4 Stroke Transport Options

[dadstinny]

Hi all, I am looking to get a Suzuki DF20 for my car topper boat.

But I before I go down the path of 4 stroke I am wondering whether its possible to lay these motors down for transport?

I won't be laying it down all the time but in some cases as it will stand up on the caravans a-frame but some times we need to drop the caravan and carry the outboard in the boot.

My assumption is its not possible with 4 strokes but was curious to see what others do and think?

I have emailed suzuki direct asking for clarification but thought I would check in here to!

Any ideas appreciated....

[Noelm]

Yes, lay it down (on the correct side) it will all be in the owners manual.

[dadstinny]

Yes, lay it down (on the correct side) it will all be in the owners manual.

Cheers Noelm, how safe is it laying it on the correct side?

If you drain the oil out of them is this a good idea?

Most times we will need to lay it down we will be travelling 4wd tracks like cape york so wondering if draining the oil will offer the best protection for it?

[Noelm]

I guess you could do that, but seems like a lot of trouble to go to, and then there is the added possibility (even though slim) of taking the sump drain plug in and out lots of times that you could wreck the thread, then you have to drain and store the oil.

[Apollo]

Plenty of portable 4 strokes on the market that promote their suitability for car toppers, canoes, etc, so they are designed to be transported in boots, back of 4wds, utes, etc. The manufacturer will have a side it can be transported on to avoid the oil running back into the cylinder.

[dadstinny]

No problem, thanks for the advice all!

Ill talk to Suzuki and dealers to see what they reckon in terms of how much it can handle laying down before handing over the $$$$.

We don't tackle anything full on with the 4wd but just worried about the motor is all.

In 99% of cases the motor will be standing up but once in a blue moon we will need to put it in the boot of the car laying down.

Like heading to Weipa in a little while it will need to be stored in the boot so just worried about it over the corrugations and such.

[WalrusLike]

No problem, thanks for the advice all!

Ill talk to Suzuki and dealers to see what they reckon in terms of how much it can handle laying down before handing over the $$$$.

We don't tackle anything full on with the 4wd but just worried about the motor is all.

In 99% of cases the motor will be standing up but once in a blue moon we will need to put it in the boot of the car laying down.

Like heading to Weipa in a little while it will need to be stored in the boot so just worried about it over the corrugations and such.

Just watch how you lay it down or you will end up with a 'no name' brand outboard on one side.

Took a couple of cartons of xxxx tinnies to Weipa one time and when we arrived they all were shinning silver with no branding on them.

The corrugations had vibrated them around against each other wiping all colour printing of their sides. All while still in the cartons.

I would suggest towelling on top of rubber or foam mat and then lay it on that.


(Using Tapatalk on iPhone so can't easily 'thank' or 'like')

[PixieAU]

Took a couple of cartons of xxxx tinnies to Weipa one time and when we arrived they all were shinning silver with no branding on them.


did it improve their flavour at all?
:)

[wirlybird]

when i went up to cape york i made a mount in the passenger seat behind the driver for my 30HP two stroke. it smelt a bit but it was the best place for it due to the immence corrigations and bull dust

[cormorant]

When mates pull out their 4 strokes after being at all track angles ( layed sort of on correct side) we have let them stand, checked oil level and turned over by hand to ensure no oil has got into the top end to cause hydraulic lock before attempting to start and when putting away make sure no water is left inside them . We have noticed some fuel smell in vehicles as modern ones don't seem to have a drain for the fuel system. One of the outback travel forums may have some other information regarding traveling with outboards and fuel storage.

Honda do a good 15 20hp that is no heavier than others and Spaniard King might be able to give specific advice on them regarding traveling and angles when layed down they can safely cope with

Just throwing it out there -
At 45 to 55kg I hope you have a good back , couple of blokes or make a nice davit and a way to get it in the water ( collapsible trailer or dolly wheels) . 10kg makes a huge difference between 1 or 2 man job and 50kg on a drawbar isn't small either. Can't believe how strong a vertical mount needs to be to handle 50kg on corrogations , need support other than motors bracket and you need a full dust cover and lock it up as they area prime target for scumbags. Sealed box made for them is a option Now I'm all for big tinnys up north but I hope you are staying a while to be unpacking and packing up a package that needs ( or wants to go fast) 20hp. Tough one as a merc 15 would be nearly 35-40 kg so still no feather to move around. Tohatsu 2 stroke 18 the same and have a lot of punch. If you can get away with a smaller motor that you will prop correctly and work a bit harder you might lose a small amount of top end speed but with cutting down weight in the boat and smaller to store etc. Yeah 2 strokes are noisier and oil etc and really depends what sort of fishing you do how much the fuel difference will be and if you keep it after the trip and some places you can't take em.. If you have any mates with the motors you are looking at do a trial run as different ones have different balance points and places you can grab em rather than fancy smooth cowls or get your protective cowl cover with a harness / handle sewn in it..

Love to see some photos of your set up and how you do it.

[dadstinny]

When mates pull out their 4 strokes after being at all track angles ( layed sort of on correct side) we have let them stand, checked oil level and turned over by hand to ensure no oil has got into the top end to cause hydraulic lock before attempting to start and when putting away make sure no water is left inside them . We have noticed some fuel smell in vehicles as modern ones don't seem to have a drain for the fuel system. One of the outback travel forums may have some other information regarding traveling with outboards and fuel storage.

