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yeller
02-23-2011, 07:50 PM
Just received my new EMI tabs. They look great. My only concern is they seem a bit sloppy at the ram pins and hinge pins. I would have thought it would have been a 'snugger' fit. Maybe this is normal. I never handled anything but the stock Bennetts before. Also, there is no bushings for the pins. Seems to me this may cause the aluminum hole to elongate.

I was thinking about boring the holes out and installing bushings. I could run them as is, and if the holes elongate, bore it and bush it then.

What do you think? Should I even worry about it?

fogducker III
02-23-2011, 08:00 PM
Nice units Glen, are you sure they don't have a thin stainless sleeve in there? The big Dana units I had did have a very thin stainless sleeve as well as a nylon bushing in the ends.

If it is a straight hole drilled through the aluminium I suggest boring it out to the next size and slip in a stainless sleeve that goes all the way through and be done with it.....:confused:

BlownCrewCab
02-23-2011, 08:12 PM
Call EMI and talk to Eddie, tell him that for this much $$$ it should fit better and ask him how you should fix it. He may send you a Bit and a sleeve. But once you drill into it and open up raw aluminum it's going to start corroding even in fresh water. Ask Eddie about it, He's good at customer service.

gcarter
02-23-2011, 08:32 PM
I don't know a lot about the various brands of large tabs, but the Hynautic tab parts on the TR are completely isolated from each other. The hinges have a pice of plastic tubing between the SST hinge pin and the aluminum tab and mounting plate.
Also the cylinders are isolated from the other parts. Also everything has a nice close fit.
I think I would be concerned too.

Greg Guimond
02-23-2011, 08:36 PM
Given the intended use and the cost you should certainly call and ask about the pivot. Seems a bit odd :confused:

yeller
02-23-2011, 09:35 PM
Nice units Glen, are you sure they don't have a thin stainless sleeve in there?No bushing/sleeve at all.

Ask Eddie about it, He's good at customer service.That hasn't been my experience. I contacted them twice before and never received a response. Maybe it'll be third time lucky. :crossfing:

The hinges have a pice of plastic tubing between the SST hinge pin and the aluminum tab and mounting plate.
Also the cylinders are isolated from the other parts. Also everything has a nice close fitThat's what I had expected. I was quite surprised to find otherwise.

Hopefully I'll be able to contact them tomorrow see what they say.

silverghost
02-23-2011, 10:44 PM
Are these trim tabs made in China ? ~~~

It seems everything I buy these days is !

I find that the quality of many marine parts these days has really gone down hill as more products are made off-shore !

If you mix Aluminum & Stainless Steel the two should be isolated electrically from each other.
I would also add some sort of zinc anode on each tab assembly ~~~
&
All parts should be electrically bonded if they are to live very long underwater !
They should also be bonded to your outdrive !

yeller
02-24-2011, 12:13 AM
Are these trim tabs made in China ? ~~~

It seems everything I buy these days is !

I find that the quality of many marine parts these days has really gone down hill as more products are made off-shore !
EMI advertises that they make their own products in-house, so sorry to say, but these are USA made.

CHACHI
02-24-2011, 05:48 AM
Don't drill to size, ream it to size.

Ken

yeller
02-24-2011, 11:27 AM
Talked to EMI and the guy said they they make them without bushings and the 'slop' is normal. He said the longer 27/30" tabs are done the same way and they've never had a problem. I certainly wouldn't send them out the door like that. In my opinion, they should be like hydraulic steering and not have any play.

I guess it's the old saying, you get what you pay for. I went the cheaper route so corners were cut. The lack of bushings just really surprised me. I'll probably look into getting bushings installed.

gcarter
02-24-2011, 02:36 PM
While your looking at bushings, maybe look at non-metalic bushings....
Along with some side mounted washers of the same materials would insulate the cylinder at each end at least.

zelatore
02-24-2011, 02:41 PM
While your looking at bushings, maybe look at non-metalic bushings....
Along with some side mounted washers of the same materials would insulate the cylinder at each end at least.


