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Author Topic:   only one ram retracts 88 spl rude trim

Cpt Quint posted 08-12-2002 11:29 AM ET (US)
Never knew when trailering the boat you should let the rams retract to "lock" the motor.
Did this the other day only to notice that only the port ram was going down.
I have noticed it taking long for the trim to complete lately but did top off fluid a month ago.
I take it this isnt normal? Should I tap it to see if its stuck?
Tom W Clark posted 08-12-2002 11:43 AM ET (US)
It is not unusual for one ram or the other to retract before the other one does. Did you cycle the trim down until you heard and saw it "bottom out"?
On my motors one ram would typically retract all the way and then the other one would do the same. When both are fully retracted you can hear the pump lower its pitch while simultaneously the motor gives a little downward twitch which lets you know it has reached it fully retracted state and is ready for trailering.
I remember when I picked up my Outrage from its original owner after a deal had been struck. I backed my truck up, hitched it and then tilted the motor up and engaged the trailering bracket. I then lowered the motor down while the former owner watched. As soon as the bracket landed and I then continued to cycle the trim down he ran over and cautioned me not to do that. He told me to just let it touch down and then stop so as not to "blow out a seal" or something.
At this point is was a little discouraged to think this guy had trailered this boat around incorrectly for six years. He apparently had never read his owner's manual as it explicitly describes this process and the importance of fully retracting the rams so the motor will not bounce as you go down the road.
It is not enough to try to lift up on the gearcase to test whether the motor is "locked down" or not. The rams must be fully retracted. A good bump in the road can cause the motor to rise off its trailering bracket and fall back down with a real shock if you do not do so.
Cpt Quint posted 08-12-2002 02:24 PM ET (US)
No, I stopped once I notice only one retracting....
yes, from now on I will run it down until
it cycles down...
Hell, my dealer told me to only lower tight to lock.
Taylor posted 08-12-2002 03:24 PM ET (US)
Tom, is this a Johnson/Evinrude thing or is this true of all engines? I'm off to reread my manual.
Tom W Clark posted 08-12-2002 07:05 PM ET (US)
Taylor,
Beats me. Look in your manual and see if it's true of Mercs. I rather suspect it is true of Yamahas as they are basically knock-offs of the OMC's.
skred posted 08-13-2002 12:17 PM ET (US)
My 1985 Yam 70 has 2 small rotating arms (one each side) that once the motor is up completely, can be rotated downward, and when you then hit the "lower" button the rams retract to allow the full motor weight on the support arms. It would take a gigantic bounce/blow to cause the motor to rise and (somehow) both arms to somehow rotate 180 degreess and allow the motor to fall on the trim rams. The motor can only move about 1/2 inch upward with the "trailering" arms engaged.

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Author	Topic: only one ram retracts 88 spl rude trim
Cpt Quint	posted 08-12-2002 11:29 AM ET (US) Never knew when trailering the boat you should let the rams retract to "lock" the motor. Did this the other day only to notice that only the port ram was going down. I have noticed it taking long for the trim to complete lately but did top off fluid a month ago. I take it this isnt normal? Should I tap it to see if its stuck?
Tom W Clark	posted 08-12-2002 11:43 AM ET (US) It is not unusual for one ram or the other to retract before the other one does. Did you cycle the trim down until you heard and saw it "bottom out"? On my motors one ram would typically retract all the way and then the other one would do the same. When both are fully retracted you can hear the pump lower its pitch while simultaneously the motor gives a little downward twitch which lets you know it has reached it fully retracted state and is ready for trailering. I remember when I picked up my Outrage from its original owner after a deal had been struck. I backed my truck up, hitched it and then tilted the motor up and engaged the trailering bracket. I then lowered the motor down while the former owner watched. As soon as the bracket landed and I then continued to cycle the trim down he ran over and cautioned me not to do that. He told me to just let it touch down and then stop so as not to "blow out a seal" or something. At this point is was a little discouraged to think this guy had trailered this boat around incorrectly for six years. He apparently had never read his owner's manual as it explicitly describes this process and the importance of fully retracting the rams so the motor will not bounce as you go down the road. It is not enough to try to lift up on the gearcase to test whether the motor is "locked down" or not. The rams must be fully retracted. A good bump in the road can cause the motor to rise off its trailering bracket and fall back down with a real shock if you do not do so.
Cpt Quint	posted 08-12-2002 02:24 PM ET (US) No, I stopped once I notice only one retracting.... yes, from now on I will run it down until it cycles down... Hell, my dealer told me to only lower tight to lock.
Taylor	posted 08-12-2002 03:24 PM ET (US) Tom, is this a Johnson/Evinrude thing or is this true of all engines? I'm off to reread my manual.
Tom W Clark	posted 08-12-2002 07:05 PM ET (US) Taylor, Beats me. Look in your manual and see if it's true of Mercs. I rather suspect it is true of Yamahas as they are basically knock-offs of the OMC's.
skred	posted 08-13-2002 12:17 PM ET (US) My 1985 Yam 70 has 2 small rotating arms (one each side) that once the motor is up completely, can be rotated downward, and when you then hit the "lower" button the rams retract to allow the full motor weight on the support arms. It would take a gigantic bounce/blow to cause the motor to rise and (somehow) both arms to somehow rotate 180 degreess and allow the motor to fall on the trim rams. The motor can only move about 1/2 inch upward with the "trailering" arms engaged.