How much better/different are the motormate and transom saver from the stock transom saver provided with the boat?
This is what came with my boat.
How much better/different are the motormate and transom saver from the stock transom saver provided with the boat?
This is what came with my boat.
I also agree with this, I’ve run both kinds, and am currently using the My-Wedge on my Suzuki, which is very similar to the motor mate. For me, it’s mostly just to stop the motor from bouncing all over while trailering.Originally Posted by franktank009
Triton Tr17, Yamaha 130
Lund Pro V 1900, Optimax 200
Smokercraft Pro Mag 182, Suzuki DF140
Helix 9si, 10si mega
Minnkota Talon, Terrova
Amen Franktank009! It's Motor Mate on my Ranger. Bought mine from the man who makes them at the Classic on Hartwell this year. Holds the engine still during travel and nothing moves. I love it!!
Man this is the best answer ive ever seen on this what a great way to explain. This subject is like kicking a dead horse there are always the 1 or 2 guys that are never convinced and think the stick saves everything. It supports 100% of the engines weight you know.been running motormate for 5 years now and i love it.
Roy
2020 Triton 18 Trx
Mercury 200 Pro XS V8
Bravo FS 24P Prop
Atlas 6” jp
Dual Humminbird Helix 10 MEGA SI
Minnkota Ultrex.
Yea I really don't see why this is such a hard concept to grasp... If you have a little bit of physics or mechanical engineering background you can draw a free body diagram and use trig and vectors to solve the equation. I've also heard the argument that triangles are so strong, that's why they build trusses with them... Well that's not how a truss works. A truss uses a series of many strategically places triangles to distribute a load over the entire truss system. A single triangle does not make a truss... On top of all this the force that is put onto a transom saver or motor mate is more of a mechanical weight. You are using the hydraulics to apply a force to the transom saver/motormate in order to wedge the motor so it doesn't move around...Man this is the best answer ive ever seen on this what a great way to explain. This subject is like kicking a dead horse there are always the 1 or 2 guys that are never convinced and think the stick saves everything. It supports 100% of the engines weight you know.
Ordered me a motormate, can't wait to try it out when i bring my boat back home (bout a 4hr drive so theres alot of bouncing and beatn around on that transom)
I use a motormate but if you hit a large enough bump it can come loose. Mine does a great job of keep of limiting the side to side movement. Not sure it does anything for protecting the transom. I store my boat in my garage with the motor in a level position with no support at all. In fact that is how Yamaha recommends you store the motor. Being the motor weighs around 500lbs I don't know of anything that will take the stress of bouncing of the motor on the transom.
2021 Skeeter ZX225
2021 Yamaha SHO 225 VF225LA
you'll like it, there's absolutely no bouncing or motor wobbling left and right.
2004 Stratos 295 Pro XL
2004 Mercury 3.0 L EFI 200 HP SN: 0T908560
Standard/Servicemaster Lower 859399T13
It doesn't, and the name "transom saver" is part of the problem. Heck, we can't even agree on what it is these after market motor support devices are supposed to accomplish!
1. Take stress off the transom-probably not
2. Take stress off the mounting bolts-maybe a bit
3. Take stress off the hydraulics-sure, but is it necessary?
4. Keep the motor from hitting the ground if trim rams lose pressure-possibly a legitimate goal on long trips
5. Keep the motor from wobbling back and forth- OK, when didn't that become an issue? I'd say it became a "problem" when manufacturers realized the other claims were BS and their device needed to do something
6. Get us to spend money-definitely
I agree! I see plenty of smaller boats or pontoon boats being pulled down the road on the trailer without any motor support at all. I have used a Motormate, normal transom saver type, Mywedge and another slide on motor support. None of those ever stopped the motor from bouncing up and down on my boat. The Motormate seems to me to be the best at keeping the motor from wobbling side to side although I'm not sure if that is a problem. And as I said in my post, I have to store my motor in a level position so it fits in my garage and I've never had a problem with this motor or my other boat motor in 6 years not to mention any transom problem. All new Bass boats are made to hold very heavy motors on the transom anyway and if you watch your motor while in rough water you will see it bounces around a lot. I'm not knocking Motormate or any other motor support and I like my Motormate. Pick which ever type you like and go with that and you won't have a problem.
