The Best Jack Plate

[Tim Powell]

One question I have is how much of the center plate is in the outer plate where it slides? I'm not an engineer but I think more would be better for strength. Is it 1 inch, 2, or 3 or?

Here is a shot of mine with the plate all of the way up, I'll never run the plate this high while underway as it would be 3" above the pad on my Ally. For those that run at higher heights, Steve can custom build a high back with extra pre-jack built in.

[nightbasser]

Tim what I was meaning are how deep are the slots and how much plate is in the slot

[Just in time]

I am an engineer. And the square slot is a design weakness. Over time it can crack in the corner, and begin the failure process. That doesn't mean you will have a problem, but you can see other mfgr's using a similar design that failed, and in the same way. They started cracking in the corner then started peeling back from the top.
I'll take a lesser material from a good design than a better material from a known design latent defect.

John the inside of the channel is radiused in the inside corners to help defend against interior corner cracking. The aluminum and the UHMW slides are radiused in a matching fashion. I will not discredit the previous history of a Det plate but out of curiosity how long has your det plate been mounted and second have you removed it to check the transom area were the footprint of the plate is? I will surely not argue here about "best" plate but I feel the slides are going to hold up. I believe the previous failure in a similar design was from it being extruded out of a lesser material not in the design itself. Material and tolerance are being controlled in this plate. Again we all have the right to choose what we want. I will measure the side depth and convey that measurement tonight as far as depth. Junior My memory is .750 of plate in

[MrStrokerDee]

I'm thinking its probably a stretch to call a new jp, "the best". It's a design riddled with failures and even though improvements have been recently implemented to stop those failures, there is no proof that these improvements will be successful. Seriously, in a discussion of what's best, a new plate shouldn't even be in the conversation. Sometimes friendships cloud judgement.

[Just in time]

We are not friends Danny

[Tim Powell]

I'm thinking its probably a stretch to call a new jp, "the best". It's a design riddled with failures and even though improvements have been recently implemented to stop those failures, there is no proof that these improvements will be successful. Seriously, in a discussion of what's best, a new plate shouldn't even be in the conversation. Sometimes friendships cloud judgement.

Care to elaborate on the failures with the Hydro Dynamics plate?

[MrStrokerDee]

Are you saying that design has never had a failure Tim????

[Tim Powell]

Are you saying that design has never had a failure Tim????

I am asking you to elaborate....

[John Jackson]

John the inside of the channel is radiused in the inside corners to help defend against interior corner cracking. The aluminum and the UHMW slides are radiused in a matching fashion. I will not discredit the previous history of a Det plate but out of curiosity how long has your det plate been mounted and second have you removed it to check the transom area were the footprint of the plate is? I will surely not argue here about "best" plate but I feel the slides are going to hold up. I believe the previous failure in a similar design was from it being extruded out of a lesser material not in the design itself. Material and tolerance are being controlled in this plate. Again we all have the right to choose what we want. I will measure the side depth and convey that measurement tonight as far as depth. Junior My memory is .750 of plate in

I've been running mine for over 13 years, including many tournaments and some very rough water, some with true 6 footers that I got caught in and would have never chosen to go out into them. I've also hit rollers over 80 mph launching me 6' to 8' in the air, for probably 100 yards distance, and everything is still together with no signs of anything wrong. I check regularly. I replace bolts every 3 years or so. And the top bolts are 1/16" larger. The only thing I have had to do is occasionally lube the sides, and once I had to put a little hydraulic fluid in it. I switched to a 300XS last year and gave it a very good going over and cleaning. I have over 1300 hours on the jackplate. Based on my experience, I would not chance a change.

[Just in time]

I do not know of any failures in a Hydro Dynamics plate Danny. Again don't get me wrong not claiming the best or talking bad about any other plate. So far so good on my setup. I have ran mine up to 2" above and with the prejack built into the plate that puts me at dead center on plate travel. I am liking mine setup so far

[MrStrokerDee]

Cracked slide slots, worn bushings, binding, sloppy fit are all the result of this design as I'm sure you and everyone else is already aware. The plate was redesigned to address some or all of these failures. Plates don't get redesigned if there weren't any failures, but I'm sure you also already know that. As I originally stated, this plate is a new design and only time will tell if it's truly the best Jack Plate. Telling people that it's the best Jack Plate after this thing has only been on the market for a few months isn't being fair to the people who ask.

