Put to bed or not, I tend to agree with the view that a transom saver's job is to take pressure off the transom by supporting some of the weight at the lower unit. And I do agree with the above assessment that having all items bound together in a tight fashion is the best route. 3 boats over the last 20yrs, all used typical transom savers with the boats strapped to the trailer, and I haven't experienced a single crack in fiberglass or aluminum yet.
As for the shock of bumps and whatnot while driving down the road, that's what we have tires and springs on the trailer for. I insure my rigs are heavy enough to flex the springs the way they should, and my tires are inflated to a point where they'll eat some of the bumps as well.
To put a spring in the saver means the motor bouncing up and down would then be bumping against the tilt and trim hydraulic cylinder putting undue wear on it/them, assuming the rig is so equipped.
Since we're quoting physics law here, I will too. "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction". To me, mitigating the action portion of that should be the primary concern, beyond that, the reaction is inevitable. So in my alleged brain, the more shock that is absorbed in the tires and springs, the less has to be dealt with on down the line.
Ultimately, I guess it's all a matter of where we want that shock being absorbed. Sure, some will always make it to the hull and outboard. But my experiences haven't made me concerned so much that I seek to improve upon a system that has, to date, given me no problems.
