Mercruiser trim pump bracket DIY refurbushment

[mr-steve-jones]

Hello all,

Just want to share Sunday's DIY job.

My Mercruiser Trim pump bracket was completely rusted away on one side, held with only 2 screws so was loose and could flop about.

I got a 16" X 10" piece of 1/16" stainless plate, measured the old bracket holes and transferred to the new plate, and used my disc grinder with a diamond blade to shape it. We smoothed all the edges with a flap wheel and a file. Dad drilled the holes then we bent the folds in a large vice. New stainless nuts and bolts to attach the solenoids and earth point.

Result - about ?100 saved for a couple of hours work.

Took the solenoids off for a clean up and the resevoir off for a wash out with petrol as it was full of gunk. Its now gleaming!

Assembled it all again, fresh vaseline for the contacts and it looks great and ready for fresh oil.

Hope it might inspire someone to have a go..

Regards, Steve.

 

[04fxdwgi]

Re: Mercruiser trim pump bracket DIY refurbushment

Hello all,

Just want to share Sunday's DIY job.

My Mercruiser Trim pump bracket was completely rusted away on one side, held with only 2 screws so was loose and could flop about.

I got a 16" X 10" piece of 1/16" stainless plate, measured the old bracket holes and transferred to the new plate, and used my disc grinder with a diamond blade to shape it. We smoothed all the edges with a flap wheel and a file. Dad drilled the holes then we bent the folds in a large vice. New stainless nuts and bolts to attach the solenoids and earth point.

Result - about ?100 saved for a couple of hours work.

Took the solenoids off for a clean up and the resevoir off for a wash out with petrol as it was full of gunk. Its now gleaming!

Assembled it all again, fresh vaseline for the contacts and it looks great and ready for fresh oil.

Hope it might inspire someone to have a go..

Regards, Steve.
View attachment 145459View attachment 145458

Hmmmm. I bought a new S/S bracket off fleabay for $40......

 

[mr-steve-jones]

Re: Mercruiser trim pump bracket DIY refurbushment

Hmmmm. I bought a new S/S bracket off fleabay for $40......

Great if I could get one for that price here in England...

Boat stuff is expensive here as it's not so popular. Most stuff is US made and imported. We get ripped off for everything here. 20% sales tax and petrol at equivalent $8.75 for US gallon.

My point was, 3 hours work saved me the fuel for my next trip out, and I learned something.

 

[achris]

Re: Mercruiser trim pump bracket DIY refurbushment

Great if I could get one for that price here in England...

Boat stuff is expensive here as it's not so popular. Most stuff is US made and imported. We get ripped off for everything here. 20% sales tax and petrol at equivalent $8.75 for US gallon.

My point was, 3 hours work saved me the fuel for my next trip out, and I learned something.

Good job, well done, and we have the same problem in Australia (price rip-off for US built parts).... and petrol here is about ?4.30 a gallon... That bracket you built is over $200 in Oz...

 

[Bondo]

Re: Mercruiser trim pump bracket DIY refurbushment

Assembled it all again, fresh vaseline for the contacts and it looks great and ready for fresh oil.

Ayuh,..... Another case where Any grease is Better, than no grease at all...

 

[littlebookworm]

Re: Mercruiser trim pump bracket DIY refurbushment

Congratulations on a job well-done. I did a similar thing on my previous boat to repair the bottom L-shaped section of the bracket. Sometimes it's more rewarding, if not only cheaper, to repair something yourself rather than replacing it. A few years ago I sold a used Mercruiser bell housing over eBay to a guy in Belgium for about $100US. He paid the shipping and duty fees from NY to Belgium. He was thrilled to get the part so "cheaply." The lowest price he had found for a used one in Belgium was over $400US. We sometimes have to remember that part availability and pricing is very different in other countries. Hy

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Mercruiser trim pump bracket DIY refurbushment

bed frames are carbon steel and will rust but there are a lot of them and all come bent at a 90 deg angle.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Mercruiser trim pump bracket DIY refurbushment

My point was, 3 hours work saved me the fuel for my next trip out, and I learned something.

Great job - looks good and should last you a long time!

 

[higson-marine]

Re: Mercruiser trim pump bracket DIY refurbushment

Good job, well done, and we have the same problem in Australia (price rip-off for US built parts).... and petrol here is about ?4.30 a gallon... That bracket you built is over $200 in Oz...

Sorry you guys overseas are getting ripped off, I can only speak for myself but i dont change the price of the part when I sell these overseas just the shipping changes, I believe it adds about $75 for Express International and $48 for Priority International to the base price of the part $55 so as the op says it is a cost effective solution to purchasing. 04fxdwgi, you probably purchased your from me as i am the only one that ever sold them for $40 ...how is it holding up for you?

 

[04fxdwgi]

Re: Mercruiser trim pump bracket DIY refurbushment

Sorry you guys overseas are getting ripped off, I can only speak for myself but i dont change the price of the part when I sell these overseas just the shipping changes, I believe it adds about $75 for Express International and $48 for Priority International to the base price of the part $55 so as the op says it is a cost effective solution to purchasing. 04fxdwgi, you probably purchased your from me as i am the only one that ever sold them for $40 ...how is it holding up for you?

Higson-Marine: The bracket is PERFECT (including the bolts that were included). Everything bolted right up using all existing holes / mounting tabs. A true "bolt on" upgrade. I wanted to attempt the "rebuild", but OEM steel bracket was complete junk. Took a whopping 30 minutes to clean up the old mess and swap out. Thanx.

On another note to the OP, nice job rebuilding the old bracket. Didn't mean to come off as condesending, if I did. Just trying to suggest other options were available to save time / money and produce a better / more durable result to boot.

 

[mr-steve-jones]

Re: Mercruiser trim pump bracket DIY refurbushment

No offence taken at all 04fxdwgi
I just enjoy making stuff from scratch if I can and saving the cash.
I didn't rebuild the original bracket, I threw it away after transfering the measurements to a new sheet of stainless.
Its almost the same as the ones on ebay, but without the captive nuts, and it was free!
Pottering about doing jobs on the boat is part of the enjoyment of this hobby to me.

 

[04fxdwgi]

Re: Mercruiser trim pump bracket DIY refurbushment

No offence taken at all 04fxdwgi
I just enjoy making stuff from scratch if I can and saving the cash.
I didn't rebuild the original bracket, I threw it away after transfering the measurements to a new sheet of stainless.
Its almost the same as the ones on ebay, but without the captive nuts, and it was free!
Pottering about doing jobs on the boat is part of the enjoyment of this hobby to me.

View attachment 146556

I used to be just like you, in that aspect. BUT, getting too old now (in my 60's) and work keeps me uber busy, I don't have the shop facilities I used to (with machinery and welders), so I purchase, when I can. Gettin' lazy, I guess. LOL.

 

[Tikihut]

Re: Mercruiser trim pump bracket DIY refurbushment

I could use a replacement like that. Is there a link to anybody who's doing these in the U.S.?

 

[higson-marine]

Re: Mercruiser trim pump bracket DIY refurbushment

I could use a replacement like that. Is there a link to anybody who's doing these in the U.S.?

pm sent Tikihut

 

[higson-marine]

Re: Mercruiser trim pump bracket DIY refurbushment

04fxdwgi, Thanks Im glad the instaltion was easy for you. I make them here in oregon at the shop I work for so rest assured that they are going to last and you wont have to install another unless you buy another boat lol. Thanks again.