[Skeeter1999]

Atlas...

[Just in time]

Can't blame you for not changing with the performance your having John. I have taken a peek at a couple Strokers and it looks like the smaller footprint of the plate on the transom digs in a little. Be nice to see it spread out a little. I check everything on a daily running basis and I have not had a failure. I think the term best is to pinpoint for a plate that has to see a wide range of uses. We have pretty big water up here as well and it is performing great so far. I also installed 9/16 hardware

[Just in time]

Cracked slide slots, worn bushings, binding, sloppy fit are all the result of this design as I'm sure you and everyone else is already aware. The plate was redesigned to address some or all of these failures. Plates don't get redesigned if there weren't any failures, but I'm sure you also already know that. As I originally stated, this plate is a new design and only time will tell if it's truly the best Jack Plate. Telling people that it's the best Jack Plate after this thing has only been on the market for a few months isn't being fair to the people who ask.

If we are being fair there is a big difference between improvements and failure. Are you referring to this actual brand or similar design Danny?

[MrStrokerDee]

Just the design, Scott. I've had several over the years, I still have new Bobs on my Gambler. None of my plates have held up more than 5 years without slop developing and until I ended up with a 14 year old Detwiller on my Stroker, I would have told you a jp wouldn't hold up over 5 years. My Detwiller is tight, zero play, that's impressive.

[Just in time]

Gotcha. Well try and keep a little bit of an open mind before you condemn the hydrodynamics plate. I know the slide was changed minor for the sole reason to widen the motor plate to accept the 400r swivel mount width. It's a completely different process and materials used than previous other vendor "Design". Give it time. Again claiming it the best is a strong statement and shouldn't be used in this situation but also keep in mind the det plate has gone through changes that are no longer time tested either!

[MrStrokerDee]

I didn't condemn it. I simply stated that the plate had only been out a short period of time and was based on a design that was riddled with issues. Based on those facts, it shouldn't be considered in a best jp conversation. But of course, people that have them will naturally try to defend the plate, and that's why I have to restate my original comment many times. Not attacking, not condemming, just stating fact.

[Tim Powell]

So the failures you speak of are from a design by a different manufacturer???

Have you actually had any hands on experience with the Hydro Dynamics Hydraulic plate?

[Tim Powell]

Danny, to give you some more data to chew on...

I have logged well over 1,500 miles on the 8" and 10" Hydro Dynamics Plate since l installed mine last October. It has been in everything from glass conditions to ocean like conditions (IE: 30+ North Wind blowing into 150,000 CFS North Flowing Current) and neither of my plates have shown any signs of wear, failure, etc. They operate smooth as silk in all conditions. I have ran the plate from idle to 99 mph, too many passes in the upper 90's to count, I have ran at least 500 of those miles at 95+. In the last 2 weeks I have ran 200 miles and never dropped below 95. Ive ran 80-90 through miles of barge rollers. Ive carried myself, partner, our gear, full fuel, full livewell + 17lbs of bass 25-50 miles one way back to weigh-in at 95+.

I'm sure you will take my response as an attack....when in reality its not....but I can't sit back and let you leave a open response that is misleading by saying the design is flawed when you have no hands on experience with the product and are basing your claims off a different manufacturer's design....

The plate has been in R&D long before it was EVER released to the public....

[Tim Powell]

But of course, people that have them will naturally try to defend the plate

I have zero problem saying something is junk even if I own it. My boat came with a CMC Hydro Plate and it was a huge POS.

And for the record, I have owned 4 Detwiler Hydraulic Jack plates, all worked great with the exception of one started leaking oil and 2 exact dials went bad. Oh and I had to replace a Detwiler static plate that was about to completely fail.