Trailer switch on throttle handle

[Copacetic]

When using the up/down outdrive switch on the throttle, the outdrive only comes up partway. The trailer switch brings it up farther, but it is still in the water. Is it OK to run the engine and use the trailer switch to get the outdrive up so I can get closer to the beach? The boat is a single engine 2900SCr with Bravo 2 outdrive.

[ed & inge]

sometimes i had to use the trailer position to get the boat as far as possible on the beach, but dont play to much with the trottle, just use it very carefully just a little bit of gas (power) to put the boat forward.

now with my new boat i dont do it anymore, because after doing it many times a year the sand will take away the gell coat off the'lowest point of the bottom ( i had it on my 2855 bayliner) so now i allways keep the boat floating on the water and walk a little bit through the water to the beach.

greatz, ed

[shrew]

I wouldn't run the engine in gear beyond the trim limit. You have a trim limit sensor which cuts the trim button. Think of it this way, there is a reason the manufacturer stopped you from trimming out so far. AND, there is a reason they call it the Trailer button and not the 'really shallow water button'.

[Sea-Laxing]

Hi Yes that's true. as you shaft and outdrive has u-joint that can NOT rotate past a certain point. they will flex when not rotating as to trailer the boat but will not turn and running it past the trailer button will eventualy damage the u-joints and voila expencive repair. I have a little rubber dingy and a paddle. I anchor away from shore and paddle( well the wife does I sit in back and yell row row row beating on a drum ha ha ha ) but you see my point...

[ss3964spd]

Since I routinely trim mine up quite high when idling through skinny water - with no ill effects thus far, I was a little curious about this. The way I understand it, the double u-joint (double Cardan joint) configuration allows for more articulation of the joint than would be possible if using just one joint. It also minimizes vibration since the shaft speed remains constant regardless of it's running angle. Spicer says it will run at 25* at full design load briefly, and 12* continuosly.

Curious still, I looked at my MerCruiser manual, page 22 -

"Never trim the sterndrive unit up/out using the TRAILER switch while boat is under way at engine speeds above 1200 RPM. Use extreme caution when operating with sterndrive unit raised. Severe damage to the sterndrive unit may result if unit is raised beyond the gimbal ring support flanges at engine speeds above 1200 rpm".

Additionally, on page 23 -

"To raise the sterndrive unit for trailering, beaching, launching and low speed (below 1200 rpm) shallow water operation push the trim button to raise the sterndrive unit to the full UP/OUT position".

Apparently there are two issues in play. 1st - running at more than 1200 with the drive all the way up places too much stress on the components and 2nd - running with it up could possibly bring the water intake holes out of the water resulting in over heating.

It's all good then. Trim it up as far as you need to but keep the RPM's below 1200, and watch the temp gauge.

Dan

[ed & inge]

Originally Posted by ss3964spd

Since I routinely trim mine up quite high when idling through skinny water - with no ill effects thus far, I was a little curious about this. The way I understand it, the double u-joint (double Cardan joint) configuration allows for more articulation of the joint than would be possible if using just one joint. It also minimizes vibration since the shaft speed remains constant regardless of it's running angle. Spicer says it will run at 25* at full design load briefly, and 12* continuosly.

Curious still, I looked at my MerCruiser manual, page 22 -

"Never trim the sterndrive usit up/out using the TRAILER switch while boat is under way at engine speeds above 1200 RPM. Use extreme caution when operating with sterndrive unit raised. Severe damage to the sterndrive unit may result if unit is raised beyond the gimbal ring support flanges at engine speeds above 1200 rpm".

Additionally, on page 23 -

"To raise the sterndrive unit for trailering, beaching, launching and low speed (below 1200 rpm) shallow water operation push the trim button to raise the sterndrive unit to the full UP/OUT position".

Apparently there are two issues in play. 1st - running at more than 1200 with the drive all the way up places too much stress on the components and 2nd - running with it up could possibly bring the water intake holes out of the water resulting in over heating.

It's all good then. Trim it up as far as you need to but keep the RPM's below 1200, and watch the temp gauge.

Dan

yep thats what i also mean in my reply.......carefully low speed and rpm

greatz, ed

[Copacetic]

Thank you. I didn't have the merc manual, but called them yesterday, and they said the same thing. 1200 RPM max. in trailer mode.
Thanks again!

[ss3964spd]

[speedcat]

Hey I'm wondering what the trailering trim button actually looks like? Any descriptions, location info, pics would help. Thanks!

Mine is a 1996 2400 SCR.

EDIT: Also a question. I'm mooring on a muddy bottom river where tides sometimes make for very shallow or no water at all. I want to bring the outdrive up to avoid damage but also wondering if I can leave it up in trailer mode while it's in the water?

[mmwjr]

Originally Posted by speedcat

Hey I'm wondering what the trailering trim button actually looks like? Any descriptions, location info, pics would help. Thanks!

Mine is a 1996 2400 SCR.

EDIT: Also a question. I'm mooring on a muddy bottom river where tides sometimes make for very shallow or no water at all. I want to bring the outdrive up to avoid damage but also wondering if I can leave it up in trailer mode while it's in the water?

You should have just started a new thread as most of the posters on this one haven’t been around in a very long time. On my boat the trailer button is on the throttle/shifter arm about half way up. Yes you can leave the drive trimmed all the way up but you shouldn’t operate the boat this way as it will put too much stress on the cross bearings. Also not leaving in the full up position puts stress on the bellows so there lifespan will be shorter.

[Trey5684]

I've had different configurations for the trailer position switch, one you just pushed harder on the trim up switch past a "detent", another had a separate button on the aft bottom corner of the throttle quadrant, and my current boat has a separate up/down switches on the switch panel under the instrument panel in addition to the normal trim switches on the throttles.

[Jduncan99217]

If the up/down button doesn't raise the outdrive, your tilt/trim limit switches are bad. You can still use the "trailer" switch to trim in a pinch, but don't go too far as you will damage the drive shaft u-joints.

[speedcat]

Thanks all! Sorry Mike - I'll consider starting a new thread next time lol.

So I found the Trailer button on the throttle and it works great.

Just to confirm, leaving the b3 outdrive in trailer position while slipped in the water will not cause issues? I think I'd rather have to deal with stretched bellows than have to deal with mud in my gears, or leaving the pressure of the entire aft of the boat on the outdrive when the river goes "dry"'' due to extreme tides. But I'm new to this so I'm asking. 'NOTE - the river water goes down and you can see the mud, sometimes there's no water at all, but it's not "dry" per se, if you stepped on that mud you'd go down several feet for sure.

Thanks again for your thoughts!

EDIT: a couple comments somewhere talked about otters or animals that would chew the bellows when the drive is fully up... not sure if anyone has experienced that or how frequent. I imagine like many issues, there is no perfect solution, each path will have it's pros & cons.

[mmwjr]

Leaving the drive fully trimmed up will only shorten the life of the bellows. As for critter chewing the rubber that’s a matter of where you boat. Most of the instances I’ve heard of this were on the old OMC stringer drives where it has a big rubber boot around the entire transom assembly.