Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 22
  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    High Ridge Missouri 63049
    Posts
    2,543

    Rite Hite Jack plates...A video to remind you to......

    Check and tighen up your jack plate bolts Not me but it still hurts to watch.


  2. Member ReelBigJ's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Alta Vista, KS
    Posts
    812
    #2
    I was running the camera that day. Good reminder to check your bolts before and after every trip. When we got back to the hotel that night there was another guy in the club that checked his jackplate and it was also broke. Luckily his motor was still attached and he could do some preventative maintenance before launch the next morning!
    ReelBigJ
    2000 Champion 193
    200 Mercury EFI

  3. Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    High Ridge Missouri 63049
    Posts
    2,543
    #3
    was the engine ok after you got the boat back on the trailer?

  4. Member ReelBigJ's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Alta Vista, KS
    Posts
    812
    #4
    Yeah--he headed home the next morning and took it to his mechanic. He fogged(?) the motor and had it in his shop for a few weeks. It has run flawlessly ever since. We just finished up a 3 day trip at table rock and you would never have known that motor spent about 3 hours under water.
    ReelBigJ
    2000 Champion 193
    200 Mercury EFI

  5. Pat Goff
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Seadrift TX
    Posts
    10,942
    #5
    And what plate was he running?
    Pat Goff

    Two degrees from center
    of nowhere.
    Smithwick TX.

    [SIGPIC][<a href=http://www.bbcboards.net/image.php?type=sigpic&userid=583&dateline=1498828542/SIGPIC] target=_blank>http://www.bbcboards.net/image.php?t...828542/SIGPIC]</a>

  6. Member ReelBigJ's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Alta Vista, KS
    Posts
    812
    #6
    Rite Hite! We didn't hit anything that day, thought the wind had come up and gotten fairly rough. From the looks of it, it had been cracked for some time and finally gave out.
    ReelBigJ
    2000 Champion 193
    200 Mercury EFI

  7. Member
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Swann Ranch, TX
    Posts
    1,712
    #7
    was there a permanent crease in the drivers seat?

  8. Member dcfdpipeman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Frederick, MD
    Posts
    958
    #8
    Curious did it totally break off that it sunk? or did some of the cabling hold onto it.. Because if it sunk, how the heck do you retrieve that?
    LT - DCFD

  9. Member ReelBigJ's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Alta Vista, KS
    Posts
    812
    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by dcfdpipeman View Post
    Curious did it totally break off that it sunk? or did some of the cabling hold onto it.. Because if it sunk, how the heck do you retrieve that?
    It hung by the cables until we drifted to the bank. A boat came out with airbags, tied them around it, inflated them and raised it up. 4 of us put it on the back deck. New cowling and plastics covers it looks new and runs like new. The recovery guys seems like they do it quite often at Truman if you know what I'm saying. #Stumpy I would take that motor anywhere.
    ReelBigJ
    2000 Champion 193
    200 Mercury EFI

  10. Pat Goff
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Seadrift TX
    Posts
    10,942
    #10
    Let's ask Lea to pin that video for the next person who thinks those plates are ok to use.
    Pat Goff

    Two degrees from center
    of nowhere.
    Smithwick TX.

    [SIGPIC][<a href=http://www.bbcboards.net/image.php?type=sigpic&userid=583&dateline=1498828542/SIGPIC] target=_blank>http://www.bbcboards.net/image.php?t...828542/SIGPIC]</a>

  11. Kansas Bass Club Moderator
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Topeka KS
    Posts
    15,554
    #11
    I was headed to Truman and passed you guys that morning on 7 hiway. Looked over and saw who it was and was wondering WTH happened then someone me about it.

  12. Champion Boats Moderator Lea's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Franklin, VA
    Posts
    48,833
    #12
    Quote Originally Posted by pmgoffjr View Post
    Let's ask Lea to pin that video for the next person who thinks those plates are ok to use.
    It's now pinned.....

  13. Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Dallas, Tx
    Posts
    78
    #13
    How did it actually break, at the brackets attaching to the hull or motor, or was the break at the center extension, or did the bolts shear.
    I have an 8 inch rite hite on the 96 - 186 I bought last spring, and I am a little concerned.

  14. Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Valparaiso, IN
    Posts
    7,088
    #14
    Holy cow! That's just depressing. I'm glad he was able to save the engine.

  15. Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    High Ridge Missouri 63049
    Posts
    2,543
    #15
    He notes above that the jack plate was most likely cracked and then it finally gave out during the rough water ride. My 1996 181 had a rite hite on it when I bought it and it was the first thing i replaced for piece of mind. I went with a Rapid Jack.

  16. Champion Boats Moderator Lea's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Franklin, VA
    Posts
    48,833
    #16
    I have been trying to keep up with the owner of my 187. Last I heard, he still had the rite hite on it. I can only keep reminding him!

  17. Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Dallas, Tx
    Posts
    78
    #17
    I wish the OP could explain the break. I've compared the mounting bracket(angles) of the Rite Hite and several other brands. The mounting bearing surfaces are fairly close in size, the thickness is the same. So center spacers are different, Rite Hite uses the tube and other brands use plates, do the tubes crack.

    I'm wondering if the failure was galvanic corrosion, in the bolt. A low quality Chinese made stainless bolt could have corroded and sheared or the owners may have have over torqued the bolts. Most stainless steel bolt / nut should not be affixed with more than 45 pounds on a torque wrench.

    I hope others that have seen Rite Hite jack plate failures would reply.

  18. Member ReelBigJ's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Alta Vista, KS
    Posts
    812
    #18
    Sorry I didn't see your question until now. It was actually failure in the bolts. This particular model didn't have through bolts. Just one side you screwed the nut onto, so there was no replacing them (if that makes sense, you didn't have access to the bolt head). It appeared that the a couple of the bolts had been cracked for some time based on the coloring, and the last 1 or 2 gave way that day in rough water.

    I will say that I have ran a couple Rite Hites since then, but they all had the through bolts that could be replaced if needed. I never had an issue with any of them. I wish I would have taken a picture of this model after the failure.
    ReelBigJ
    2000 Champion 193
    200 Mercury EFI

  19. Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Dallas, Tx
    Posts
    78
    #19
    thanks
    that eases my mind a bit

  20. Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    San Antonio
    Posts
    561
    #20
    I had a Rite Hite on my Champion 202 with a 225 Mariner EFI, one bolt broke the other was damaged. I now run an 8" Detwiler. Gave it away on TFF, no bolts with it.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast