Bravo III Trim Cylinders Stuck Opposite

[Fill Ess]

I had the marina pull both drives in the spring and do an overhaul due to lack of time.

At the end of the season after haul, I left both drives down.

When they pulled the drives, all 4 cylinders were attached at the transom end and extended all the way out.

After they put the drives back on, they told me I needed a new pin at the drive end (the big pin where you attach the cylinders) so that drive did not have the cylinders attached.

When the pin arrived, I went to check on it and they said it was all set but one cylinder was all the way in (attached to the pin) and the other is all the way out (loose). When I try to trim the drive, the motor spins in either direction but neither cylinder will move.

I know one or both of the cylinders COULD be stuck, but both operated just fine recently.

For the one that's unattached and all the way out, I can twist the end of the cylinder in either direction.

Would the fact that they are in this configuration make it impossible to work? In other words, if one is already fully in, and I trim the drive down, should the other still be able to contract?

 

[Fill Ess]

 

[scoflaw]

It should

 

[Fill Ess]

This is a fun scenario:

Hire marina to pull/inspect/service drives
Charge me 3 boat bux
The work is all set
Boat still not launched yet
Hmm, the work is complete, not sure why you're not launched yet. Should be next week!
Mean while boat is unlaunchable due to drive not trimming
Phone not being answered
Emails not returned

Could be a fire sale on a 300 DA soon

 

[scoflaw]

Sounds like the pump isn't pumping, both rams aren't going to fail at the same time. You paid the big bucks, tell them to fix it when they do answer the phone. Not sure how they could damage that pin either.

 

[Fill Ess]

Sounds like the pump isn't pumping, both rams aren't going to fail at the same time. You paid the big bucks, tell them to fix it when they do answer the phone. Not sure how they could damage that pin either.

The pin did have threads that weren't the best but I would have just ran a tap/die over them. I do hear the pump going.

Do you think if one cylinder was not pumping for some reason, could one cylinder lift the drive on it's own? At least a little?

 

[scoflaw]

You should see some movement. Pump could be air bound. After spending 3k they should figure it out

 

[Fill Ess]

You should see some movement. Pump could be air bound. After spending 3k they should figure it out

No argument there!

 

[Bill Curtis]

The cylinders are connected in parallel, hydraulically. It is common they move differently when disconnected, but when one hits the upper / lower limit, the other one will move and catch up. Since they are normally mechanically connected together through the big pins, it isn't a problem. Hydraulics, like water, seeks the easiest route.

After one hits limit, keep holding button in. If it still won't move, either the pump isn't pumping pressure, everything is air bound and needs bleeding or the dogging cylinder is seized.

 

[Fill Ess]

Finally heard back ...

Your piston is stuck -- this is a common problem. Will be 2 boat bucks for parts and labor. Would you like to proceed?

 

[scoflaw]

Sounds excessive, look around, and it should'nt take more than an hours worth of labor

 

[Bill Curtis]

SEI makes the cylinders, also. Far less than OEM.

Can find em on FleaBay, too

 

[Bill Curtis]

Takes 15 minutes to change out (if retaining nuts on lines break free OK) and 3 minutes to bleed.

 

[R&A Nash]

i'm not positive but i have memory of a trim cylinder getting fully extended once and having to manually retract by breaking a line loose and pushing it in some and hooking it back to drive in order to get it working, fine after that??

 

[Fill Ess]

Sounds excessive, look around, and it should'nt take more than an hours worth of labor

That's what I thought. Even if they are buying a new Merc cylinder, that's $600 so $1400 for labor? I could do it in an hour, maybe 2 once I replace the two solenoids and bleed the lines.

 

[Fill Ess]

SEI makes the cylinders, also. Far less than OEM.

Can find em on FleaBay, too

Good call, I picked up a couple they were like $180 each new -- compared to almost $700 for a Merc.

 

[Shenanigans77]

Id bust the lines loose on it and whack the end of it with a dead blow hammer first to see if it moves

 

[scoflaw]

Bleed them uninstalled in a vertical position

 

[Fill Ess]

Id bust the lines loose on it and whack the end of it with a dead blow hammer first to see if it moves

Thanks for that -- was planning to -- just to see if I get them both down (retracted).

 

[techmitch]

Thanks for that -- was planning to -- just to see if I get them both down (retracted).

Hope your lines are ok, they can be a bear as the flare fittings corroded. If you are close enough, stop buy with some wrenches and some PB blaster or the like and see what you have ahead of yourself.