Check your bolts.........

[Bill2e]

So I was gassing up today and the pump shut off (tank was full). Gauge only showed 82%. It takes a minute regulate


so I shook the boat to help the gauge along .........and the motor moved.

Thats odd.......I looked and the 4 bolts that mount the motor to the jack plate were lose.

Gald i cought it. What are the proper tourque specs for when I tighten?

Anyway.....check those bolts.

[Cajunhunter67]

Good info!!! Preventive maintenance!!

[BassCatBrad]

Great advice. I will add that to my checks.. I also check my hitch and make sure the nut is tight. Years ago I almost lost the nut that holds the ball.

[rocketman6965]

90 FT/LBS plate to motor
55 FT/LBS transom to plate

I check every other month

[brnzbaklvr]

I check mine pretty much every time I go out...This water up here is tough on those bolts and I have heard of quite a few motors falling into LSC and Erie.

[OldTimer57]

just be careful. Torquing motor to backplate is easy. Checking the others is hard, as you do NOT want to spin the bolt in the hole through the transom, you want to hold that bolt rock-solid and only apply force to the nut on the end of the bolt. Otherwise you will break the seal through the transom and have yet another problem to deal with. I have rarely seen these come loose if they are sealed well, at least on 'cats since they don't compress through the transom like those with wood might. Once it is tight and sealed, they seem to stay that way. You might want to re-do it every 10 years or so, but I tend to let problems lie until I see them for things like this. BCB uses pretty stout sealant back there.

[rocketman6965]

Well stated Oldtimer. I only torque motor to jackplate bolts as well.

[Bill2e]

Well stated Oldtimer. I only torque motor to jackplate bolts as well.

agreed......I was only talking about the bolts connecting. The engine to the jack plate. Those 4 bolts are lose. The 6 connecting the plate to the transom are rock solid.

[AllyFishing]

If that motor moved like that I would replace those bolts. you don't know how much stress they have endured while in that condition.

[Bill2e]

So this is interesting-

the bolts were lose with motor trimmed up, but seem tight with motor trimmed down.

They should be tight at all times correct?

[lostone]

Did you have a transom saver on? My thought is when you put weight on it to the trailer it took part of the weight to the trailer letting you see the play. But when it's trimmed down the weight of the motor binds them to appear tight. Just a thought.

[Sports1]

Anyone use loctite?

[JDS723]

My motor fell off of m motormate going down the road. Got home and couldn’t figure out how that happened. Lo and behold, the bolts connecting the motor to the plate AND the bolts connecting the plate to the transom were all loose. I tightened them as tight as I could. Going to bring it to the dealer next month to get him to fix my rivet issue and reseal the bolts.

[DixieChicken]

Anyone use loctite?

Blue.... yes.

[Louie]

My local merc dealer told me since I have an atlas to keep a check on them, Ive found one or two that have worked slightly loose before. Also a good practice to check the lock nut/ allen on your sea star collar. That also got loose on mine.

[Bill2e]

Did you have a transom saver on? My thought is when you put weight on it to the trailer it took part of the weight to the trailer letting you see the play. But when it's trimmed down the weight of the motor binds them to appear tight. Just a thought.

Yes - I did have a transom saver on.


Have to really look look at it this weekend.

[FishinSkinny]

Great advice. I will add that to my checks.. I also check my hitch and make sure the nut is tight. Years ago I almost lost the nut that holds the ball.

Heard that. After someone reporting a broken hitch while tailoring due to weathered I just replaced mine after 4 years of weathering.