Manually raising stern drive

[RILTD]

My trim won't go up on my mercruiser stern drive. I need to take it in for repair. However it is in the down position, how do it get the stern drive up if my hydraulics won't work?

 

[Spuddy]

Hope you get a reply - but mtorboat forum is likely to be more help. This one was hijacked early on by us people who use hankies for propulsion.

 

[StevenJMorgan]

There should be a screw somewhere near the hydraulic pump which you undo a few turns - it releases the pressure and you can manually lift the leg - hold it up and crank the screw back up. Never had to do it on a sterndrive but have done it on loads of mercury outboards and i imagine the same must be possible on a sterndrive - at least the sterndrive will be lightish - I nearly put my back out manually tilting a 250hp outboard!! Good luck!

 

[BrendanS]

there's actually a very significant proportion of stinkies who use this forum too

 

[duncan]

apart from the relative weights - my mercruser BIII drive (lower its only) weighs as much as my 175 OB did in total - I agree.

Howevr I still think he shoud be able to get the boat out on it's trailer with the drive down taking due care etc then sort it out.

 

[BrendanS]

agree, we've taken more than a few boats out with outdrives down. It just takes a little care

 

[Freebee]

the drive is raised by hydraulic rams, to raise it manually you have to slack off a hydrualic union to let fluid out and thus enable the rams to retract,this will let fluid out when you raise the leg so be prepared for a spillage.then put a rope round the drive haul it up and tie it off somewhere on the boat.