30 replies to this topic

[BassnChris]

It appears to me that the locknstow performs about the same function as a transom saver.

Is that right?

Is one better than the other?

Thinkin' about the long trip to Pickwick and back......plus Just curious.

[mc6524]

You are correct.  I like the lock n stow because it's a lot easier to use, more convenient, and actually provides a wider variety of adjusting how high you keep the lower unit.

 

I would not have anything else.

[Fishing Rhino]

There are pros and cons to both. 

 

Locknstow's main claim is that it reduces "road shock", whereas a transom saver transmits it from the trailer to the motor, and thus the hydraulic seals.  On the other hand the transom saver reduces the "road shock" to the transom, hence the name, transom saver.  I have my doubts that the force on the seals from road shock comes close to the force on those seals when the boat is under power on the water.

 

What both do effectively is to keep the lower unit elevated.  Take your pick

 

I have a transom saver that is spring loaded.  It has a stiff spring, almost like a valve spring which I partially compress when I install the unit.  The spring will absorb the shock when travelling rough roads or terrain.

 

How much strain is put on the transom while towing over bumps or potholes.  Does it even begin to amount to the force a big motor puts on a transom on a hole shot, or when a boat goes airborn over a wake (never a good thing)?

 

With a transom saver, whatever "road shock" there is is transmitted to the engine.  With a locknsave the "road shock" is transmitted to the transom.  At least, that's what both devices claim.

 

As for stowing, the transom saver takes up no storage space in my boat.  It gets locked in the back of my truck.  One time, I did forget to lock the cap, and someone relieved me of it.  If I had a locknstow, that's where it would go as well.

[Fishing Rhino]

I can remember the first effective devices that were used to keep motors tilted up while trailering.  Tilt the motor up.  Insert a two by four across the mounting bracket and secure in place with a bungee cord. 

 

Actually the first device was the tilt lock, but it didn't work out very well. 

 

This was back in the day when a 30 - 40 horsepower engine was an impressive piece of machinery. 

[Jig Man]

I don't have the lock and stow but I have the lock and haul.  I've been using it for over 2 years.  There are several advantages to it for me over the old transom saver.

[NitroZ9]

The term transom saver is  a generic term from years ago that is really no longer applicable. There is no way to remove the weight of the motor from the transom. Unlike in years past, modern boat transoms are made to support the weight and torque of large high horsepower motors. What you are really using now is a motor support. You are supporting the motor so it doesn't move around when trailering. Movement of the motor will be introduced into every one of it's components and can eventually result in failure(s). The "transom saver" that attaches to the trailer introduces road shock into your motor. Even if you are using steering clips, the motor will move, as the clips cannot be made tight enough to be installed/removed and still prevent movement. If you are using the old style support that attaches to the trailer, push your motor from side to side and notice the movement. That movement is amplified going down the road. The Lock-n-Haul will completely stop all movement and does not use off-set pins to support the weight of the motor. It supports the weight in a straight line between the mounting bracket and steering pivot bolts.      

[Fishing Rhino]

I could move the motor from side to side in the Z-7 I owned because it was cable steering.  ON my Z-8,with hydraulic steering,  the motor will not budge from side to side, even when it's just hanging on the transom without the "saver" installed.

 

I'm of the understanding is that the main purpose of any of the devices is to prevent the lower unit from striking the pavement, especially when being towed.

 

Interesting info from the Mercury Marine website.

 

What precautions should I take when trailering my outboard powered boat with the engine attached?

 

Trailer your boat with the outboard tilted down (vertical operating position). Shift the outboard to forward gear. This prevents the propeller from spinning freely. If additional ground clearance is required, the outboard should be tilted up using an accessory outboard support device. Refer to your local dealer for recommendations. Additional clearance may be required for railroad crossings, driveways and trailer bouncing.

 

IMPORTANT: Do not rely on the power trim/tilt system or tilt support lever to maintain proper ground clearance for trailering. The outboard tilt support lever is not intended to support the outboard for trailering.

 

http://www.mercuryma...lts/#trailering

[Al Wolbach]

I have both and don't believe there is a nickels worth of difference in them. I was given the lock'n stow and I kept forgetting to remove it when I launched so I went back to the transom saver. The transom saver came with my 98 Champion and the motor does not move with it installed and I have not had any problems except the little rubber gromets wearing out on the motor end of it. Both appear to work equally well and I believe it gets down to who's sales propaganda you want to believe..............................Al

[james 14]

I have both and don't believe there is a nickels worth of difference in them. I was given the lock'n stow and I kept forgetting to remove it when I launched so I went back to the transom saver. The transom saver came with my 98 Champion and the motor does not move with it installed and I have not had any problems except the little rubber gromets wearing out on the motor end of it. Both appear to work equally well and I believe it gets down to who's sales propaganda you want to believe..............................Al

 

I have both and don't believe there is a nickels worth of difference in them. I was given the lock'n stow and I kept forgetting to remove it when I launched so I went back to the transom saver. The transom saver came with my 98 Champion and the motor does not move with it installed and I have not had any problems except the little rubber gromets wearing out on the motor end of it. Both appear to work equally well and I believe it gets down to who's sales propaganda you want to believe..............................Al

So what do you do when the rubber grommets wear out besides buying a new TS?

