Question about Trim Tabs

l-skynyrd

Hi all....

I know many of you have the same boat as I do (2002 342FV). Are our trim tabs electric or hydrolic? Also what manufacture? The problem I am having is when I put tabs down to get on plane faster I think only one is coming up. The boat lists to port really bad. Never did this until about 4 months ago. I have played with the switches and got the boat level, pretty sure tabs are up (?). Boat is in the water so can't see them. Where and what can I do from inside the boat to investigate this problem such as add fluid or check voltage or check something else.

Any help would be really nice, planning trip to San Francisco in 3 weeks and want to fix this.

Thanks for any help.

Len

Goods28

they are both electric and hydrolic. check your  fluid level and run them and see if you see any fluid at the stern. if so the hoses probably need to be replaced or the cylinders replaced. i had the same problem and got off easy by replacing the hoses. http://www.insta-trim.com

raybo3

Len on my 2002 342 they are Lenco tab's and they are electric. I kind of have the same problem. My boat was listing S/B. As it turns out my hydraulic out drives lift cylinders run a 2 different speeds. I was using my trailer button to trim out my boat and the port side lifts much faster than the starboard side. What was happening is my port out drive was up a little when I thought it was down. BTW I do not like the electric trim tabs. Electric motor sitting in salt water is not a good mix IMO....

LaRea

If the switch at the helm looks like this, you have Lenco electric trim tabs:

http://www.lencomarine.com/index.php/products/lenco-switch-kits/led-indicator-switch-kit-single  

Here's an easy way to tell whether both trim tabs are working.  From the swim platform, reach down with a boat hook and touch the edge of the trim tab while a helper presses the up/down buttons.  Count how many seconds it takes to go through the full range of travel.  The port and stbd tabs should be the same.

Black_Diamond

A nice and simple upgrade to the Lenco actuators is the newer style controller and switches that retract the tabs at power off and light up to show you the tab position too.

IF you have one stuck, it is worth getting to quick.  I had one crack a few years ago and the electrical current leakage really ratted up my fresh rebuilt/painted out drives.  Not a happy camper about that.

l-skynyrd

Ray...

Are you saying that on your boat the motors for the trim tabs are on the outside of the boat?  On mine the only thing on the outside is the tab and what looks like a hydrolic cylinder.

LaRea..Just before reading you post I was thinking about using the boat hook as you said to check them.

So I guess I will check them with the boat hook then go crawl around the engine compartment to find the motor and pump or what ever I need to find. Any one know where these thing are and what type of fluid they use?

MarkB

This is what a LENCO trim tab looks like, and it is electric.

l-skynyrd

Mark....

That is kind off what mine look like. I never paid much attention to them the last time the boat was hauled so not sure. I don't remember seeing anything on the inside of the boat, so I think this is what I have. Thanks for the pic, makes things a lot clearer. Will poke around with the boat hook and see what I find out.

summerx

• I had a problme with my insta-trim tabs on mine last year.  had a cracked hose and the fluid leaked out.  On the port side transom you will see a motor and fluid resevoir.  if yours are not lenco, add automatic transmission fluid to that resevoir and see if it fixes the problem.  mine worked for one day after refilling, then it was empty again.  replaced a cracked hose and all was good.

MarkB

Be careful there's also a reservoir on the port side (of my boat anyhow) for drive tilt mechanism. Don't mix them up.

raybo3

Yes Len the Lenco trim tabs are an basically an electric motor and sits in the water.  

howardrams

Yes electric trim tabs resemble hydraulic cylinders, but they are like the power door lock actuators on some cars, the motor drives a pinion gear that moves a shaft like a steering rack.  The motor only turns a few revolutions to extend the shaft.  The rubber thing that looks like a hydraulic hose is the wire.

l-skynyrd

Thanks again for all the info, I have learned a lot.

Len