# Replace springs on outboard lifting bracket??



## i_amcdn (Jul 4, 2012)

This was my first summer with my Edel and its Honda 8HP hanging off a bracket. I had to bust a gut every time that I tried to raise the motor. Pushing the locking lever towards the motor while squeezing through the small back stay triangle and simultaneously trying to lift the motor straight up was a grind.

This past weekend I pulled the boat and removed the outboard for winter storage. As can be seen in the pictures I can compress the springs on the lift bracket with my finger tips.

I was thinking of replacing the entire bracket in the spring BUT:
1. It will be a major effort to get into the hidden part of the stern to remove the 4 nuts that are buried inside the stern.
2. A new bracket will be about $350-$400 which would buy an incredible amount of 100% proof Mt Gay Eclipse Black.

My questions are:
1. Is it possible to simply replace the two springs?
2. If so does anyone recognize the logo that is stamped into the support bracket? I would like to reach out to them first for replacements.

Thanks


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## tschmidty (Sep 25, 2008)

Looks a lot like the TH Marine design so you might be able to reach out to them. Their 20HP bracket is only $146 on Amazon though.

Kicker Outboard Motor Brackets, Outboard Motor Brackets | T-H Marine


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## tschmidty (Sep 25, 2008)

The other thing is you could look at a block and tackle arrangement off the stern rail to help lift.


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## Barquito (Dec 5, 2007)

I'm wondering if the spring just isn't pre-tensioned enough.


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## i_amcdn (Jul 4, 2012)

A POX on all lawyers....

I am still waiting to hear back from TH Marine, as I believe that they have the type of springs I need, but in the meantime here is the reply from Garelick. (my current springs are only under tension when the bracket is lowered and yes I understand that fresh springs may be a more sprung.)

"For safety and liability reasons we DO NOT sell parts or springs for any Garelick Auxiliary Motor Brackets to outside parties. The disassembly and reassembly of these products requires a special jig and compression system to safely remove and reinstall the springs. These springs are under high tension and could cause severe injury if incorrectly handled. The only parts for these products that can be safely installed by a customer are limited to the tension knobs, the mounting board that holds the outboard motor and the safety cable. "


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## i_amcdn (Jul 4, 2012)

Further more I am Canadian...If I hurt myself doing something that you told me not to do, my first reaction is not to go crying to a lawyer. It will be to go get myself fixed up with our free medical care.
FR*&^KING lawyers are taking away all the fun.


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## i_amcdn (Jul 4, 2012)

tschmidty said:


> Looks a lot like the TH Marine design so you might be able to reach out to them. Their 20HP bracket is only $146 on Amazon though.
> 
> Kicker Outboard Motor Brackets, Outboard Motor Brackets | T-H Marine


To get to the inside nuts that hold it on will involve cutting access holes. I have no idea how they got the original bracket installed other than attaching it before the deck was dropped in place.


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## Stumble (Feb 2, 2012)

Those springs when new are under a lot of tension... It might be possible to build a jib to put it all together, but it isn't really practical. Having disassembled a few and put them back together at a yard with a custom jig... It really is easier to just replace them. And the modern ones are even worse, they are using even higher spring tensions to compensate for the heavier four strokes...

Just a FYI the modern ones are carrying almost 1000 foot pounds of torque in the springs. It isn't an easy job. The older ones are in the 500ft-lbs range.


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## christian.hess (Sep 18, 2013)

these are mine:


do we have the same ones OP?

I the one that is up has a good spring, the one down has very little strength

I too need to replace mine...

they are hooked up in tandem as my boat is pretty big for one liittle bracket

looking at mine I dont see where its soooooo hard to replace., its like compressing a shock...you sompress it...pop out bolt install new spring and snap off

am I missiing something here?

I need to find a new spring for mine or make one which might be tough...

anywhoo


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## christian.hess (Sep 18, 2013)

same?


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## i_amcdn (Jul 4, 2012)

christian.hess said:


> same?


.

Looks like the same concept. 
If you look at my pics above the springs do not seem to be under any compression when the bracket is 100% raised. Remove the bolt, pop in new spring.

I am still waiting for TH Marine's reply to my online inquiry. I will call them in a week if they have not emailed back.


