBS · Jul 14, 2024

Bailey Boat said:
The M-Y wedge only provides clearance to keep the skeg from dragging and does nothing to take the weight of the engine off the transom..... sadly.....

It is not about weight on the transom. If there is enough clearance with the motor all the way down, then a transom saver is not needed. The primary reason for a transom saver is to keep the skeg from hitting the ground. When clearance is an issue we need to make sure the tilted up motor isn't bouncing around. We do not rely on the outboard's tilt-lock mechanism or PT&T to do this. I don't see how any transom saver takes the weight of the motor off the transom. What it does is keep the tilted-up motor from bouncing around on the transom, which could result in damage. I personally would be concerned if I thought my transom could not handle the weight of the motor.

FuzzyGrub · Jul 14, 2024

FWIW: My Merc 150 calls for trailering all the way down or use a transom saver. Do not rely on the power trim or the mechanical lock-out. The pontoon came with one and use it. I think the Yamaha 90 manual says same. That I trailer with all the way down and there is no need to tilt the jet back.

As far as holding verticle weight, doubt it provides much help there. I think it is more the stop and go of trailering where the weight wants to move forward and back, flexing the transom. This stop and go is much more abrupt than what can happen on the water. Under forward power, the outboard is always pulling back against the transom. I think it does help some for that back and forth motion.

On small motors with no tilt/trim, it helps keeping it from bouncing around, as well, and reduce forces on the mechanical tilting mechanism, ie let it free swivel.

airshot · Jul 14, 2024

I am now seeing folks talk about not using their PT&T to hold their motors up. Can 't say about experience on large motors as I never owned one. But on my 3.0 Merc I/O and my 40 hp Johnson and my current 40 up Merc Classic, the pt&t is rock solid, even the manual talks about using the pt&t for trailering.
On my I/O, I had a friend that worked for a hydraulic mfgr and he ran the specs on the trim cylinders and weight of the outdrive. The hydraulics are more than capable of supporting the weight on the bumpiest road... All my boating friends use their pt&t to hold there OB and their I/O with never an issue. Big heavy OB motors might be a different animal, but the 200 lb and smaller units never saw an issue.

FuzzyGrub · Jul 14, 2024

I can only tell you what is in the manuals. I highly suspect it has to do with possible leakdown of hyd system. These were my first outboards with tilt and trim, and didn't know if you were suppose to use those mechancal lock-out or not. The manuals says not for trailering.

When I had the Mercruiser 5.7L, I used those safety clips that in the advent of a leakdown, you wouldn't be draging the skeg for miles. In the 20 years of ownership, never happened.

airshot · Jul 14, 2024

If your lower unit would actually hit the road if the system failed then I would add some type of safety retainer besides the ptt....Mine have never been that close, to close to trailer with it down, but it would not hit unless on a grade. The fellow that made my hydraulic calculations figured out the weight of the boat and the leverage the hull had. No amount of of rough road/ or bouncing in the transom would equal the amount of demand need by the hydraulics going thru a three foot chop with 22' of hull out front slamming thru waves. In other words, the hydraulic's take far more of a beating running on a choppy day than any road trip could cause. Like everything, you need to do what your comfort level is, so by all means use a saver if it makes you feel better. A chance of failure is far greater from lack of maintenence than damage by not having the lower unit secured.

Ray Clark · Jul 15, 2024

I think a transom saver is a good idea, even for my 20HP Merc.

My Merc weighs about 125 pounds. I think the real value in that transom saver comes in reducing the amount of energy from road vibration that the transom will have to absorb over time. The transom saver transfers a significant amount of the "jackhammer" energy down to the trailer frame, reducing long-term wear on the outboard mounting system. Further, it greatly reduces the torque exerted at the top of the transom as the motor "wants" to rotate around the mounting point as it reacts to the bouncing motion of the trailer/boat rig.

I don't have a PTT and never have had one, so I can't say for certain what the long term effect of the same forces would be on it, but I'd rather have an inexpensive transom saver on the setup to transfer that energy to the trailer, rather than have the relatively expensive PTT absorb it over the long term with perhaps negative effect on the seals and mounting hardware.

Bailey Boat · Jul 15, 2024

LDUBS said:
It is not about weight on the transom. If there is enough clearance with the motor all the way down, then a transom saver is not needed. The primary reason for a transom saver is to keep the skeg from hitting the ground. When clearance is an issue we need to make sure the tilted up motor isn't bouncing around. We do not rely on the outboard's tilt-lock mechanism or PT&T to do this. I don't see how any transom saver takes the weight of the motor off the transom. What it does is keep the tilted-up motor from bouncing around on the transom, which could result in damage. I personally would be concerned if I thought my transom could not handle the weight of the motor.

whatever..... you do you and I'll do me.....

FuzzyGrub · Jul 15, 2024

airshot said:
If your lower unit would actually hit the road if the system failed then I would add some type of safety retainer besides the ptt....Mine have never been that close, to close to trailer with it down, but it would not hit unless on a grade. The fellow that made my hydraulic calculations figured out the weight of the boat and the leverage the hull had. No amount of of rough road/ or bouncing in the transom would equal the amount of demand need by the hydraulics going thru a three foot chop with 22' of hull out front slamming thru waves. In other words, the hydraulic's take far more of a beating running on a choppy day than any road trip could cause. Like everything, you need to do what your comfort level is, so by all means use a saver if it makes you feel better. A chance of failure is far greater from lack of maintenence than damage by not having the lower unit secured.

I trenched my yard with that Mercruiser, once. Forgot to raise it moving from wintering spot to driveway.

LDUBS · Jul 15, 2024

Bailey Boat said:
whatever..... you do you and I'll do me.....

I think you missed the point. It has nothing to do with which type you prefer. It had to do with the reason for a transom saver is not to take weight off the transom.

LDUBS · Jul 15, 2024

FuzzyGrub said:
I trenched my yard with that Mercruiser, once. Forgot to raise it moving from wintering spot to driveway.

I might know someone (ahem) who did that with their tongue jack once.

airshot · Jul 15, 2024

FuzzyGrub said:
I trenched my yard with that Mercruiser, once. Forgot to raise it moving from wintering spot to driveway.

Not long after I bought my first I/O, the boat slid off the trailer onto the concrete ramp. Yep, a roller trailer and dummy me unhooked the winch to soon ! The bow was on trailer and the rest of the boat weight was on my trimmed up lower unit all supported by the hydraulic trim unit....it never moved at all !! If that system can hold that much sudden force and weight, it will hold trailering.
But...as I said before, you gotta do what you are comfortable with doing !!

thill · Jul 15, 2024

Seems like this is a thing mostly with little boats, especially bass boats that have a big engine mounted on a little transom. I can't remember ever seeing a transom saver on a big saltwater boat

FuzzyGrub · Jul 16, 2024

The picture showed up in another discussion.

finding transom saver for trailer / motor

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