Ranger transom/reenfocemet

[H2O_Fowl]

So I’ve seen an ad for this 1998 518. In the splash well are two round bars about an inch in diameter. Can’t remember what he said they were made of but not steel. Not exactly where or what they connect to on the boat but running back they connect to the Jack plate. Has anyone ever seen anything like this? I’m guessing the transom is weak and they were added to beef it up.

it appears as though they go through where the top bolts are for the motor and the motor attaches to them and they run forward to the front of the splashwell.

I’d post a photo but not sure how on a phone. It says to resize but darned if I know how.

[wmitch2]

I believe those are like a washer so as to not let the motor mount bolts imbed into the fiberglass.

[H2O_Fowl]

I’ve never seen anything like this before. What would they attach to on the boat?

[H2O_Fowl]

So after some extensive research I think they are called tie bars. Mostly reserved for go fast boats to keep the transom from flexing. Sounds like they would take flex out of the transom so the motor could provide more lift instead of the transom flexing.

why they are on a Ranger if that’s what they do is a mystery unless the transom is weak.

[Gsmith223]

I have seen something similar. Did it look like this?

transom.jpg

[bass.man65]

I have seen something similar. Did it look like this?

transom.jpg

Ranger never made anything like that. The top cap has nothing to do with transom strength so they would not add anything.

[wmitch2]

Do they look like this ???

https://www.amazon.com/Marine-TSP-1-...9060550&sr=8-2

[H2O_Fowl]

I have seen something similar. Did it look like this?

transom.jpg

thats exactly what they are and that’s the same boat they are on. Looks like he did
some wet sanding to make it shiny again.

[Gsmith223]

I laid eyes on the boat and was wondering what they were for. The transom looked fine to me the guy said it was a performance modification. It looked like it was done okay but it scared me. Other wise its a decent old Ranger.

[like2build]

Ranger never made anything like that. The top cap has nothing to do with transom strength so they would not add anything.

Correct. This era of Ranger had the "PullTrusion" stringers and full epoxy/glass transom with no wood in the supporting structure. The top cap had nothing to do with transom strength so these bars are nothing more than 'window dressing'. I'm sure a previous owner was on a go-fast web site and everyone told him these bars were a performance requirement. They won't add anything or hurt anything on this boat.

[H2O_Fowl]

Don’t think this era of ranger had the glass transom. I’m pretty sure it was a “composite” transom. Reason I say this is because a friend had a 98 which the transom failed a couple
years after purchase and ranger had to rebuild it under warranty.

This era had a composite transom but it wasn’t fiberglass I don’t believe.

[1ranger487vs]

Thought pull trusting started around 89

[turfy49431]

Don’t think this era of ranger had the glass transom. I’m pretty sure it was a “composite” transom. Reason I say this is because a friend had a 98 which the transom failed a couple
years after purchase and ranger had to rebuild it under warranty.

This era had a composite transom but it wasn’t fiberglass I don’t believe.

Fiberglass is a composite. Composite is not a material, it means its made with multiple materials composing a final product. Glass and resin forms the composite fiberglass. And yes this era had a Pultruded fiberglass transom

[H2O_Fowl]

Fiberglass is a composite. Composite is not a material, it means its made with multiple materials composing a final product. Glass and resin forms the composite fiberglass. And yes this era had a Pultruded fiberglass transom

Yes I understand the definition of composite.

The transom can still be bad. Like I said my friend had a 98 518 he bought new and 2 years later it was getting the transom replaced because it was bad. I don’t know exactly why but it cracked and had to be rebuilt.