2021 Skeeter ZX225
2021 Yamaha SHO 225 VF225LA
There's guys out there with boats from the 80s using peices of wood as a MM. Transoms are perfectly fine. I rather not beat up my LU and use the MM. With the motor tilted up majority of the weight sits more vertical of the transom and not horizontal. The LU is way lighter in comparison to the actual engine/block ontop. Having the motor tilted up reduces the amount on leverage the heaviest part of the motor has. MM or Transom saver....both reduce the amount of weight leveraging on the transom and both reduces bounce. Once just scratches and dings the LU the other doesnt. It's a preference thing really. Either is better than none.
keep your lines wet! God bless
Maybe I am missing something in this thread, but I thought that the OP was asking for recommendations for a 250 Verado Pro four stroke. If that's in fact the case, I believe the only aftermarket support available is the My Wedge Universal. However, there is discussion on that product as to whether it puts pressure on the V-Rod's seals. Mercury advises to utilize the factory two option support system. Me personally... I followed Don Weed's advise for my 250 Pro.
Mercury says to use an engine support and stipulates the provided flip up is not to be used for trailering but they don't provide one, offer one for sale, or promote one made by someone else. If they were that concerned about it they would surely offer one that would be engine only mounted (similar to Motormate configuration?) as they can only control the engine portion of any watercraft mounting of their product and not the trailer it would sit on (stick to trailer roller).
On my sold 2 stroke 250 HP ProXS I used the Motormate. It was easy to attach and eliminated the use of SeaStar type steering clips to keep the engine from swinging. I still had 505 lbs of engine hanging off a 10" jackplate bouncing down the road but the Motormate never came off and the engine didn't move. Did it "save" the transom? Probably not. That same engine was also bouncing across swells with the same 505 lbs when in actual use with only the trim rams supporting it. Hummm???
Some boat OEM's also put some spray on this topic too and they recommend various supports. But they are not concerned with engine stabilization as much as they are about there transom.
New 4 stroke is inbound and I refuse to go backward in technology and use trim ram sticks and steering clips. PIA. Either Motormate will release a new configuration for the 4 stroke or I will modify my existing Motormate to use the two protruding pin arms (ones with the holes that come off the engine itself) as the nuts that were used previously by Motormate are now encased inside the mid-section cowling.
As long as the engine is not slapping around during trailering, the device is easy to use, and it's not $500.00, I guess it satisfies Mercury's requirement and mine.
Last edited by mikesxpress; 06-26-2018 at 06:43 AM.
I took my motor mate and cut wedges in the tips so it will fit in the hole where the nuts use to be , I just repowered with the V8 4 stroke 200 so far the motor mate modified has worked on the 2 trips I've taken I noticed there's no bouncing so it seems to be doing okay at this time
Perhaps they've changed their recommendations since my manual was printed. My 2005 250XS owner's manual specifically recommends the stick to trailer type.
not sure why as that transfers all the shock of the trailer directly to the lower unit. Get a Motormate you will be happy you did, just don't expect the Powdercoat to last long before chipping.
^^^^^^
I'd guess the Mercury engineers are aware of the different forces involved, but didn't think road shock through the TS was a problem.
Number 1 problem of a traditional transom saver and well documented!!
Mine rests on a rubber V-block on one end and against a rubber trailer roller on the other. In between, the length adjustment is maintained by a couple of standard 1/4" bolts. None of those components have ever worn out or broken after 13 years. Perhaps the design of the trailer and how securely the boat is fastened makes a difference. Mine is a Ranger with ratchet straps.
I knew this was going to drift off course.
I have a pig Ranger and on a previous Ranger I had the stick that used the lower unit/trailer roller configuration. That thing was 5' long, didn't keep the engine from moving side to side unless you added the steering clips, wore the paint off the lower unit where it rested, and was a PIA.
I don't believe any of these devices have anything to do with transom protection. Some may even cause transom damages?? If you get one that's convenient to use, stabilizes the engine so it doesn't move, and doesn't incur any engine damages, then it works for me.
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