Operating Mercruiser Alpha-1 while Tilted
 

On Tue, 27 Jul 2004 10:31:27 -0700, "JD"
wrote:
My lauch site is very shallow. It would be helpful if I ran the last 20 ft
or so at idle but with the I/O tilted "up" at a position that it is slightly
out of the side constraint cradle. Is that safe to do?
===============================

Short distances at idle speed should be OK, better to find a deeper
ramp however.

Operating Mercruiser Alpha-1 while Tilted
 

No such a good idea for the rubber belows !

"JD" schreef in bericht
...
My lauch site is very shallow. It would be helpful if I ran the last 20
ft
or so at idle but with the I/O tilted "up" at a position that it is
slightly
out of the side constraint cradle. Is that safe to do?

-JD

Operating Mercruiser Alpha-1 while Tilted
 

On Tue, 27 Jul 2004 10:31:27 -0700, "JD"
wrote:

My lauch site is very shallow. It would be helpful if I ran the last 20 ft
or so at idle but with the I/O tilted "up" at a position that it is slightly
out of the side constraint cradle. Is that safe to do?

This is an issue that was near and dear to me some time back. The Merc
manual at the time cautioned that while operation with the drive
tilted up was permissible, they advised to keep RPM below 1200. I had
a problem with excessive drive noise with the drive tilted up, which
they were never able to resolve. Their final answer was to tell me not
to run it with the drive up (gee thanks!).

Running it in the up position exposes the drive to potential damage if
it strikes an object since it no longer has the support of the gimbal
ring. It also runs the universal joints in an angled position (Which
was mostly the cause of my noise), which could wear them faster.

On the other hand, running the drive down in shallow areas, exposes
your prop (and/or shaft) as well as the drive skeg to damage.

Many of my boating friends over the years have run their drives up in
shallow areas, when we beach the boats on sand bars, and none have had
any direct issues from doing so.

Dave

Operating Mercruiser Alpha-1 while Tilted
 

My lauch site is very shallow. It would be helpful if I ran the last 20 ft
or so at idle but with the I/O tilted "up" at a position that it is slightly
out of the side constraint cradle. Is that safe to do?

-JD

Operating Mercruiser Alpha-1 while Tilted
 

Take that universal swivel out of your tool set, put an extension on each
end, now spin it as you vary the angle. See how you get progressivly
increasing binding as the angle steepens? Same thing happens with your drive
universal. You can do it, just count on going through u-joints much quicker.
If you do them allong with the bellows annually as you should, you should
have no long term problems except for maybe the flywheel coupler and the
input shaft bearing on the drive.

"JD" wrote in message
...
My lauch site is very shallow. It would be helpful if I ran the last 20
ft
or so at idle but with the I/O tilted "up" at a position that it is
slightly
out of the side constraint cradle. Is that safe to do?

-JD

Operating Mercruiser Alpha-1 while Tilted
 

"JD" wrote
My lauch site is very shallow.
It would be helpful if I ran the last 20 ft or so at idle
but with the I/O tilted "up" at a position that it is slightly
out of the side constraint cradle. Is that safe to do?

If it's that shallow, why not just get out and push?

Operating Mercruiser Alpha-1 while Tilted
 

Rog-o, you got the message.
"JD" wrote in message
...
Thanks for the comments. The message seems to be "don't do it if
possible".
JD

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"JD" wrote in message
...
My lauch site is very shallow. It would be helpful if I ran the last 20
ft
or so at idle but with the I/O tilted "up" at a position that it is
slightly
out of the side constraint cradle. Is that safe to do?

-JD

Operating Mercruiser Alpha-1 while Tilted
 

With my new to me old '83 Mercruiser Alpha (don't know about those other
makes), as a guide when running shallow, I trim until I can hear the prop
wash, then lower a touch ... and operate with the engine at or near idle. My
opinion ... if the universal operates from side to side, it will survive an
equal up angle ... universal means universal. My opinion, if the bellows
survives the full trailering position, it will survive the lesser shallow
run position. For what it's worth, I've been out at least 60 times in the 2
years since buying the boat, and I would say I run shallow at least 5-6
times each outing ... weeds, shallows, running up to the beach. It never
occurred to me not to.

"JD" wrote in message
...
My lauch site is very shallow. It would be helpful if I ran the last 20
ft
or so at idle but with the I/O tilted "up" at a position that it is
slightly
out of the side constraint cradle. Is that safe to do?

-JD

Operating Mercruiser Alpha-1 while Tilted
 

Also ... my opinion, if there's (mercruiser) u-joint noise, fix it before it
fails on you. How to check ... put the muffs on the drive and run it with
trim and steering set so the universals are aligned (so that universals are
not required to work). Steer to left, steer to right, tilt up, tilt down ...
if you get noise, replace the universals.

..
"Bowgus" wrote in message
ers.com...
With my new to me old '83 Mercruiser Alpha (don't know about those other
makes), as a guide when running shallow, I trim until I can hear the prop
wash, then lower a touch ... and operate with the engine at or near idle.
My
opinion ... if the universal operates from side to side, it will survive
an
equal up angle ... universal means universal. My opinion, if the bellows
survives the full trailering position, it will survive the lesser shallow
run position. For what it's worth, I've been out at least 60 times in the
2
years since buying the boat, and I would say I run shallow at least 5-6
times each outing ... weeds, shallows, running up to the beach. It never
occurred to me not to.

"JD" wrote in message
...
My lauch site is very shallow. It would be helpful if I ran the last 20
ft
or so at idle but with the I/O tilted "up" at a position that it is
slightly
out of the side constraint cradle. Is that safe to do?

-JD

Operating Mercruiser Alpha-1 while Tilted
 

Not a bad suggestion, but won't my tux get wet? (kiddin')

JD

"Joe Blizzard" wrote in message
...
"JD" wrote
My lauch site is very shallow.
It would be helpful if I ran the last 20 ft or so at idle
but with the I/O tilted "up" at a position that it is slightly
out of the side constraint cradle. Is that safe to do?

If it's that shallow, why not just get out and push?