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'1978 800 stringer drive tilt

floater1

Regular Contributor
After posting my own dilema about the tilt on my drive, and reading some old threads I guess I'd like to find out once and for all. I have seen it posted by some here that the drive should always be fully lowered when in operation. Now thats the ideal but when launching your boat and/or navigating through shallow water if you have the drive all the way down you know what bad things can happen from that. After doing some research for 1978 OMC sterndrives I found this info which comes straight from a 1978 OMC sales brochure. It notes the 75 degree Hi-Tilt that came standard on every '78 model year OMC sterndrive. No where does it say that the drive unit should only be operated when in the full down position. I'm not disputing the years of experience, knowledge, and wisdom on this board, but it leaves me confused after seeing an original OMC sales brochure.

http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2081175230101354590mjxYPL

2081175230101354590mjxYPL_th.jpg%22%20alt=%221978%20-%20OMC%20Stern%20Drives,%20Inboard%20Engines%20&%20Sail%20Drives%20-%20Page%2003%22%3E
 
Re: '78 800 stringer drive tilt

Yea and how is water going to get to the motor if the drive is up. And after running it and destroying the ball gears you will be here asking how to replace them.

i read it:
Where did it say to run it anywhere but up. When beaching you shut off the motor and then raise the drive and let forward momentum do the rest.

When launching same thing, launch with it up and then lower the drive.

The feature they are refering to is the tilt clutch, when you hit something with the drive the drive will come up and stay there. Well thats what supposed to happen.

Older drives as your don;t have the adjustment screw that i have to set the amount of force that the drive will accept to move up when hit.

So what might happen is the the whole drive breaks off the ears and goes to the bottom of the sea.But you won't sink if the transom seal is not compromised that is.

With a merc the the whole drive gets knocked off your sinking and you ain't gonna be able to do jack chit to stop it.
 
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Re: '78 800 stringer drive tilt

typical sales vs. service in that era.
Sales was saying it can do anything.
Service was selling this "Tilt Warning Indicator Kit"
convert
 
Re: '78 800 stringer drive tilt

Like I said I'm certainly not doubting your wisdom and experience at all. I was puzzled after reading the sales brochure. Obviously you'd never run it with the drive all the way up. I wasn't advocating that at all. But if you are going in shallower waters (not on plane, just idling) and you don't want to hit bottom you can't run all the way down either. Seems like OMC sales brochures back then were somewhat misleading?
 
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Re: '78 800 stringer drive tilt

I think that brochure is all about how you interpret the wording, no disputing that the OMC's lifted higher (great when changing prop, of course motor not running) but listen to what the old wise ones are saying here (hystat, Chief) and the others as they know!
 
Re: '78 800 stringer drive tilt

Bob I certainly understand that. I wouldn't be as far as I am with my OMC without ya'alls help here. I certainly would heed advice here versus a stinking sales brochure anyday.
 
Re: '78 800 stringer drive tilt

i had to change out a used prop i bought on ebay that had spun, turned out ok the guy let me keep it and returned my money, i did it on the water.
 
Re: '78 800 stringer drive tilt

When I first went to OMC stern drive school back in 1973 the instructors would preach to us that the drive had to be down at all times when running. Other wise you would get excessive ball gear wear. If there was enough space and time here I could tell you horror stories of what I've seen over the years from running them even 1/2 " up.
 
Re: '78 800 stringer drive tilt

Floater will be posting on how to change out the gears he ain't gonna listen to no old fart like me.
 
Re: '78 800 stringer drive tilt

Floater will be posting on how to change out the gears he ain't gonna listen to no old fart like me.

If I do its not because I haven't been heeding your advice. Just so its clear I have never run my drive at anything but full down especially at WOT. I do understand why it needs to be down. I was just simply asking the question after seeing that OMC sales brochure thats all. Chief if you were closer I'd take you out on my boat for a day and buy you all the beer you'd want or whatever you drink in exchange for your advice here.
 
Re: '78 800 stringer drive tilt

Can't drink beer, got diabetes. Iced tea is the beverage of choice now, not one drop vodka, nada none. It's a byatch.

Wasn't for the kids i don't know .....
 
Re: '78 800 stringer drive tilt

I had to power out of some shallows once..... running about 1500 rpm with the drive 1/2 up...sounded like the world was ending.... whirring and grinding and gurrrrrrr-rurrrrrr
I was scared... it was awful sounding....
but it beat paddling our way out
 
Re: '78 800 stringer drive tilt

I just read the "75 degree" information, and nowhere does it say that the engine can be running at that angle.

It specifically states that the Prop can be changed when up high, and I certainly wouldn't be wanting to try and change a prop whilst the engine is running.

Plus, I found out the other day, when launching my boat at a ramp that the higher out of the water the leg is, the easier it is when leaving the trailer, especially a tilt trailer, especially when it tilts sooner than expected.

Bruce.
 
Re: '78 800 stringer drive tilt

Well, yes actually.

I had my mate in the boat, with the trailer axle in the water, and I released the winch-wire from the bow, and released the locking bolt from the trailer to allow the tilting to take place.

Reversed the car down the ramp, and before I could touch the brake to get the boat to gently slip off the cradle and into the water, it suddenly tilted, boat went backwards, and my mate went base over apex onto the floor of the boat, and luckily I had tied a 40 foot length of rope to the bow, and tossed the end onto the pontoon beside the ramp.

I know I laughed heartily, after I jumped out of the car to grab the end of the rope before it followed the boat.

I am sure that if the leg was down at all, it would have snagged the rocky bottom.

Teach me to have rollers that actually roll freely.

Bruce.
 
Re: '78 800 stringer drive tilt

haha...wish I could say "I've never done that" but I have seen some that tilted way too soon and ended up launching their boat right on the ramp with 10-20 ft to go before they hit water!
 
Re: '78 800 stringer drive tilt

Seen that also, I don't let off the bow cable till the boat is in the water and just enough of the bow on dry land so i don;t get my feet wet when i unhook the cable.
 
Re: '78 800 stringer drive tilt

Trouble was that when the trailer was far enough in the water so I could walk around the back of the car without getting my feet wet, the stern of the boat was still out of the water. I had replaced the original rotted out 13" tyres with 15" wheels and tyres, so the "Deck" of the trailer was higher.

Plus, our Launching Ramps here aren't that steep.

The plan was to go back another 6 foot, till the car back wheels were just touching the water, and simply "Touch" the brakes. But, the plan didn't come out like it was supposed to.

But, at least there was sufficient water so as to not scrape, gouge and stick.

Bruce.

PS. Don't forget that this was the first time this boat and trailer combination had been launched since 2001, and in the Southern Hemisphere, and into salt water. Maybe it was in shock?
 
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