engine tilt question

[Baby Blue]

1998 2800 scr 454ci bravo 3

new boat to us this season and so far absolutely love it. I like to trim up the motor a bit while we are running to bring the bow up a bit. smooths out ride and reduces spray.
anyway... my tilt guage kind of jumps around so I'm not sure how accturate that is but how much tilt is safe. I've heard that too much and strain the U joins in the drive shaft. Once the guage settles down it reads about 1/2 way up. this ok or too much?
I have the tilt button on the throddle which only allows it to tilt up a certain distance. I also have a seperate trailer tilt button below but know not to use unless it's being trailered.
any advice or info appreciated.
thanks, BB

[CountryME]

Baby Blue,
Your out drive has a Trim Limit Switch built into the system to prevent trimming up too much. This is the reason that a properly working outdrive will only trim up so far, then has to be raised the rest of the way with the "Trailer Tilt" button. Typically you will begin porpoising (the bow bouncing up and down) before you would trim it up far enough to reach the trim limit. Enjoy your new boat.
-JP

[mmwjr]

Well if the trim position gauge moves from full down to half up I would assume the trim limit switch is working unless BB uses the trailer switch.

The gauge is bouncing because the sensor has corroded contacts.

You need to verify the drive is all the way down when the gauge says it is and half way up when indicated.

Half way up is too much at speed of 6 knots unless getting thru very shallow water.
You should be able to feel the boat losing control when too much trim is applied.

[Baby Blue]

thanks for the info.. I know not to use the trailer tilt. nice to know about the contacts. I will definitely take care of that when it's pulled out of the water this fall.
I'm basically just bumping the tilt up with a few short taps of the switch until the bow comes up a bit. being new to an IO and this set up i'm just making sure thats ok to do while running around 3200 RPM. I'm guessing the guage is way off.
thanks for the all the help over the last couple weeks.. great board here
BB

Originally Posted by mmwjr

Well if the trim position gauge moves from full down to half up I would assume the trim limit switch is working unless BB uses the trailer switch.

The gauge is bouncing because the sensor has corroded contacts.

You need to verify the drive is all the way down when the gauge says it is and half way up when indicated.

Half way up is too much at speed of 6 knots unless getting thru very shallow water.
You should be able to feel the boat losing control when too much trim is applied.

[mmwjr]

Not sure why you think the gauge is off. It should only read full up when using the trailer switch to fully raise it.

[shrew]

Put the drive all the way IN. Then click up once and release. Count the number of clicks until you reach the trim limit (You'll hear the pump change). Do the same all the way down. Try it a couple of times, counting the avg. clicks from all the way in to all the way out. Now just count the 'clicks' while you're underway. The driv position indicator can be prone to inaccuracy and failure. You'll get used to it after a while and won't use it anyway.