Lifting outboard: How to

[krazyfisher]

I have to lift my outboard 1 or 2 holes, now it is a 75hp merc so all holes no slots to keep the motor connected to the transom.

Any suggestions on an easy way to lift the motor?

I dont have a hiab or block and tackle........

thanks

[upstart]

I did mine by hooking a chain to the motor and connecting it to a beam in the shed. Put the jockey wheel down as far as it will go and make the chain tight. Then raise the jockey wheel which actually then lowers the transom away from the motor.
Hope that makes sense.

[krazyfisher]

thanks for that where did you chain to the motor?

[BM]

Hi Laeith,

Simplest at home method is as follows and requires 2 people:

1) wind jockey wheel all the way down
2) chock under the engine skeg
3) undo engine bolts and adjust jockey wheel to take tension
4) wiggle engine off the mount bolts and 1 person hold
5) cleanup of excess silicon or sika may be required
5) adjust jockey wheel to position engine up or down by "x' holes
6) apply new silicon/sika to engine bolts (where bolts exit the hull) and refit engine
7) re-tighten engine bolts

The above assumes the bolt heads are inside the boat (normal install method) and you may find the bolts will remain in position whilst moving the engine. If they are loose when undoing them then it will be easier to push them back into the boat whilst repositioning the engine. If they stay fixed in the holes, alignment will be a little more difficult but means you wont need to get into the boat to refit the bolts. Doesn't matter either way really.

Cheers

[BM]

Alternately, you can use a trolley jack under the skeg to raise and lower. Care must be taken to stop the jack from rolling when the load is applied. This method will be difficult if the engine bolts wont push back into the boat (glued in by sika etc) and is better suited to when the bolts are pushed out of the way and the engine gets support by still leaning against the transom so in effect you are simply sliding the engine up or down with the transom holding the engine from falling forward.

[stue2]

Same as BM.
lower motor onto a block of wood gently
remove top bolts or at least tap them through enough to slide the motor past
loosen bottom bolts
raise jocky wheel to meet next hole
Apply horrible white sticky stuff
Put 11 yr old in boat with spanner
Do the nuts up
Lower the jocky wheel to remove the block
it shouldnt take too long. Biggest job is freeing the top bolts from the sticky stuff.

Cheers, Stu

[krazyfisher]

I have done it this way before it is just that i have to remove all the bolts that worry me....

[stue2]

Is the top of the crank at the fly wheel threaded for a ring bolt or a bolt with a hook welded on it? I seem to remember something like that on my old merc.

I recon you will get aweay without a rope if you keep the motor leaning towards the boat when its on the block and get someone on the jockey wheel while you hold the motorand line the holes up

Cheers

[Spaniard_King]

Get the Mrs to video the proceedure.. so you have something to send to funiest home video if it dosnt go to plan.. :)

[Pelagic 660]

Same as BM's first post, only addition was a strap around the flywheel to each of the back bollards.....but then I had no helper when winding the jockywheel up and down.....still straps add a little security and the motor still slides up or down on the transom.

Trev

[krazyfisher]

thanks to all especially Gary

[Salad Fingers]

Just go hire an engine crane from a hire joint for the weekend and use that? why muck around with all this dodgy jockey wheel busienss, are you guys seriously that tight?

[LoungeLizard]

Agree, an engine hoist will cost all of $50 to hire for a day - no chance of damaging skeg, fingers, shins, feet etc. Also, you can easily move the motor out of the way to get bolts out, apply new Sika etc.

[Roughasguts]

Don't forget to chock the trailer wheels as well as the skeg! when the engine bolts are off! when your raising or lowering the trailer.
Otherwise he he....