Need help with a TNT hydraulic swim platform on a 98 450 dancer

Jul 13, 2009
868
Franklin Tennessee (Nashville area)
Boat Info
1996 500 sundancer
2001 340 sundancer sold
2001 270 Rinker sold
1996 240 sundancer sold
Engines
Twin 6v92 Detroit deisels
I am really leaning toward a 98 450 dancer. Howver, i was told today that when the seller set the boat back in the water, the TNT swim platform doesn't seem to be working correctly. According to the seller it worked great last year when the put the boat in dry storage. In the picture, I can see that the port side is sittin an inch or two lower the starboard on the platform.

The seller has no interest in fixing it, they have not even had it looked at. From what I am told, the boat has always been in fresh water. They say that the aluminum platform mechanicals are showing corrosion.

I did call TNT Lifts today and in a very nice way they went right into the sales pitch and cost of a new stainless lift for only $24,000.00. At the end of that and it came quickly...he said that some parts are still available. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to look at, what to ask and who to call...it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance
Steve
 
Possibly not much help...... but on my 1997 400DA with the same lift, sometimes it simply needed running up and down a few times to end up at the right "fully up" height and working correctly.

I always suspected that there was air in the lines, and after no use for a while it needed working to self bleed the air out.

Check that the battery is provuding full power, it won't work if the battery is low, and it is usually a separate battery for the lift, and check that the reservoir has sufficient fluid in it.

The other thing to check, do the rams and joints all need luricating on the shafts and bolts, they may be dirty, and sticking.

Graham
 
My TNT platform never comes up dead straight the starboard side always makes it up a few seconds before the port side the port side lags a little behind but then locks into the proper place.... This happens to be the side where the engine and heaviest part of my tender is so i am guessing that is why it comes up uneven, maybe it is a bit twisted. There is not much to a tnt lift system, have you gone and tried it out to see what is wrong with it...does it not come up and down, does the one side not come fully up??
Mine was not working at all when i got the boat, well so i was told it turned out that two metal brackets were put on there for transport by the previous owner and all i had to do was take them off! It could be something very simple like that, i would recommend going and seeing it in action to see what it does and doesn't do. As for the one side coming up a bit sooner than the other, when i raise the platform and the first side makes it up, if i just stopped raising it at that point the port side would remain a bit down... if you hold the button a few more seconds it comes fully up .... this could be the issue with the lift you are looking at.... it works fine in every way apart from that ...go check it out it really may not be a big deal at all.
 
Great info. I am not sure what it is and isn't doing. They say it was working fine before it put up for the winter, when they put it in the water they said it wouldn't work. They said it was carrodid. The boat was never in salt so I would assume it shouldn't be that bad.

Thanks
Steve
 
I do not think corrosion unless it is extreme would prevent the lift from moving. Hydraulics are very strong and unless it is totally seized I can not see that stopping it from going up or down. Unless maybe the rams are badly corroded and can not slide into their housing.

If it makes no sound when the button is depressed jump the pump directly to the batteries and see if it moves.

Now if it makes sound but the lift goes nowhere then check the hydraulic fluid and the hoses / connections for a leak.

I bet you that the issue is minor like wiring or a lose hose connection or not enough hydraulic fluid.. Let us know what you find when you go to the boat. I have a wiring schematic for TNT lifts would you like me to send it to you?
 
Ok.... this is a loaded question. I have a 97 (98) 450 with a tnt lift, and I am going to be guarded in my talk about the customer service issue, as I have differing opinions about that. I just had a 5000.00 repair done to replace cylnders that were leaking and not able to come up level. Frank has mentioned MANY times on this forum how much maintenence is required on these lifts, and I can tell you I have a love/hate relationship with mine. I love it when I push the button and it works....but that dosen't always happen. I would talk more about my 3 year experience with my FIRST GENERATION lifts which the company went under on....if you want to PM me. (when they work great I LOVE them, very sexy) I have ALL the spare parts onboard and then some
 
Just look at how the lift is constructed and what parts have to do what..........a stainless steel cylinder runs inside some telescopic aluminum arms....and there is no corrosion?......I don't think so.

Plan on spending big money to get it repaired if there is corrosion involved, and also plan to budget an annual haul out and some maintenance cost every single year.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
112,950
Messages
1,422,862
Members
60,932
Latest member
juliediane
Back
Top