But Glen's a salt water guy - if he fully isolates the mount from the plane from the ram, he's going to have to bond them together.

I also agree that a small low-profile zinc on the tabs might not be a bad idea. I don't know that I'd tie them to the drive though, so long as they have their own protection.

Then again, now that I think about it I don't think Glen leaves his boat in the water. If it's only in the salt when it's actually being used, it would be no problem to keep an eye on the underwater hardware and monitor for corrosion.

silverghost
02-24-2011, 03:27 PM
They really look quite Heavy duty & robust~~~
I also like the very long & narrow tab shape .
They remind me of smaller race-boat style K-Tabs !

The bushing slack seems to be your only real issue !
It would bother me TOO !

I really like your new heavy duty race style trim tabs ! ~~~

I don't want you to get the wrong impression .
They are much heavier duty than the Bennett tabs we all see installed on the Donzi Classics.

I just would not be happy with all the pivot slack you mentioned.

The reason I also mentioned the anode & electrical bonding is because of the saltwater issues that my boats are always exposed to.

My boats always stay actually sitting in a Ocean City NJ saltwater lagoon all Summer from May -Oct 1st !

By bonding all your underwater runnng gear togeher~~~ your Out-Drive's zincs will also help protect both your out-drive & these new tabs which will be mounted close to your drive from electrolysis !
Bond each one with a heavy gauge wire on one of the mounting bolts of each part inside your transom . Connect this heavy wire to the outdrive & engine also .

If you do leave your boat in the water for extended periods of time turn-off your battery switch to prevent stray DC current on your outboard drive & tab parts .
Make sure your automatic bilge pump is wired directly to your battery ; and not through your battery switch .

Dis-similar metals close together in salt water is a real problem issue !
I have been fighting this issue all my boating life.

DC Battery leakage only compounds this problem issue !

The Mercathode II electronic system from Mercury also works very well to protect all your aft underwater metal parts also !

Do you plan on powder-coating your entire new tab assembly for corrosion protection ?

OR ~~~
Will you be using out-drive paint or Imron ?

If you do try the bushing route ~~
I would try to find some sort of fiber or Nylon non-metalic bushings ~~~if you do in fact decide to remove the excess slack .

roadtrip se
02-24-2011, 04:55 PM
Should I even worry about it?

No. Put them on your boat and go. These are nice pieces.

I have had three different boats with Mercury K-planes, the industry offshore standard, on them and not one had bushings where you seem to think they should be. They just aren't necessary, as you are going to have to try very hard to wear them out. The movement you descibe is normal, too. They will be solid on the boat and you could have spent the big bucks on K-planes and would have the same areas of concern, because they are identical to the areas you describe on the EMIs.

Carl C
02-24-2011, 06:11 PM
No. Put them on your boat and go. These are nice pieces.
I have had three different boats with Mercury K-planes, the industry offshore standard, on them and not one had bushings where you seem to think they should be. They just aren't necessary, as you are going to have to try very hard to wear them out. The movement you descibe is normal, too. They will be solid on the boat and you could have spent the big bucks on K-planes and would have the same areas of concern, because they are identical to the areas you describe on the EMIs.

Best answer.....

RickSE
02-25-2011, 01:36 PM
The new K-planes are fully bushed & bonded. The older models were only bushed at the cylinder end.

K-Plane Improvements (http://www.marinepartsman.com/Mercury-Marine-service-bulletins/Race-Sterndrives/2004/EN_05.PDF)

silverghost
02-25-2011, 04:18 PM
My shore neighbor's Fountain K-Planes are as solid as a rock with no play or sloppyness at any pivots .

This boat is four years old !

gcarter
02-25-2011, 04:56 PM
The new K-planes are fully bushed & bonded. The older models were only bushed at the cylinder end.

K-Plane Improvements (http://www.marinepartsman.com/Mercury-Marine-service-bulletins/Race-Sterndrives/2004/EN_05.PDF)

I like thise improvements.