ST840
Well-Known Member
Lenco electric or Bennett’s hydraulic trim tabs?? What you got and what are the views for and against each ??
Lenco vs Bennetts
- Thread starter ST840
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MapisM
Well-Known Member
Neither - I've got Twin Disc on my boat.
Nowhere near as popular as Lenco and Bennett, but they make even their best products look like toys, in comparison.
Not cheap, but for any "normal" P boats (bar smallish ones), you could do worse than fitting them.
Otoh, for speedboats well above 50kts, Mercury K-planes are just the ticket.
Nowhere near as popular as Lenco and Bennett, but they make even their best products look like toys, in comparison.
Not cheap, but for any "normal" P boats (bar smallish ones), you could do worse than fitting them.
Otoh, for speedboats well above 50kts, Mercury K-planes are just the ticket.
Elessar
Well-Known Member
I was just googling Lenco trim tab problems..........
I had problems with a cracked actuator on Bennett in the past but the replacement was very easy to fit and provided free of charge despite them being very old.
The lenco have packed up after 6 years. The advantage of them is they auto retract when you turn the engine off and they have indicators. Maybe some Bennetts have this too?
To me it just seems silly to keep an electric motor underwater.
Hurricane
Well-Known Member
I have Lenco.
I did consider upgrading to Bennett but the cost was so high, that it was cheaper to buy lots of Lenco actuators and fit them as required.
Tip - if you buy the Bennett to Lenco conversion kit, you get two actuators for the price of 1.
I usually buy from the USA and wait for the delivery.
Actually, this post reminds me that I need to add a couple more to my stock.
I have used this replacement strategy over the last 12 years and I am well "in pocket" over a Bennett upgrade.
I did consider upgrading to Bennett but the cost was so high, that it was cheaper to buy lots of Lenco actuators and fit them as required.
Tip - if you buy the Bennett to Lenco conversion kit, you get two actuators for the price of 1.
I usually buy from the USA and wait for the delivery.
Actually, this post reminds me that I need to add a couple more to my stock.
I have used this replacement strategy over the last 12 years and I am well "in pocket" over a Bennett upgrade.
Elessar
Well-Known Member
Crikey sounds like I’ve done well with getting 6 years. How many have you been through?
Hurricane
Well-Known Member
I got through all the original ones in the first 3 seasons.
The replacements seem to have lasted longer.
There was a change in the Lenco design so maybe that made them more reliable.
But it could have been my fitting!!!!!!!
markc
Well-Known Member
Yep, Twin Disc for me too and they are pretty substantial. Their UK support is good too via their key distributor, was easy to locate a seal kit when needed.
julians
Well-Known Member
Got Bennett trim tabs on my boat, they've been bullet proof reliable for the last 14 years. The only issue I've had was this summer where one of the dashboard switches failed, I bought a new switch panel from the local chandlery and fitted it myself.
julians
Well-Known Member
They haven't needed any maintenance either, no new seals required. I'm amazed they've done as well as they have.
cstewart37
Active Member
We have Zip-Wake - in a league way above Benmetts on our last boat.
MapisM
Well-Known Member
On which size/type of boat?
I for one would be interested to hear if in your experience they are somewhat effective also as roll stabilizers, as the producers pretends they are.
cstewart37
Active Member
Parker 7.5mtr cabin cruiser c/w 300 outboard – When its ruff zipwake on automatic keep the boat completely level so you can concentrate on driving.
Bennetts we had were on a 11mtr cabin RIB with twin 315hp inboards diesels.
Bennetts we had were on a 11mtr cabin RIB with twin 315hp inboards diesels.
cstewart37
Active Member
MapisM
Well-Known Member
By level, do you mean that they are effective in correcting any LISTING due to crosswind and/or unbalanced load (both of which can badly affect how level the ride is, in a 7.5m boat), or that you can see a relevant reduction of ROLLING?
These are two very different things, the latter being the one I am a bit more skeptical about.
But if you say that they are effective also in this respect, I have no contrary experience, and I'm happy to take your word for it!
Next question would be about whether such effectiveness is equally remarkable on larger boats - if anyone knows, I'm all ears.
wakeup
Well-Known Member
Not an answer to the OP but I can definitely NOT recommend the QL trim tabs by volvo. I had a new installation on a boat 5 years ago and had three replacement blades and one controller within 2 years.