[Long Mike]

From what I can tell from the photos, the lock'nstow does not do what a transom saver does.  That is, transfer downward shock loading of the motor to the frame of the trailer.  Instead, the lock'nstow transfers shock loading to the lower part of the transom.  The intent of the "transom saver" is to do exactly that - save the transom, and it works very well.  Whether or not the transoms of today can handle that type of instantaneous downward loading that the lock'nstow delivers is immaterial to me.  I'll use a transom saver every time.  One less source of stress on the transom.  Just a little further info here:

 

http://www.ripoffrep...saver-2fffm.htm

[BassnChris]

From what I can tell from the photos, the lock'nstow does not do what a transom saver does.  That is, transfer downward shock loading of the motor to the frame of the trailer.  Instead, the lock'nstow transfers shock loading to the lower part of the transom.  The intent of the "transom saver" is to do exactly that - save the transom, and it works very well.  Whether or not the transoms of today can handle that type of instantaneous downward loading that the lock'nstow delivers is immaterial to me.  I'll use a transom saver every time.  One less source of stress on the transom. 

That is what it looked like to me........that it was putting the energy into the boat vs the trailer.

I believe I will continue to use the transom saver.

[NitroZ9]

Following is a quote from the owner of Lock-n-Haul, Jim Smith, which may be of interest regarding this topic: 

 

“I've been manufacturing a 'transom saver' replacement since 2006, and have been involved in this conversation literally hundreds of times. You'd think by now I'd have a standard answer to the question about motor support and I actually do, but I think it's better to talk about the mechanical issues involved.

 

In the old days before the power tilt system, there wasn't any way to keep the skeg off the road so a pretty bright individual figured out that by putting a bar between the lower unit and the trailer, that problem was solved. That discovery evolved into a form of support that would keep the freely pivoting motor from 'pivoting/bouncing' up and down, and keeping the full free-falling downward energy force from impacting the transom with a thud when the downward pivot range was suddenly reached. In those days the 'transom saver' was typically strapped to both the trailer and the lower unit so that the free motor couldn't pivot upward and off the trailer roller and hit the road, ‘ pole vaulting' the motor.

 

Boats in the past also had a lot of wood in their construction, and particularly built up in the transom for obvious reasons, and there might have been some flex in some of those transoms. On some boats you could actually grab the lower unit and push or pull to witness the transom flex in and out, and so common thinking was that by supporting the flexing transom at the trailer, the transom was being 'saved'.

 

Now fast forward to more modern times and advancements in every aspect of boat building have evolved to include structurally integrated wood free transoms, that are engineered to carry heavy motors that produce powerful forces to push the bigger boats up onto pad and through the water. Now days the power tilt piston is the equivalent of a solid support bar that holds the motor at any angle in its' range of motion, and hold it there solidly without movement.

 

So now that we have transoms that can handle the rated motor size, and power tilt systems that can keep the motor tilted, the only thing left is the fact that all of the motors rigging connections, the mounting and pivot bushings/bearings are still free to move uncontrolled on our rough roads, which is different from the movements that occur when the motor is pushing the boat through water, and the forces are mostly uni-directional (unless your prop is out of the water a lot like mine).

 

A 'transom saver' is really only a universal name for a motor support these days and doesn't actually share any load with the power tilt piston, and doesn't really save your transom. What you are seeing in your rear view mirror is not the motor 'bouncing' up and down, but shaking in all directions from the clearance in the bushings and bearings of the motors rigging. The more it shakes, the looser it gets and the looser it gets, the more it shakes.

 

The modern 'transom saver' needs to keep the motor from shaking and there isn't anything available that does a better job than the Lock-n-Haul. This solution is the first and only one that fits about 90% of all of the models and sizes of all outboard motor brands, and on any boat/trailer combo, that completely eliminates all of the clearance in the steering and tilt pivots . With the Lock-n-Haul properly installed, the motor can't move independently at all in any direction.”

 

 

There are plenty of boaters around the world that believe that trailer support is the best way to go. One consideration is the fact that by introducing a stressed connection between the weakest part of the outboard (lower unit), and an independent object (trailer) that can and does move independent of the boat no matter how well strapped down, you are allowing any sudden movement from potholes and such to directly hit the lower unit which can't move away from it because of the power tilt, and that thump goes straight through the motor to the transom. Another consideration is the fact that no matter how much down force you put on that style of support, you will not be able to eliminate all of the shaking. Even if you use a set of steering clips to keep your motor centered, it will still not be as solid as using a new style support that doesn't go to the trailer.”

 

 

Jim

[Al Wolbach]

So what do you do when the rubber grommets wear out besides buying a new TS?

Replace the grommets......................Al

[james 14]

Replace the grommets......................Al

Well........DUH! 

 

 

Mine are riveted in and I haven't found anything to replace them with yet. The plate holding the grommets is bolted on and seems the most likely thing to replace, however, I haven't found any of those either. I'm just hoping I'm not left with the decision to either rig it or buy a new TS.

[Al Wolbach]

Well........DUH! 

 

 

Mine are riveted in and I haven't found anything to replace them with yet. The plate holding the grommets is bolted on and seems the most likely thing to replace, however, I haven't found any of those either. I'm just hoping I'm not left with the decision to either rig it or buy a new TS.

Mine were riveted as well. I looked for a long time before I found them(about 6/7 years ago). The replacements have screws to replace the rivets(drill them out). I bought a set and was not sure that was the part I needed. Later I bought 3 sets to keep for the future but parted with them for friends. I saved the package. Now if I can find it I will pass the info to you. I am pretty sure I got them from Iboats.com.......................Al