Help! Motor Mounts Out Of Whack!!!
 

See pictures at bottom of page.:

Motor mounts 502 MPI

The picture below shows the right side (AKA STARBOARD for RLW) ;) motor mount. The top nut was about 1/8 to 1/4" up. You can see the color change on the threads as to where it was. I also inspected the left hand side mount and this top nut is slightly loose. I have not touched this side yet, but in the second picture below you can see what I mean. Suggestions? What should I do? How can I align the motor again?

RIGHT HAND SIDE MOUNT

MOTOR MOUNTS OUT OF WHACK!!! (Post #12)


Here's the left hand side. (AKA PORT for RLW!;) ) You can see the top nut is lose.

I would not take any chances and have your alignment checked ASAP. If it has worked it's way out of adjustment you are just waiting for a coupler failure. If it is found to be way out of alignment, you might want to do a coupler and gimble bearing now before you are left boatless in the middle of the seaon.

Very typical, align the motor ASAP.

Jim,

I blew a coupler last year, get it aligned as soon as possible. I will cost you $1,000 to get the coupler replaced.

Those gaps don't look all that bad to me. I've seen them with the bottom nut all the way down. Those were bad. None the less, still have the coupler checkout out and realigned. Most likely you can raise the LOWER nuts back up until tight and your aliignment will came back real close, if not right on. Do not turn the upper nuts.

On an older boat of mine with that type of mount, I made a spacer to go under the bottom nut to keep it from lowerer again after alignment was set. It lowered 2 times in 1 yr, then never again after the spacer.

For future discussion, please use port and starboard for explanation purposes rather than rightside and leftside.
Dammit, you're a boater, behave like one.:D

I knew somone would bust me on that! :sorry: :sorry:

Good idea to check alignment but the top nut is a lock nut and is very unlikely it ever moved up. I'd say the bottom moved on you because the locking tab is not positioned correct in your pics

I just scheduled an alignment for it. I'll also pass along the info to the shop about the locking tabs. I'm assuming if the locking tabs are positioned as they should be, then the motor shouldn't move. Is there anything else that can be done to secure them?

PS: This forum is outstanding on deciphering problems. Keep up the great work. Thanks to everyone!