Honda do a good 15 20hp that is no heavier than others and Spaniard King might be able to give specific advice on them regarding traveling and angles when layed down they can safely cope with

Just throwing it out there -
At 45 to 55kg I hope you have a good back , couple of blokes or make a nice davit and a way to get it in the water ( collapsible trailer or dolly wheels) . 10kg makes a huge difference between 1 or 2 man job and 50kg on a drawbar isn't small either. Can't believe how strong a vertical mount needs to be to handle 50kg on corrogations , need support other than motors bracket and you need a full dust cover and lock it up as they area prime target for scumbags. Sealed box made for them is a option Now I'm all for big tinnys up north but I hope you are staying a while to be unpacking and packing up a package that needs ( or wants to go fast) 20hp. Tough one as a merc 15 would be nearly 35-40 kg so still no feather to move around. Tohatsu 2 stroke 18 the same and have a lot of punch. If you can get away with a smaller motor that you will prop correctly and work a bit harder you might lose a small amount of top end speed but with cutting down weight in the boat and smaller to store etc. Yeah 2 strokes are noisier and oil etc and really depends what sort of fishing you do how much the fuel difference will be and if you keep it after the trip and some places you can't take em.. If you have any mates with the motors you are looking at do a trial run as different ones have different balance points and places you can grab em rather than fancy smooth cowls or get your protective cowl cover with a harness / handle sewn in it..

Love to see some photos of your set up and how you do it.

Gday, options are a 15hp two stroke Merc which comes in at 35kg's and the suzuki 20 which comes in at 44kg's both the 15 and 20 4 bangers are the same weight so may as well go the 20 if I went the lean burn.

The 4 stroke is appealing to me as it's easier to start for the other half as I roll the trailer in and they do the docking, it does not require me to mix fuel and carry the oil for it, runs smoother and less on fuel.

The motor is 99% carried upright on a motor mount along with the bimini on the a frame of the caravan, the only it time it comes off is when it is placed on the boat or onto a trolley.

And when going to the cape I am dropping the van off before hitting the dirt so in this case the motor would need to go into the boot until we get to where we are going and then put on the boat and trailer to be trailere'd to the ramp.

I have a collapsible trailer also that is stored in the car as well, so the process generally is boat comes of the roof and onto the trailer, motor is placed onto boat.

Don't want to give to much away but 2 weeks in the Cape so I am definitely taking the boat :)!

But I even do it for weekends with my existing tinnie!

In terms of weight I have test lifted the 44kg 4 stroke and its fine for me to do it so weight is no big deal its just if I can lay it down with out issues.

I have a suzuki 15hp two stroke already which I lift on and off no problems but all this is part of an upgrade strategy as I am getting a 3.7m fibreglass boat.

The boat has been reviewed countless times with a 20hp 4 banger on it and it suits it well so performance wise its perfect but again its just the few times that it will need to be laid down that worries me!


Just watch how you lay it down or you will end up with a 'no name' brand outboard on one side.

Took a couple of cartons of xxxx tinnies to Weipa one time and when we arrived they all were shinning silver with no branding on them.

The corrugations had vibrated them around against each other wiping all colour printing of their sides. All while still in the cartons.

I would suggest towelling on top of rubber or foam mat and then lay it on that.


(Using Tapatalk on iPhone so can't easily 'thank' or 'like')

Cheers, yes it would be well protected in the boot if we go this path!!!

Will make its got a solid foam surround or similiar....


when i went up to cape york i made a mount in the passenger seat behind the driver for my 30HP two stroke. it smelt a bit but it was the best place for it due to the immence corrigations and bull dust

Sounds interesting ill have to check where it will fit!

[wirlybird]

FYI i took the passenger seat out and used the bolt holes for the mount point

[cormorant]

Strong like bull for the deadlift onto the drawbar. He he;D . No worries lying it down as you only ever have part of the weight and the rest on the skeg.

Any excuse for a upgrade and 3.7 with a 20hp will b ea weapon if it is light. Be really interested to see the difference in performance of your existing 15hp and the 20 4 stroke if you end up owning them both at the same time.

I know the crossxcountrys were only rated to 15hp and ezytopper 3.7 ( haven't seen one) the same. Can you throw up a review of the boat you are going to take as couple of years I i'll be back up there doing the same and always like looking at the options.

Glorious places up there

[dadstinny]

Strong like bull for the deadlift onto the drawbar. He he;D . No worries lying it down as you only ever have part of the weight and the rest on the skeg.

Any excuse for a upgrade and 3.7 with a 20hp will b ea weapon if it is light. Be really interested to see the difference in performance of your existing 15hp and the 20 4 stroke if you end up owning them both at the same time.

I know the crossxcountrys were only rated to 15hp and ezytopper 3.7 ( haven't seen one) the same. Can you throw up a review of the boat you are going to take as couple of years I i'll be back up there doing the same and always like looking at the options.

Glorious places up there

Yep its crossxycountry, now known as enlightenedboating the best review is in the September edition of Fish and Boat apologies not online just in print.

The author of the article is running a DF20 on his 3.7 and is extremely pleased with it.

He states 3 adults, esky, ice and gear and he is only on about half max throttle and covers runs up to 50km.

The 3.7 is now rated to 20hp max, and the 4.1 is rated 30hp max.

I may even end up with a 4.1 instead of a 3.7 as they are doing a carbon fiber model of the 4.1 which I believe is about to be launched and will reduce the weight a fair bit and enough to fit a 4.1 to the roof.

Will keep you posted but seems like I can lay the motor down so if this is the case then ill grab the DF20 as its very far and few between when I need to put it in the boot.