Feelin Nauti

I need help with a drive alignment problem. This year, when checking my drive alignment, both drives are indicating the front engine mounts are "down".

1993 35' Fountain with 525SC. Stringers are great - no problem. Replaced the drives with XRs last year. Alignment was on "on" after replacement. Replaced gimbal / gimbal bearing with HP units along with XR upgrade. Replaced both couplers (with A11 model) due to wear last year. Using tool 805475 to check alignment.

How can I "raise" the front mounts to correct drive alignment? Is it even possible?

monstaaa

if their solid mounted l-channel, pretty much not .

hillbilly24

What you have to do to adjust it on solid mounts is put the front of the engine on a hoist and remove all but one mounting bolt from each side. loosen the remaining bolt on each side but do not remove it, then get the engine aligned correctly using the hoist. once it is where you want it redrill one set of wholes for the next size larger bolt and install and tighten them. Then remove the hoist and make sure it is still right on, if so redrill all the rest and then install the reamining bolts.

Payton

You should seal the new holes, right?

hillbilly24

No you don't drill new holes in the stringers you drill the new holes in the L brackets that attach the motor plate to the stringer and new holes in the motor plate itself. DO NOT DRILL THE STRINGERS. After a few years of small adjustments the plates will look like swiss cheese but they can be replaced alot easier then the stringers can. This is the downside to the offshore style mount. It was designed for race applications but has become neccesary in todays high HP wave pounders.

Feelin Nauti

Thanks for the clarification hillbilly24. I thought drilling the stringers was a bad idea. The pattern left in the wooden stringer after raising the engine and re-drilling would not support the weight.

How much "bigger" do you recommend for the new bolts? It would seem the larger the better due to the resulting pattern after re-drilling.

Linster

Going down is not a problem. Crashing on waves the engine can not fall down. Going up, I would think the only right way is to replace the Aluminum angles. I had to adjust mine last year. Both engines needed so much adjustment, There were totally new bolt holes. The 1/4" steel offshore mount will not drill straight unless on a press.

hillbilly24

I like o go go back with 1/2" bolts and don't use an oversized drill bit use the same size as the bolt. There are alot of ways you can do this but I have never had a problem getting the wholes straight just useing an air drill. just use some cutting oil and turn the bit at the right speed and give it good pressure so you don't work harden it.

monstaaa

not bad fix, how ever if you truly run the boat over some big stuff, routinely. then you should replace the angle with new angle. especially if your going to be drilling anyway. it is safer, stronger and will last. the re drill method works if you only need a little height. and mercury plates were designed to use 7/16 dia. hardened steel bolts, all for stress and fatigue factor's. not trying to dispose of any else's concept. just have seen things too many times, and i've learned what works. heres a finished product of the same scenario, with the extra gusset support atop.

Feelin Nauti

Nice looking setup monstaaa. I like the idea of using the top of the stringer for extra support.