Moving outboard motor to new hole

[macjaws08]

Anyone out there have a way to change motor position on boat with out taking to service dealer. I need to move up to middle position.

[ducttape]

I would think an engine hoist to support it and the lifting eye for the flywheel would do the trick. I am curious to know this as well. I need to move mine up but don't want to buy a engine hoist to do it.

[EuropeanAM]

Recommended method is engine hoist and lifting eye.

I've heard of other methods (including the "really big dude" method), but do not recommend ANY of them, due to safety concerns.

[rangerguy]

You need one of those thingy motor lifting eyes as stated in the below threads.

[Bob La Londe]

There are two different lifting eyes available for the Mercury outboards. One is a single piece and just screws into the flywheel with an eye on top for the hook from an engine hoist. Any suitable lifting apparatus will work. Chain fall on an a-frame, fork lift, engine hoist, even a front loader. I have used all of those methods at one time or another. Never a problem. The forklift and the lever arm engine hoist seem to work the best as they are the most manueverable. An A-frame with casters might be next. Mine didn't have them. I found the front loader to be awkward to use for this, but servicable.

The other lifting eye is similar, but it is two piece. That way you can rotate the eye more easily to line up with your lifting hook. I have a one piece and its always done the job for me.

I have also created a rope sling in a pinch, but that requires a lot of careful crafting to make sure it won't slip. More of a basket woven around the top of the motor.

Another one I saw that I did not care for was a large washer welded to a nut. The nut was threaded onto the end of the crank shaft where the flywheel nut goes.

Bob's Machine (an advertiser on this site) sells good quality lifting eyes, and they ship quick.

A note of caution, its always a good idea to make sure all penetrations through the transom are properly sealed everytime you do anything back there. Many boats are no wood construction now, but even a wood core transom will last nearly forever if all work is properly done. I'm anal about it. I keep 3m 5200 on hand to seal all penetrations and I like to see it ooze out all the way around. I'ld rather have a little mess than a rotted out transom.

[Hydrasports196]

I just raised mine, a 75HP Otimax, using a heavy duty chain hosit that I hooked to a chain around a large beam in my garage,It took me about 20 minutes start to finish. I had a jack plate so that made it easy with no sealing on the boat.
I purchaed a lifting eye from my dealer.


Modified by Hydrasports196 at 5:19 PM 3/8/2010