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## mstern (May 26, 2002)

i_amcdn said:


> .
> 
> Looks like the same concept.
> If you look at my pics above the springs do not seem to be under any compression when the bracket is 100% raised. Remove the bolt, pop in new spring.


It seems to me that in order for the springs to provide lift throughout their range of motion, they have to be under compression even when fully raised. Certainly less than when fully compressed, but still under some tension.


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## christian.hess (Sep 18, 2013)

yeah one spring is loose when raised meaning its well spent...the other one has enough tension to not be able to move even when raised...

but I dont think its a massive amount of tension when fulloy extended, honestly my issue will be finding a stainless spring down here not installing it

cheers


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## i_amcdn (Jul 4, 2012)

Haul out done. Motor lift bracket is removed. I will spend the winter looking for best deal on a Garelick or equal.
There were 4 bolts holding the old one. The top two I could access nuts as they were on outside in a well just in front of engine. Two lower ones were trickier. I could either see them by sticking head into locker or I could reach them with arm stuck in locker but not possible to see AND get a wrench on the nuts. The nut closest to the locker was easy to reach with fingers and socket. The far one I could just barely reach with the socket but I did get it off by feeling around. I will have to cut an access hole in the spring to attach the new bracket.

I will also add a backing plate of something as the bolts and and small washers were all that held it in place.


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## redline (Feb 15, 2010)

When I upgraded to a 15HP Honda I added a small 4:1 block arrangement up to the stern rail. Made lifting the 104 lb (!) motor easy, even though it involved pulling the rope the entire length of the cockpit. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## OceanVince (Jan 16, 2021)

Anyone knows of a video showing how to fix/ replace the springs on a Fulton? Mine just came out today. Fulton MB8010 Outboard Engine Bracket.


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## cweis1829 (5 mo ago)

i_amcdn said:


> This was my first summer with my Edel and its Honda 8HP hanging off a bracket. I had to bust a gut every time that I tried to raise the motor. Pushing the locking lever towards the motor while squeezing through the small back stay triangle and simultaneously trying to lift the motor straight up was a grind.
> 
> This past weekend I pulled the boat and removed the outboard for winter storage. As can be seen in the pictures I can compress the springs on the lift bracket with my finger tips.
> 
> ...


Here is what I did on the back of my Com Pac 19 sailboat with a 5 hp 2 cycle on a 20 hp engine mount. 

1~Help lift the engine ... place two 1/4-inch-thick strips of UHMW {those white curled things} under the springs. 
This tensioned the double springs top and bottom. Thus, picks up more weight of the 59 lb engine. 

2~ To move the engine further away from the vertically tall transom with no cut-out like a normal fishing boat, and for full tilt and maximum lift and allow the control arm to be horizontal and still miss resting against the transom the 4, 10-mm aluminum horizontal-articulated arms were re-cut 5 inches longer and the drilled holes at the ends of the older and shorter arms were transferred on to the longer arms. 

3~Additionally this places the 15-inch short shaft engine deeper into the water. A new 10-mm plate was made and mounted on 4, 2-inch-thick rubber blocks. Again, the new plate sits a little lower than the stock 90 deg angles of the mount. The black phenolic engine mounting plate bolts to the rubber blocks. 

4~The rubber blocks are drilled for threaded 3/8-inch couplers, saw cut in half, and the halfs were pressed and centered into the rubber using a bench vice and pushing spacers. Remove the pushing spacers and bolt the new plate and phenolic plate into the vibration absorbing rubber. [no straight through bolts, thus limiting vibration.]

5~ Miscellaneous modifications. *Do away with the internal gas tank, selector valve and plumbing. *A used direct snowmobile gasoline rubber hose and barbed fittings. *A shut off gasoline valve added. *A rope and PVC yellow handle were run through the push-to-unlock locking bar. *This makes reaching and pulling the engine up easier. *a steel rod and small hyme joint with fabricated handle was fitted to the Fwd-N-Rev engine control. *And lastly the Top`O Locking bar was saw cut at an angle to clear the boat's stern rub rail for maximum lift and tilt. * Been working fine for about 12 years.


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