Quick question on 265 recessed trim tabs

[grady_22]

I want to rebed the actuator mounting fasteners on my tabs, but was curious if they are screwed directly into the transom, or through bolted? If they are through bolted, seems like its going to be a pain to catch the other side...

One other question, anybody have any issues with the tabs not fully recessing back into their pockets? Tabs were removed for bottom blasting, sanding, and painting. Simultaneously, I cleaned all the old paint and barnacles off of the tabs. Before I reconnected the actuators, I lifted the tabs in place and they definitely are unobstructed all the way into the pocket. Not sure why they are not pulling all the way in once connected to the actuators. The pump and switches all work otherwise.

Thanks for the help!

 

[DennisG01]

I have never seen a tab hinge that is through bolted through a transom. But you can either look down in there (use a mirror or your phone if need be), or just start removing the screws - if they only spin, they're bolted. But again, I can't imagine they are - there's no need for it.

You might have air in the system. Just keep running them full up and full down a bunch of times to bleed air.

 

[SkunkBoat]

I'm wondering if someone replaced the actuators with the wrong ones.
In my search for info on replacing mine with Bennett indicator controls I found that my 265 has "short" actuators and the regular kit would not work.
If I were to use the kit and new actuators I would have had to move the upper mounting up, redrill hole for tubing....nothing that can be reached easily.

My opinion of tabs on the 265 is not good. They do more harm than good. If you don't know where they are they are dangerous.
I leave them up and never touch them. When they are full up they are flush with the running bottom...they are not hitting the recessed bottom

 

[glacierbaze]

Flush sounds good to me. There is no benefit from negative trim. Are you sure there is any travel even left in the actuator ram?

 

[grady_22]

I’ll post a picture tomorrow. In regards to the screws, I’m talking about the three fasteners that secure the actuator not the hinge fasteners for the actual tab.

 

[DennisG01]

I’ll post a picture tomorrow. In regards to the screws, I’m talking about the three fasteners that secure the actuator not the hinge fasteners for the actual tab.

Oh, OK. Same answer, though

 

[seasick]

I'm wondering if someone replaced the actuators with the wrong ones.
In my search for info on replacing mine with Bennett indicator controls I found that my 265 has "short" actuators and the regular kit would not work.

What was and still may be called the Bennett Sports model tabs had shorter actuators. Often they were installed when something like a swim platform got in the way of the standard and a bit longer actuator. If that was what was originally installed but were replaced with a standard actuator, I can see how the tabs would not retract all the way.

 

[SkunkBoat]

Actuator-NonStandard-Hydraulic-Install-Options-WEB.pdf

 

[Fowl Hooked]

Can't say if they're bolted or not but I'd agree with Dennis and say probably not.

No issues with them retracting fully outside of operator error not holding the button long enough. I've never liked relying on the sound of the pump as the sign that they're fully retracted as it doesn't seem to be an accurate indicator so I looked into adding the indicator kit a couple years ago. Talked with my dealer about how they access the hydraulics on the back side and they told me the actuators for the 265 were 'custom' from Bennett, that none of the kits would work, and you had to get custom indicator rods from Bennett. I don't know if he was referencing the non-standard actuators or if it was something truly custom but in any case I opted to not do it for all the same reasons that Skunk laid out.

But I do like them and I do use them, not very much at any time but for leveling the boat while running or putting the nose down to run through slop at speed they work well. So, fast forward to right now and the boat is at Tri-State having indicators installed along with the regular off-season work I have them do. Going to cost more (quote was about $900) but that few hundred dollars in labor that I'm paying for is worth it this time to avoid what I'm certain would have been a giant PITA and loads of frustration had I tried doing it myself.

 

[SkunkBoat]

When I looked into it my tabs have three rings AND they have less than 1" of shaft exposed.
Realizing it was going to be a royal PIA to do the job and expensive and I would have to special order something and I don't really like the tabs anyway..
I just dropped the idea. So I don't know the final answer....

 

[grady_22]

So I never got the pictures, but this morning I went out and took out the screws securing the actuators and in addition to the poor level of sealant that was sealing that hole in the transom, I found the that port actuator was seeping fluid out of the pipe nipple connection. It then proceeded to just break right off and spray me down with ATF which was awesome. So looks like I need to replace that actuator before I retest as the threads on the actuators are plastic and they are gone where the nipple broke off inside.

I am wondering if that was the issue with them fully retracting, ie. there was an air leak that wasnt allowing them to fully cycle.

Next question, it looks like I definitely need the A1200S actuator based on the document that was posted. Can anyone confirm?

 

[grady_22]

Also how much of a btch is it going to be to access the inside of the transom where that pipe nipple comes through for the actuator?

 

[SkunkBoat]

Very High level of pain.

You have to remove the bilge deck lid and shrink down to 3 feet tall and get down in there and grow your arm 2 feet and grow 2 more elbows and eyes on your knuckles...

I was just out there looking at it. Not possible to even touch it with a fingertip.

Good Luck.



sorry about the dust...I'm grinding for transducers...

 

[grady_22]

I was taking a look at putting a small 4 inch screw in deck plate in the position seen in the picture below. It looks like I should have access with this? Not sure and don’t want to cut a hole for nothing.

 

[SkunkBoat]

I don't know that a 4" hole gets your hand on it but you are on the right track.

 

[grady_22]

I can easily reach most of my forearm into the opening I will create for that plate. Provided I can just reach straight down and not around a bunch of stuff which it appears I should be able to do based on your picture I think it might work.

 

[grady_22]

What direction is that picture facing? Starboard chine?

 

[SkunkBoat]

stbd side looking from bilge pump area

maybe you get one hand on it but you can't see with your arm in the hole. your not getting your elbow in there

 

[grady_22]

So dug around in my boat this afternoon and think I might have a plan for the actuator. It seems like someone might have done some work on this one at some point in the past as the starboard side, the 90 degree fitting it right up against the inside of the transom. On the port side (which is the problem side) there was a good 3/4 of an inch of extra pipe nipple protruding through the inside of the transom. I was able to have someone wiggle and push from the port quarter battery compartment and I pulled from the outside and not have about 3/4 of an inch protruding from the outside. I’m thinking I might be able to get some sort of coupler to attach an additional short section of pipe nipple on the end of what is existing on the outside and then attach/thread the new actuator carefully from the outside, then push the extra length of pipe nipple back into the transom. There is plenty of room on the inside to accommodate another 3/4 or 1 inch of nipple. This seems like the most worthwhile approach at the moment. Going to be really difficult to get any hand tools on the 90 and associated fittings inside and have any meaningful throw with a wrench etc.

 

[grady_22]

Does anyone know what the thread size and pitch is for the Bennett pipe nipples?

EDIT: Did some digging online and it seems like its nothing special, just 1/8 NPT.