How does power trim work?

Asked by: Raja Lewis

An electric pump runs the hydraulic fluid in the power tilt and trim system, and if you get a leak, the hydraulic fluid will ooze out and allow air to replace it in the system. When that happens, the motor will usually tilt all the way down and will not go up or will stick.

What is the difference between power tilt and power trim?

The difference between tilt and trim on a boat is referencing the location of the outboard or the drive of the inboard. Trimming is used when underway and goes about 20 degrees of the way up and tilting is coming all the way up for storage. Did you know there are ways to use your trim to improve your fuel economy?

What does power trim do?

To give boaters the ability to adjust and maintain the proper angle, outboard and sterndrives feature a power trim adjustment that gives you the ability to tilt the drives’ angle out or in. However, this means the propeller handles the power trim, which was designed to force the boat in a forward motion.

How does a trim tilt motor work?

When you hit that button down up you'll activate two motors under the engine here the the tilt ramp which is this big one here it's not as powerful.

How do you use power trim?

You get the boat up on plane the general rule of thumb is you hold your trim. Button in the up position for a count of 1,001 1,002 1,003 as you can see puts us about 1/4 up on the gauge.

Should I leave my outboard motor up or down?

It’s best to tilt your outboard up when leaving your boat in the water to prevent marine growth from forming and from corrosion eating away at its metal parts.

Can I use power steering fluid in my power trim?

You will be fine. If there is any change in the speed of the the tabs, that will be short lived until the fluids gets all mixed together. Chances are you won’t notice any difference. ATF and power steering are pretty close in viscosity, 30wt motor oil is way more viscous.

When should I trim my outboard motor?

You can visually tell when that happens by watching the wake. The water that's being shed off the hole. And once that begins to go away then you know you're riding back on the pad of the hull.

Are self leveling trim tabs worth it?

Not really a great option and actually tabs for any boat that runs on a pad are not a great option.

What kind of fluid goes in tilt trim?

hydraulic fluid

An electric pump runs the hydraulic fluid in the power tilt and trim system, and if you get a leak, the hydraulic fluid will ooze out and allow air to replace it in the system. When that happens, the motor will usually tilt all the way down and will not go up or will stick.

Why does the front of my boat go up?

Porpoising, or the bow bobbing up and dow, is caused by over-trimming at cruising speed; there’s no longer enough hull in the water to support the weight of the boat. Either trim down a little until the porpoising stops, or increase boat speed slightly to create more lifting force under the hull.

How do you stop Porpoising on a boat?

Start just a little bit bouncing up and down and it starts to develop a rhythm that gets worse and worse and worse the next thing you know you're really bouncing up and down.

How can I make my boat plane go faster?

First trim the engines. And all the way. Then tell everyone to hold on and accelerate gradually on to plane.

Will a 4 blade prop make my boat plane faster?

A 3 blade propeller usually offers top speed performance while a 4 blade propeller provides maximum thrust and smooth cruising operation. Four blades have some features of their own, though. They often provide more lift at the stern which will help accelerate the hull, especially if it is stern heavy.

Why does my boat struggle to plane?

There are many reasons for a boat not planing efficiently. The most common are overloading and failure to distribute weight properly. Another major cause is incorrect tilt of the outboard motor, which changes the angle of the hull relative to the water surface.

How fast should my boat get on plane?

Size, shape weight and power are the determining factors in planing. Some boats have no problem getting on plane at speeds less than 20 MPH, most do not. While they can be on plane at speeds under 25 they end up plowing to get on plane or exceed the speed limit to achieve it.

Will a new prop make my boat go faster?

Change Your Propeller



If you are running an aluminum prop, changing to even a basic stainless steel prop will usually improve top speed. Because stainless steel is stronger than aluminum, the blades on a stainless prop can be thinner, which reduces drag in the water.

How can I make my boat hull faster?

Well if you're turning in the low end of that range you might be able to drop an inch in pitch. And bump it up a couple hundred rpm as that prop spins faster. You'll move faster.

How do you trim a boat in rough water?

When learning how to trim a boat in rough water, you will need to lower your trim tabs by using the trim tab switch at the helm. Trim tabs are lowered in order to bring your bow down when operating at a slower speed in rough waters.

Do trim tabs help in shallow water?

Use trim tabs when pulling skiers; by dropping the tabs down, the driver can lift the stern and lower the bow to plane more quickly. Helping a boat jump on plane faster and in shorter distance is also beneficial for anglers fishing in shallow water.

Where should my outboard sit in the water?

So if you're a three feet from the bottom of the hole.

How do you drive a boat with trim tabs?

As the boat accelerates, push the “bow down” position of the trim tab control in short bursts. The boat reacts by the stern lifting, the bow coming down, speed increasing, and reduced engine laboring. If you over-do it and deflect the tabs too far the boat will end up over-trimmed.

Will trim tabs slow you down?

With trim tabs, you can now slow the boat down and trim the tabs to the fully down position allowing the boat to be slowed down but keeping the bow down.

Do trim tabs use more fuel?

This adjustment is extremely inefficient and reduces boat speed and increases fuel consumption, because trimming of the outdrive pushes water down to allow the transom to rise and bow to lower.

Do trim tabs increase top speed?

Tabs Don’t Increase Speed



Virtually every performance boat has trim tabs. Lowering them improves your boat’s ride in rough seas because they force down the bow, keeping more running surface in the water. Raising them in calm water reduces drag, but using tabs doesn’t make your boat faster.

What is better hydraulic or electric trim tabs?

Durability is the biggest advantage of hydraulic over electric systems. Common sense tells you that electrical components are more susceptible to damage when submerged. If the O-rings inside an electric actuator fail, water will flood the actuator.

Do trim tabs help get on plane?

Properly sized trim tabs can significantly reduce the time needed to get up on plane. They also allow a boat to keep its bow down and stay on plane at lower speeds.