#1 tip to add to your spring checklist
 

Check your motor mounts!

Merc's motor mounts are notorious for coming loose. Seems just about everyone that I boat with have had the motor mounts work loose at one point or another. Some boating buddies just spent 6 hours Saturday re-aligning both engines due to loose motor mounts.

Brian

I know that I have a bolt that's visibly loose from last year. How it loosened I have no idea. It has a lock nut on the thing.

I have found if you replace the lockwasher/nut that are stock for those mounts and replace with nylon insert nuts they do not come loose any more. I still bend the tabs over but that never seems to work for me by itself.

BT :cool:

easier fix, i removed the lock washer, and stacked stainless washers. once you have the engines aligned, and there is a solid base under the lower nut, there is no way the mounts can loosen. just tighten the top nylon insert nut, and your done...