Thanks Eddie for taking the time to explain the process..... for those of us that haven't had to work on our transom assembly's but are always thinking about them.

My pleasure. Don't hesitate to call if we can help you in any way, even if it's just to answer some questions you may have.
Eddie

Eddie, So that's a magnum ring you drilled and tapped? So the center hole is not threaded on a magnum like a standard? And the 4 stainless screws create a stronger fit that than the bigger bolt. So its a pin a 8 screws that hold the helmet to the ring?

Thank you for posting this information.

Joel

Actually, it's the helmet that is threaded. The head of the bolt just sits in the hole in the gimble ring to center it. In the case of the SS pin, the hole in the helmet is larger and is not threaded. The (4) 1/4" bolts just hold the pin from falling out.

In this case, we drilled and tapped a standard gimble ring. The Magnum transom assembly has the larger HP gimble ring. It would need to be drilled and tapped as well since it uses the bolt instead of the pin so that an electric trim sender can be used. The head of the bolt in what drives the electric trim sender.
Eddie

Thank you!

Does IMCO recommend replacing the helmet AND the gimble ring or just the helmet?

I just put scx uppers and all new imco gimbles on my tiger, the imco gimbles are a little beefier in all the right places than the merc hps. They shift like a dream and i have that piece of mind now.

You must replace the helmet in order to even mount the SCX. The ring is just for added piece of mind. As OSD mentioned, the IMCO ring is beefier and therefore stronger. Once you start putting a heavy drive that can handle the power, a bunch of HP, faster speeds, etc. the ring will be the failure point. If that ring fails while running hard, or running hard through a corner, you will be in for a BAD day. I have seen boats hook and roll after a gimble ring breaks.
Eddie

Correct, you also have an option of a stainless gimble ring. being as the scx is heavier, it doesn't make sense to hang a bigger heavier drive on a ring that's not designed for it. in the big picture, the ring will be the least expensive part of the equation, especially if the other one breaks. I did mine all at once because I didnt want 75k in upgrades to my boat to wind up on the bottom because i tried to save a little money.

Money well spent.