79 Sterndrive Trim Ram Question

[ggrace boater]

My engine trim ram on the port side is 1/2" lower in the down position and 1/2" lower in the up position. The housing of the ram actually goes down 1/2" more in the down position and doesn't come up as high in the up position. As you can probably tell I am new at working on these things. Does anybody know what is up with that?

 

[Boomyal]

Re: 79 Sterndrive Trim Ram Question

????? No 1979 OMC stringer drive has a 'trim ram'.

 

[ggrace boater]

Re: 79 Sterndrive Trim Ram Question

????? No 1979 OMC stringer drive has a 'trim ram'.

It's a 1979 250hp Sterndrive 351 Windsor. I just made up the name trim rams. It has an electric motor and reservoir on the 351 and rams on the engine mounts that lift the engine. I call them rams but they are small hydraulic cylinders. Why would the one on the port side go down 1/2 inch lower than the starboard side does and raise 1/2" less than the starboard? I am just learning as I go with this boat. Its ready to put in the water if I can get these rams the same.

 

[ggrace boater]

Re: 79 Sterndrive Trim Ram Question

007 - YouTube

This is the boat.

 

[ggrace boater]

Re: 79 Sterndrive Trim Ram Question

007 - YouTube

This is the boat.

I assume the port side ram is bad so I will just remove all this garbage and see if I can get parts for it.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: 79 Sterndrive Trim Ram Question

Your vid does not show the trim system. I am not an expert on all things OMC but I thought that the trim apparatus consisted of a screw jack on the front engine mounts.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: 79 Sterndrive Trim Ram Question

I wouldn't worry about the rams being the same. I suspect the issue has more to do with the rear engine mounts limiting range of motion. As long as everything is bolted down solidly and the drive is true to the keel, probably a non issue.

 

[ggrace boater]

Re: 79 Sterndrive Trim Ram Question

I didn't take pictures, sorry, and I already put it back together. You were right Howard, it was a non issue. I did find problems when resealing the cylinders (blown seal), but it's still crooked in the up position, and trimming the engine doesn't make any noticeable difference while running the boat out on the water. After spending a total of 250 (motor and seals) on the engine trim, I realize I won't be using it, because it doesn't do anything.

I'm happy to have it running for the summer though. I'm going to tear the inside out and renew it next spring (stringers and all). I had to remove some rotten wood around the transom seal and patch with new wood for this summer. Plus the rear couple inches on the stringers were rotten. I figured the outdrive mounts might have problems. so I put some 3/8" thick, 3' long plates along top of the stringers for this summer. I tapped the engine and outdrive mounts to 1/2" NC and screwed the plate to the stringers with a bunch of 1/2" lag bolts.View attachment 195990

 

[ggrace boater]

Re: 79 Sterndrive Trim Ram Question

2 of the 4 engine mounts bolts are threaded into the plate and 2 of the 3 outdrive mount bolts are threaded into the plate. I left the others lag bolts going into the stringers for alignment.

 

[ggrace boater]

Re: 79 Sterndrive Trim Ram Question

Anyways, I think it will work for this summer, and I can finish restoring it later.