Effective setback on short-shaft motors

[badbait]

RA, when I started coming in with the setback things started getting better. When I got to 5.5 inches I asked my friend Froggy what was the least amount of setback he had ever seen on a manual plate. He told me about this 3

 

[2fast4mom]

Now this is getting more interesting yet. I am thinking since the family loves the grandsport so much, why not do some mods and put a nice, quiet, reliable and yet powerful motor on her?

I hear some new motors may be coming from across the pond in 2007, this will get more interesting as time passes!

 

[cj707]

Herro Roo!

Are you gonna put a Ricer on your boat? How could you go away from this quality 'Merican made stuff? The power heads last damn near a year...Sometimes more!

 

[John Richied]

I feel and know your frustration Lars… The guy working on the Merc product means everything! With a two-stroke the life span is short enough if it’s done right.

I still love my 1996 225 ProMax that is bone stock… except a few bolt on mods and still running strong!

And that I can tell you from personal experience.

 

[propmanjay]

Mercs

I sure hate to jinx myself but my 97 260 is still running strong at 8+. When it does go down I can't complian about my good old american made Merc. :grin: :grin:

 

[badbait]

Now Lars correct me if I'm wrong but didn't you have well over 300 hours on the 280 that Mercury built for you before having a problem. That would be a lot of years of running for me.

 

[cj707]

Brunswick bombs

consider yourself corrected Bill! I think I had right about 200 hrs. The first time. maybe a shade fewer. I heard excuses from everyone. Including Mercury. Doesn't matter now...12+ thousand bucks later. The only thing that lasted on that motor was the gearcase tooter sold me. Until I parked on a big rock pile at lake powell in Oct. Now even the gearcase has to be replaced! Oh, by the way. What do you think of that TK-7 stuff? I think I like it.

Lars

 

[badbait]

I stand corrected on the number of hours you ran your 280. I'm not sure how to measure the results on the PK-7 but I'm using it.

 

[fishnfireman]

Now Froggy is in the ballpark with that 180 pound number. I put a scale under the front wheel of my trailer when I had the 280 on at 14.5 inches of setback I have also done the same thing now that I have the 250XS on the back at 3.5 inches of setback counting the wedge I put on. The difference in tongue weight is approximately 172 pounds more tongue weight with the 250XS. I currently have 234 pounds of tongue weight. It sure tows better. When I first put the 250 on with 12.5 inches of setback I only had around 10 pounds of tongue weight.

Your telling me--- that by moving the 250 in 9" you lost 224 pounds of tongue wt on the trailer !!! :mrgreen:

That's one of those ( I'll have to see it to believe it) deals.. !-!
And there ain't no way in >>,<< if it's a tandem axle..

 

[catfish123]

I find the "tongue weight" post difficult to follow, however, I don't believe that is what he is trying to say. I believe he is trying to say that at 14.5 set-back on the 280 he had 62 lbs. of tongue weight and now at 3.5 set-back with the 250 he has 234 lbs. of tongue weight. Also, he had 10 lbs of tongue weight with the 250 at 12.5 set-back. Proves one thing at least....lol.........the 250 is a heavier motor. I would consider the combination of an XB2003 with a 250XS but I'm not convinced the additional weight of the motor wouldn't cause ill handling. I would love to try one though. Wow, after reading my post, it makes less sense than the original one..........I agree with you now Fishnfireman.......224 lb. difference it is and I would have to see that too in order to believe it...............LOL

 

[John Richied]

Re: Brunswick bombs

Until I parked on a big rock pile at lake powell in Oct. Now even the gearcase has to be replaced!
Lars

That sucks Lars, sorry to hear it. Is the hull okay?

And insurance will cover your mishap right?

 

[GFinch]

Re: Brunswick bombs

Until I parked on a big rock pile at lake powell in Oct.
Lars

Did you punch in the weigh point on the GPS. We've been to Powell once, what a wonderful place. WOW!

 

[badbait]

Fishingfireman, sorry my post is confusing to you. There are a few things that may help clear up what I was trying to say. First one is I do have a single axle trailer. Second is the tongue weight went up as the motor came in. I know that this seems like a very crude way to measure anything but it was the only way I could think of that would let me know how moving the motor in was affecting the front to back balance of the boat.

I will be taking my boat to the WAR this year and will have Lou drive it and I

 

[cj707]

John- If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have any. Tore the sh*t out of the hull. Came to a stop from about 30 mph.

Gary- I did gps the spot. But the water level changes daily at Powell. The rock was in Halls creek bay. I'll probably never go back there anyway. Too many wakeboarders!

 

[fishnfireman]

I think I understand the how and why of your taking a wieght at the tongue.

I'm having a hard time believing the numbers--
It says you gained 224 pounds of tongue wt by moving a 500 pound mtr forward 9" !!
I don't know you well enough to cry BOOshit.....But it is one of those deals that-- this ole country boy would have to see to believe!

 

[badbait]

I stand by those numbers because they are 100% correct. I was also surprised by the tongue weight difference at the time. I even reported what the gain was to Froggy and I think he was a little surprised also. This is the last I'm going to say on this subject.

 

[GFinch]

I don't have any specifics on the actual weight gain but moving in from 10+" to 8" was a considerable gain in tongue weight. From a grunt, to, knees togeather 1 2 3 LIFT! I'm going to have to get a different caster wheel chock then the donut I have.