Outdrive trim gauge

In my Owner’s Manual on my 240 SunDeck, it says that if you have a

transom-mounting power trim switch used to tilt drive unit for trailering only,

Tilting the drive unit into trailering zone while underway can damage

the Drive Unit or engine.

Question: Does that also pertain to Stern Drive Trim Switch on the

Control Level on the starboard side that makes the Drive Unit go

up and down. because sometimes i use that power trim switch on the lever while underway.

Actually what is that switch for anyway?? i played with it while underway when i first got this boat.

Bad mistake? :huh:

Thanks

Mark..

If the trim limit switch is adjusted correctly you cannot raise the drive above it operating limit.A Mercruiser should stop at 22 -1/2 inches extention

Mark, the overall goal here is to not trim/tilt/whatever you want to call it, too high while the engine is running. On your throttle lever, you have two controls for up... "trim" and "tilt". Trim will stop automatically at the upper end of the "safe" range, as the Doc is talking about. "Tilt" is the general term for raising the drive higher (for when the boat is on the trailer, or floating into a shallow area, for example). You should really only enter the "tilt" range when the engine is off to avoid damage. You can cheat a little, if you had to, but keep the RPM's down.

Another reason for the remote tilt button on the transom is to make it easier to put on the trailering clips since you need to snug the drive down a bit on them. It's much easier to do when you're right there looking at everything.

Lazy Daze said:

Mark, the overall goal here is to not trim/tilt/whatever you want to call it, too high while the engine is running. On your throttle lever, you have two controls for up... "trim" and "tilt". Trim will stop automatically at the upper end of the "safe" range, as the Doc is talking about. "Tilt" is the general term for raising the drive higher (for when the boat is on the trailer, or floating into a shallow area, for example). You should really only enter the "tilt" range when the engine is off to avoid damage. You can cheat a little, if you had to, but keep the RPM's down.

Another reason for the remote tilt button on the transom is to make it easier to put on the trailering clips since you need to snug the drive down a bit on them. It's much easier to do when you're right there looking at everything.

Click to expand...

Thank you guys,
i may be wrong but i only remember one control switch on the throttle lever, an up or down,rocker switch not 2 rockers, unless you mean when the engine is running and underway and then when you push the up or down switch to trim the drive, the drive will automatically stop as not to go too high as to cause damage.....?

sorry....my first boat and i"m still learning.

Depending on the year of the boat, there were two ways to get past the "auto stop" range. The earlier style had a separate, square button for "trailer" or "tilt" mode. The newer style, incorporates the "tilt/trailer" into the same rocker switch for "trim" up/down. This latter ones works like this: The down rocker button always takes the drive down. The up button, however, has two positions. The first position (light touch) only takes the drive up so far and the drive will auto-stop. The first position only works when the drive is in the safe operating range. To get the drive higher (into tilt/trailer), you push the up rocker button harder. I'm probably not doing a great job trying to explain it - it'll make more sense if you go and play with it (do it with engine off for good measure) and observe what the drive actually does.

Thank you Dennis, i will print this out and take it with me when i open the boat in the springtime,
My gramps 540 is a beauty, no problems yet, right now they are in Fla.....trip went perfect as far as from what i heard,

Bill says hello,

Mark.

Great - I'm glad to hear they're doing well! Tell Bill and Pat I said hello, as well!