Best way to remove the motor??

[gunner1]

I have a 1988 Force 50hp outboard that I need to remove to change the transom. My question is what's the best way? There's no lifting ring on top like on my dad's Johnson. I thought maybe I would disconnect everything and have someone help me lift it off and put it on a stand. Either that or I was going to ratchet-strap a four by four post between two trees, secure a chain around the motor and then use a come-along to lift the motor off the boat. Does either one of these ideas make sense? IS there a better way??

 

[paw2000]

Re: Best way to remove the motor??

I lifted my motor off with a car engine crane (cherry picker), I got mine from harbor freight and I took 2 hold down straps and looped the straps around the power head and connected to the chain hook. I then pumped up the jack and the motor gently lifted up, i had laid plywood down so i was to move my motor.

Nice about the engine lift, its rated for 1000lbs so its no effort to lift, and you can control the motor better, no fear of losing grip and motor crashing down.

 

[wellsc1]

Re: Best way to remove the motor??

I asked my neighbor to help lift my 40 hp Force by Mercury. We gently slipped in on two of the motor mount bolts and used one of our hands to thread nuts on them. Then we concentrated on the lower bolts and threaded nuts on them. Now with the motor hanging on the bolts, we caulked (put sealant) around the bolts and on the motor mount, tighten things down incrementally in sequence to pull the motor to the transom.

In other works, this shade-tree mechnic prevailed. I like the lift much better.

 

[gunner1]

Re: Best way to remove the motor??

What about just laying the motor down on a couple of pallets? Would it hurt anything?

 

[walk-on]

Re: Best way to remove the motor??

When I replaced my transom a couple years ago, I lifted my 90HP with a strap wrapped around the transom bracket and a come-a-long. The transom bracket is basically the motor mount part of the outboard that sits on top of the transom. I did have to wrap the strap around the back of the outboard and adjust the strap to balance the outboard and keep it upright, however it only hung long enough to get my home made motor stand under it. I left the strap on it while it was on the motor stand just in case.

If I was removing outboards all the time I wouldn't go this route but it worked fine for this "one time" removal.