TNT Lift Problems?

Graham Lorimer said:

I have a 1997 400 Sundancer fitted with a TNT Lift. How do I tell what model it is?

Bought the boat three years ago in Florida and have only ever fitted new anodes.

Can anyone provide a link to a service manual for the Lift, I'm pulling the boat in March and would like to service everything that can be done to ensure a trouble free summer.

Graham

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If you send me or post a picture of your unit (below the platform on the outside of the transom), I'll tell you if it the same as mine or not. My unit is the Goliath.

RB

fwebster said:

John,

The problem with John Hampton's situation is that he is in a very corrosive salt water environment. Most TNT lifts don't last but 4-5 years before cylinders, hoses, pins & bushing begin to fail. The design also make for a marine growth farm on the back of your boat.

You have had good success and have been around the technical side of boating, so I wonder what opinion you might offer for a saltwater installation and the chances of long term success with a TNT in a very corrosive environment?

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Frank,

I don't have an answer for salt water corrosion.....I wish I did. What I do know is that any lift will have the issues you mention over its life in salt water or fresh water. The cheaper the lift, the more likely it will be made of materials that are more subject to failure. Owners frequently want the cheapest price then howl when it fails after years of neglect.

Consider the hydraulic hoses for a moment: In salt water they are a maintenance item. No platform company makes its own braided stainless steel hose (or its own stainless steel for that matter). Most installations use them and the hoses are underwater most of their life. If you install a lift, plan on replacing the submerged hoses evey 4 years on salt water and 8-10 years on fresh water.

The other item that fails is the hydraulic rams. In most cases, what fails is the seal. The problem that causes the seal to fail is usually not the seal itself. It is the result of either poor ram metal quality or the ram has been scarred by marine growth. In either case, the result is the same....the seal starts leaking. Sometimes they can be rebuilt and other times they must be replaced. When you see a platform submerged in the water for lengthy periods of time (days), think about raw stainless steel rams with no protection being exposed to the elements. Owners can extend the life of the rams by lowering the platform when they need to.

Corrosion. Most owners simply don't understand how important it is to protect something that has that 200-500lbs of stainless steel underwater. I have seen some owners throw copper based bottom paint on the components because they were too lazy to get compatible paint. I have seen boats with barnacles over every surface part including the hoses. Some owners simply don't care about maintenance and are always the first to rage about warranties, customer service and quality.

Lifts require annual maintenance and a basic understanding that you will spend money on it over its useful life.

Is TNT any better or worse than others? I don't believe the company that was brought out of bankruptcy in the late 90s makes inferior products. They did provide me references which I called and talked to. You just have to be smart about it.

-John

Hi Odyssey

Here is a photo of my lift, any advice on model and maintenance requirements would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Graham

Looks like the Goliath lift.

Alex F said:

After reading about some issues with the lifts, I'll just say thank GOD that mine has only one cylinder.

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Yeah, but that one cylinder will cost the same as a small car to replace.

Just dug up a receipt. rebuilt kits for the cylinders are $180/each. make sure the shafts don't have any pitting on them before you attempt a rebuild. You'll probably also want to replace the isolater hoses at the pump (6" red jobbers), I think those were $30/each. If you need new cylinders, those are about $800 each (there's 6 of them) and it looks like the wait time is 2 months (they custom make them). The Goliath lift hasn't been built for about 8 years, so everything is custom made now.

Thanks for the advice that it is a Goliath Lift.

What annual maintenance can I do to help it last longer?

Graham

Keep it clean, zinc'd, painted at the water line. inspect the hoses regularly. Like John stated, don't leave it in the down position longer than necessary. check for leaks, make sure it runs smoothly and that the rollers inside the frame are in good shape and move. That's what i've learned so far. I'm still in learning mode on mine so that's all I can offer right now.

Thanks for that, what sort of paint below the waterline.

I never leave it underwater for longer than necessary to off load the RIB, any waves moving the boat up and down put considerable strain on the lft and the transom.

Graham

Since the structure is made out of aluminum, you'll want to use a paint that is compatible with it. As John stated before, don't use regular bottom paint, it has copper in it and this will destroy the aluminum.

Hi,
My GHS Swim Platform beeps once but will not lower or lift.
I have four green lights on the panel on the unit.
There seems to be power to the unit and I can jump the solenoid to turn on the pump.
The fuses are all tested and good.
Any ideas?
Many thanks in advance.

HV Boater said:

Hi,
My GHS Swim Platform beeps once but will not lower or lift.
I have four green lights on the panel on the unit.
There seems to be power to the unit and I can jump the solenoid to turn on the pump.
The fuses are all tested and good.
Any ideas?
Many thanks in advance.

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Are you using the wireless remote or wired remote? Both have a procedure that need to run in order to operate the lift. My wireless remote I press and hold the down button for 7 ish seconds but I have read other permutations of that. The wired remote has instructions on the cover or back - cant remember where or how - its been a while since using it.

Once engaged it will timeout after no activity in somewhere around 60 seconds and you have to reengage it.

Note the rocker switch in the cockpit is only to power on/off the lift not move it (or at least that's the way mine is rigged).

HV Boater said:

Hi,
My GHS Swim Platform beeps once but will not lower or lift.
I have four green lights on the panel on the unit.
There seems to be power to the unit and I can jump the solenoid to turn on the pump.
The fuses are all tested and good.
Any ideas?
Many thanks in advance.

Click to expand...

Using the wired unit press the on button and then hold up or down for 5 seconds and then you can press down or up to operate. If nothing is pressed it times out after 30 sec as a safety feature.