Trailering. . .

[flying07]

So I will be trailering my GS most of the time this year. Question is, should I run a motor support off the rear of the trailer, use one of those rubber 'wedges' you see, or just leave it alone? If in favor of a support, what are guys running and will it clear the allison skid planer on the boat? Motor is a 225 ProMax. Thanks ahead of time for the insight!

 

[fastallison21]

I notched my skid planer to accommodate my motor toterx it didnt effect the performance of the planet

 

[Jon]

There is a PVC version on the owners page you could easily make. I have a similar version from metal and it works well.

http://allisonowners.net/owners/Motor_Totor.html

 

[whipper]

I wouldn't use a motor toter it will hurt your mid and gear case. i use those rubber wedges on each side of the hydrolic cylinder so the motor stays straight. Then a good old fashion 2X6. Bring motor in a little rest 2x6 on trim rams then sinch motor in on the wood just light enough to feel it. The wood I use i drilled a hole at both ends and wrap the rope around some voids so i don't loose it. One end has a clip. Its never came off driving for 700 mile each way trips in the summer. you can look back if you hit a bump and the motor is steady and the boat and trailer go up and down together.

The one Jon is talking about i failed twice making but thats the one im going to try and make again. the wedges for the steering are AWSOME!!! I used a motor toter and hit a pot hole,the force cracked the gear case were the suctions were. Never again!!! If the motor goes up at all for what ever reason the trailer is solid and thats how those things happen. There independent of each other not good. if your boat adjusts on the trailer while driving and the straps loosen a little thats another case that is bad when the motor is attaches to the trailer.
The motor is designed to take rough water under power pushing a boat. And most boats, the power that we use are 1/4 the weight of the boats these motors normally push. Im sure the motor and your transom will have no trouble dealing with the motor on a trailer on the road. Unless your taking air born jumps at a motor cross track pulling your Allison you will be good and even jumping it on the trailer you should be good, not sure how the trailer will fair though

 

[fastallison21]

I also use the rite hite moter carrier, it works well

 

[whipper]

http://www.basspro.com/Rite-Hite-Motor-Holder/product/10220711/?cmCat=CROSSSELL_PRODUCT


Another Allison boats first copied. haha

 

[hirk]

Motor mate or swivel eze are good and just support the trim cylinder, they dont go frkm the trailer to the lower.

 

[flying07]

Thanks for all the info guys! Whipper, any chance you have a picture of your set up? Jon, thanks for the link, my next project has begun. . haha

 

[patches]

Biggest help is to trim the motor as low as you can and still keep reasonable clearance between the skeg and ground. My drag boat had 11-12" and never had an issue. Motors trimmed out unnecessarily high put unneeded stress on a boat

 

[h2oskiier30]

I don't use anything. The transom on an Allison, unlike most other boats, is designed to take the stress, and so are the trim cylinders on an outboard. Trim it up just enough to clear anything you might encounter, like Erik said, and go about your business.

 

[whipper]

Biggest help is to trim the motor as low as you can and still keep reasonable clearance between the skeg and ground. My drag boat had 11-12" and never had an issue. Motors trimmed out unnecessarily high put unneeded stress on a boat

Yes thats what I do also. i jack my motor as high as it will go first. then support it or not. i only support it for real long travel. not just to the ramp. If you know the roads your going to travel just determine if ya think you need to or not. 90% of the time i jack up the motor and have it trimmed down as far I feel is safe. If theres rocks or anything on the road ill cover the nose cone so it doesn't get a chip from a flying stone or something. Again depends on the roads. I suport it on my annual 500 mile trip because I dont know what to expect. It will bounce no problem for a short way. not for a long way but probably is also fine. just my own piece of mind. and no I dont have any pics of that wood thing. haha A 2x6 flat is good. lets motor hang down not straight out. Its going to stay with or with out tieing to anything. Ive never had it come out.

 

[flying07]

So first I wanted to see if I could upload an image from my phone .... Success! Second, what are guys using for single cylinder ?

 

[LakeAnna]

For the last 20 plus years I have never used any of the transom savers, no issues. Trim it up enough so your skeg is clear and rock on.

You can find lots of better things to spend money on with that hot rod.

 

[flying07]

Thanks Chris, that's kind of becoming my conclusion as well. . . . .time to buy gas and oil instead. . . haha

 

[LakeAnna]

Add a Hoss or nice cut Chopper to the list...

 

[whipper]

ya youll be fine. I never use anything either except like I said for very very long trips i throw a 2x6 in there but I have also done that trip without anything lots to. Try nothing for a while and see how ya like it. if your motor bounces because the roads suck you can make that call later on. Ive hit some mighty big bumps in the road with nothing and the motor bounced hard every time. it kinda makes go ahhh dam but ya remember that one next time. Those side thingys for the steering i always use!! They are awesome. Just remember to take them out before you boat. it kinda hampers the steering I found out. Hears how high i trailer motor. it looks cooler down more than up also. I also found one with the 2x6 coming home from my trip.

 

[Bobalouie]

I used a Swivel Eze Lock n Stow on my XB02 / 280. You have to modify it to fit well since it is not designed for that motor, but it was no big deal. I just couldnt trailer it with nothing supporting the engine, because with my luck, the trim cylinder would blow a seal or something and I would end up grinding my skeg off the lower before I could get it stopped. I would not use a transom saver that went from the trailer to the lower. If you dont like the lock n stow, there are other options that support the engine from the clamp bracket/trim cylinder.

 

[tomoad]

Motor mate doesn't make a mount that will work with that type of clamp. Trust me I've checked. They did say if I would would bring my boat by. I live close to them. They would make one. I just never have went by and had it done. Honestly I don't use one. The transoms are strong. I only wanted one so my motor wouldn't turn left/or rt while being trailered so I got some rubber stops that go over my steering arms and now the motor want turn. Been doing it this way for over 2 yrs

 

[RedAllison]

ANYONE with a SS/offshore single ram trim needs NOTHING for support! That unit is bombproof & you WONT break it. Only way you'll damage it is if someone rear-ends you on the road. I trailered my 99 XB03 with an SS225 for 7yrs & never used any sort of support. Nancy Allison assured me the transom was WAY stronger than any support & Glenn Reynolds told me the only thing supports were good for was ruining engine mounts!

With my big 3.0 225SportXS on my 21, the only thing I've used now for going into 8 seasons for supports are some 8" pieces of 1.5" pvc tubes I slip over each trim ram just because when trimmed at that angle the tilt position will allow the motor to move down until the trim position is reached. Works like a charm & several other A-buds are using the same thing.

Gordon did an article years ago in B&WB Mag that shows the transom & trim system is put thru ALOT MORE stress while OFF the trailer than while on! http://www.allisonowners.net/owners/TransomStress.html

 

[flying07]

Good article to read, thanks for the link!!