Transom savers

[NELS-BELLS]

How many of you use them? What size motor would you recomend using one? I see some boats with them and many without. The guy I bought my boat from just has a block of wood stuck up in the hinge of the motor to support it while its being trailered.

Nels

[harvey lee]

I use one. Seems with the transom saver my trailer takes the shock of a bounce or bump instead of the transom.

[boatfixer]

A block of wood will only take the stress off the hydraulics. The motor will still want to flex the transom. Transom savers counter the bounce by providing a rigid support to the trailer. Well worth the cost.

[Matt C]

I use one. 150 yami..480lbs? I think she is. Hold it steady. I wouldn't want to pay for the motor again...

[bassNspear]

i will always use them. Makes me feel that everything is more secure.

[PerchJerker]

How large is your motor?

There's really two concerns - 1 is protecting the hydraulics and/or tilt mechanism on the motor - the other is giving some support to stop your transom from flexing.

I use transom savers on my big outboards.

I don't use transom savers on my kicker motors. But I had the tilt mechanism on one of my kickers bend to the point that the motor wouldn't tilt. It was caused by a lot of bouncing while trailering. Now I trailer with my kicker in the full-down position (I used to tilt it up a little) and either let the hydraulics hold it in place, or strap the lower unit to the trailer to stop any bounce.

[cjac]

Hey,

Pretty low investment with a potentially high return, a transom bar can save a lot of problems. Really, I'd say any motor over a couple hundred pounds should ride on one. Saves on the motor itself, like the hydraulics on a Trim 'n' Tilt, and on the transom itself as PerchJerker mentioned.

If nothing else, it can help reduce bouncing of the weight being towed and make the ride a little better.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

50 Yamaha on a 16' Alumacraft. Had the boat down to the manufacture last year for another issue and they noticed I wasn't using a transom saver. They HIGHLY recommended that I do so.

These guys rebuild transoms for the guys that don't use savers. They know what they are talking about.

Just get one. Not much work and the payoff is huge.

[Eric Wettschreck]

If cost is your concern, and you have access to a welder, a bent 1" piece of square tubing welded to a bent 1" piece of flat bar is really all they are.

I didn't use to use one. Then, one day while going down the road I noticed my motor was bouncing all over. I always use one now.

[NELS-BELLS]

Thanks all. Thats what I needed to hear. I'll be buying one.

Nels

[davesfriend]

They have really cool ones out now. I always got the plug wash climbing under my buddys boat the clevis pin the rod to the trailer, so I knew what not to look for in a saver. My local marine dealer sold one to me that after mounting a small bracket to the trailer you jsu slide the bar in 1/2 turn lower the motor on it bungie cord and your'e done. Very nice I have to tell you. I have a 125 2 stroke that I believe is about pretty heavy give er take a few pounds. It is more than worth it to use one. Check out how much a transem replacement is then go buy a saver.. The save I bought was around $80 or so. Make sure you know how long it needs to be though, not all dealerships are familiar your particular boat even if they sell 'em.

[beaver11]

buy a wedge and be done with it.its so simple its ridiculous.u don't have to worry about the stick transom savers ever again.much cheaper also and works very well

[JIGGIN']

I've seen the wedges on motors bouncing down the highway to beat kingdom come. A BAR is the only thing that will distribute the weight of your motor enough to save the transom. Bottom line....

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

I never was very found of "wedgies"

[davesfriend]

The wedge only works for your hydrollics. They have been proven to actually put more strain on your transome because now all the weight of that bouncing motor is in one spot instead of dispersed by the motor bracket. If you ever see a wedge fall out on the highway you will by a transomsaver that day. The savers put the weight of the motor on the trailer. The wedge is the same as your hydrolics.

[Steve Bakken]

We replace dozens of transoms every year at our shop and the two main causes are decay of the wood and prolonged flexing. Soft wood allows more flex, and too much flex loosens up the seams allowing water to create soft wood. Kind of a vicious circle. After 25 years in business we've never put a transom in a boat that had used a transom saver throughout it's life. Reason being that it locks the bottom of the motor to the trailor, eliminating any rotation on that pivot point on the transom.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Another thing I do is bungee the steering wheel so it can't even try to turn. I don't know if it helps at all, but it seems like the right thing to do so I do it.

[Schloogs]

 Originally Posted By: boilerguy

Another thing I do is bungee the steering wheel so it can't even try to turn. I don't know if it helps at all, but it seems like the right thing to do so I do it.

I do the same thing.

[Valv]

I just hauled a Lund 1650 from MN to South Carolina, it had a transom saver after I requested it, and made owner buy it.

He thanked me immensely when got to destination.

That's 1450 miles, I don't think there was going to be a transom left after a trip like that without a saver, and probably there would have been a 50hp Yamaha laying on interstate somewhere .....

[steffanf]

How about for a 30 HP Merc 4-stroke? Is it really necessary on a heavy transom on a Lund?

[davesfriend]

I don't know if I would say necessary, it is just a personal preference. I just like knowing that I am not putting excessive stress if I can avoid it. I would put one on my kicker if it would reach.

[cjac]

 Quote:

How about for a 30 HP Merc 4-stroke? Is it really necessary on a heavy transom on a Lund?

Easy since it's your money, but really I'd say "Yes". It certainly cannot hurt, relatively inexpensive compared to the cost of your motor too.

Side note: Having one makes sure I drop the motor all the way down to drain water out first, a plus in late season fishing when freezing is a potential issue. It's just part of the routine.....