How far Outdrives SHOULD come out of water?

[Kreole Kid]

I have a buddy (Chuck) that's fairly new to boating and has a 04' (I think 04') 280 DA. Well, I loaned him my jet ski trailer because he had a stereo installed on it and needed the trailer to get it to the stereo shop. I went to his house today to pick up my trailer and I noticed his 280 on a lift with the bottom of the drives still sitting in the water, so I told him to lift his drives ALL the way out of the water. He went aboard and attempted to lift them and they only lifted a couple of inches out of the water. I looked carefully at the actuator and it looked to me he still had another 10-12 inches to go according to the actuator.

What Gives? They won't lift more than 2 inches and are still in the water with the boat completely out of the water on the lift.

 

[Woody]

They'll trim up above the bottom of the boat, on my '05 there is a toggle switch just ahead of the throttle/shifter it will trim the drives all the way up. The buttons on the controls only move drives within the normal operating range.
View attachment 35351

 

[Kreole Kid]

They'll trim up above the bottom of the boat, on my '05 there is a toggle switch just ahead of the throttle/shifter it will trim the drives all the way up. The buttons on the controls only move drives within the normal operating range.
View attachment 35351

Thanks Woody, Exactly where is that switch you're referring to?

 

[PMC]

The switch (labeled trailer in the pic) just fwd of the throttles.

 

[Woody]

On my boat literally an inch or two ahead of the throttle levers base. It's a separate toggle switch mounted in the fibreglass. PMC beat me to it.:grin:

 

[AFD]

The "trailer" switch is only to be used when the engines are OFF. Even if the engine is started and drives in neutral the shaft is spinning and was not designed to operate at that angle. Just make sure he never starts his engine with the drives all the way upp. It will cause ujoint damage.

 

[Bucit]

The "trailer" switch is only to be used when the engines are OFF. Even if the engine is started and drives in neutral the shaft is spinning and was not designed to operate at that angle. Just make sure he never starts his engine with the drives all the way upp. It will cause ujoint damage.

Not true. I believe the Merc manual states it can be driven but only to 1200rpm's (i think) and will not do harm. I wouldn't do it all the time but where we boat I have to do it a couple times a year. I've had the boat for 4 years and everything is fine.

 

[blu-ray]

Two points, one is the difference between trim or normal drive variance and tilt which is higher for trailering. some (mine included) have a detent on the tilt/trim switch in which the drives will only come up so far but if you push harder - feel the click - they will then continue up.
Second Agree with poster that its fie to run B III's full up at low RPM, I have worked on MANY over the years + in our slip the cross bar is too low and will "tink" - hate it when that happens! if I don't raise them

 

[Joe5.0]

I had to put mine in FULL up trailer mode at idle speed a couple times last year due to shallow water. I wouldnt make it an every day thing, but the tech that pulled the drive for service said everything looked brand new. I try to have the wheel pointed straight (and stay straight as possible once in trailer height).

If you couldnt go into trailer mode under power how would anyone ever beach their boat?

 

[Kreole Kid]

Thanks Guys :thumbsup: