I been using motor mates for 5 years. Son just bought me one for my stratos I bought in October for Christmas present He knew I had to have it.
I been using motor mates for 5 years. Son just bought me one for my stratos I bought in October for Christmas present He knew I had to have it.
If transom can't hold on the road, how will ever take the beati g of rough water or lifting your boat trimmed out at wot. I've had both, weigh more bounce with the transom saver!
2014 Phoenix 721XP, 250 SHO, Bobs Action Jack, Dual Blades, 112 Ultrex, 2019 Lariat FX4 F150 Supercrew 4x4
Sounds like it they both work. Why argue?
2020 Ranger VS1782 DC
Mercury ProXS 150
Garmin 106 Ultra/UHD 93sv
Ulterra Quest, 115/90
One other consideration, the amount of setback from the transom. Pure physics would suggest the center of gravity is farther back which puts more stress on the transom (newer style, or not) both in and out of the water. 400lb+ motor sitting off a transom 6,8,10, 12 or even 16" has a torque (or cantilever) effect, no? It is the reason we get the performance (lifting bow/clean water etc) at WOT. IT also stands to reason that road jarring is a consistent up/down motion. Not arguing for either type here, but the farther back the motor sits from the transom, it is probably (physics suggests so) more important to have support. I would argue the trailer support style would likely spread out those jarring bumps more equitably, than the in bracket style. ??
With the motor tilted up for travel, the majority of the motors weight "power head" is more forward over the transom towards the boat, therefore balancing it over the transom. This on it's own eliminates the prying effect some think is there. Properly balanced that way it just goes up and down with the trailer. I have seen the older types on where people didn't have their straps properly adjusted and with the boat bouncing up off the trailer caused the roller mounts to "pry" the motor on the transom. I do agree with a large set back jackplate there is more weight hanging back and prying some on the transom, but even then with the motor tilted up, and the power head forward over the boat, the newer style works just fine. If you just sit back and envision the entire process, it's pretty simple, really. But, each to his own.
Regular style costs $30 and works fine for me, that's what I am staying with.
Originally Posted by Smallie_Hawgin
shhhh don’t use physics 101, or engineering mechanics 101 here, you’ll get ripped apart by the bracket fan boys.. I’ve used that same logic before and got into some heated debates.
the only counter argument I was ever provided was “well the newer style helps with the hydraulics” and “the transom sees a lot more force going down the lake than it does on a trailer”. if that’s true, why do those people even bother with any kind of saver? Hypocritical arguments are self defeating.
The trailer support style sends the force to the trailer cross beam, the bracket style allows for the lower unit to be Unbraced and sends the force back into the transom jackplate. The motor doesn’t sit perfectly balanced on the transom, if it did, why when the hydraulics fail does the motor fall down? If it was balanced the motor would stay still. There is more of a vertical force on the bolts when the motor is tilted up, however there is still a moment/torsional force that exists, and that’s what the savers attempt to negate. Do some research and form an unbiased decision, I use a transom saver based on an engineering mindset.
also No one has ever had their opinion changed during an Internet debate. Use whatever you think is good for your situation.
1995 Ranger 481v
1995 Johnson Fast Strike 175hp
neither save the transom
Motor bounces the transom way more with a motor mate style. Traditional for me
Funny, my degree is Aero Engineering. I have had plenty of physics, statics, dynamics studies and came to the opposite conclusion. You forgot to mention that if the type to the trailer provides support, then it also transmits force from the trailer back into the lower unit. The transom must be able to support lifting the weight of the hull and keep it up there, slamming through waves, wakes etc at high speed. The forces needed are way more than that of just supporting the weight of the motor going down the road. They are rotational forces too!
I do agree that no one has ever changed their mind on these debates. Also, my 2005 Nitro owners manual stated that no motor support was needed if the motor was trailered in the vertical position. If the motor was tilted up, a motor support was needed in case of hydraulics failure. No where was to written that it was needed to "save the transom."
USN Retired
2020 Basscat Caracal
2020 Mercury 225 ProXS 4s
On my older boat I ran the tradional with my merc and when I got my newer boat , I started using the OMC built in trailering bracket alot easier to use and can't forget it ,it's built in lol haven't seen any difference with it also.My boat is going on 32yrs old and I've been using that bracket for the last 18yrs with no problems. But to each there own
1990 374V Ranger Still kickin' bass after all these years
Neither type is far superior to the other. There’s no real world, unbiased side-to-side comparisons that I know of. I own and use both. And from my observations when following other boats over many years neither type will stop your OB from moving or jittering from road vibration, or jolts from railroad tracks, potholes, or bad stretches of road, etc. If I had to pick one it would be the traditional stick type. That’s what BCB recommends.
But, most my trips are short, so i grab the MM sometimes.
They both take the same amount of time and effort to use. Just pick the one you like, and use it correctly.
BassCat Sabre FTD
Mercury 150 Optimax
"It's just fishing"
It's pretty obvious to me but to each there own.
It's more about the motor mounts than the transom. One stile does a decent job if stopping your motor from ripping those out. The other stile does nothing at all.
2021 BassCatt Pantera II
200 Pro XS(3B056653)
Motorguide Tour Pro
exactly why I will never use one to the trailer and will only use a Motor mate style ..
If the boat is strapped to the trailer, what force is transmitted to the lower unit? The trailer, boat and lower unit are not moving relative to each other.
If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
nothing else matters.
Why bring this up again? It’s almost like politics, neither side is going to convince the other side to switch.
I question why you think it is far more force than it sees on the water.
The pipe wrench is a good analogy, but when gravity is acting on it, the lever arm (pipe wrench length) is the horizontal distance between the center of gravity and the center of rotation. While trailering, that lever arm is not far because the center of gravity is pretty close to being above the center of rotation. While running on the water, you have roughly the same torque applied by the weight, maybe even more because when into the trim stage, the center of gravity is further behind the center of rotation. Buoyant force is very minimal because of how little volume of water is being displaced by the mid-low section of the outboard. But then you have the force of the thrust. This force is happening at a higher distance from the center of rotation, resulting in a higher moment on the transom. You add this to the moment on the transom created by the weight.
You are definitely correct in only correcting the hydraulics. Our argument is that the transom doesn't need saved.
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