Add Trim to Volvo-Penta 270?

[73X18]

I have a 73 x-18 with a Volvo-Penta 270 and really want to have trim added to it, to essentially convert it to a 270t. Am I crazy to try? I learned I need to find and install a 270t transom shield and out drive. I have located both but would need a pump. Seems like I may be starting somethigni could regret. Any thoughts or experience out there?

[mattyboy]

What do you feel the trim will do for you? Before going thru all the work try the solas and run it in the 3rd hole

If you want trim that bad look for a 280t a much better setup than the 270t

[73X18]

I'm gonna take your advice. Just ordered the prop. I'll let you know in a few months.

PS thanks for saving me from my crazy self

[donzidon]

I don't use mine that much to tell you the truth. The response to up trim is not that noticeable. About 4 MPH more speed at the cost of the stern rotating down if you go off a big wave. Not a great tradeoff most of the time. The drive is deep, and it is not like you lose a lot of drag and see a big roostertail when you trim it up. For that experience I think you need a shorter drive. Others are far more knowledgeable in that area.

I would definitely try the Solas prop first. I intend to give one a try next Summer.

BTW - I think that the term is a 21 "pitch".

Thank you gentlemen for the observations and advice on my X-18 setup on the other thread.

Don

[f_inscreenname]

You all are crazy. Trim is the best thing you can add to a boat even if its just so you can go in shallow water. Also you will never have to fool with those over priced POS tilt drive things again.

[Ghost]

I'm with Mark on this one. Having just sold off my inboard in favor of an I/O boat, it seems like a waste not to be able to trim the drive. And while I'm not fiddling with it all the time, not even close, it makes a huge difference when there's a need.

All that said, it's not the end of the world to be without it, but it just seems like it does so much good for relatively little expense.

[Just Say N20]

Among the Donzis I have owned, I had a 1976 X-18 with a 270 Volvo out drive that did NOT have trim.

I also had a 1979 18 2+3 that had a Mercruiser Alpha WITH trim.

While the trim was nice, and I would prefer to have it over not having it, I have gained a unique experience with my current Donzi Ski-Sporter.

It has a Volvo 290 that has trim. What is interesting, is what the propeller brings to the equation. When I run the Ultra prop, having trim is very desirable as you need to trim a LOT to squeeze out the last few mph.

However, the Solas prop changes the entire game. It is something entirely different than I have encountered before. With the Solas prop there truly seems to be very little need for a trim-able drive. Trimming the drive has virtually no effect on the ride attitude. You can trim the drive up a lot but it has almost no effect on top speed, until the prop starts to slip and speed is lost. As you are trimming, the nose of the boat doesn't appear to rise at all, and there is no feeling of the hull loosening up and running free.

Whereas a Mercruiser drive requires trim because of the prop selection available, to obtain maximum performance, the Solas prop for the 270/280/290 Volvo outdrives provides excellent performance without trim. Max speed with a Solas prop appears to occur with more of the hull in the water, and the boat running flat. This goes against everything I "know" about boat performance, but it is what I have experienced first hand.

I have run the Volvo aluminum 23, a Volvo Ultra 24, a Solas 19 and a Solas 21 on the Ski-Sporter to make the observations outlined above.

[73X18]

Thanks for the comments. My question wasn't whether trim (not tilt) was good. It was really asking if anyone knew what was involved. When you say "relatively little expense" it sounds like you may know from experience.

Here's what I have been told so far (including beyond this forum):
1) the T in 270T does not mean trim. They didn't make it then (wrong)
2) you would need to recut the opening in the transom (wrong?)
3) you only need a 270T transom shield. The outdrive you have will bolt on (wrong)
4) you need a new/old 270T transom shield and a 270T outdrive, but use your existing lower unit where prop shaft is (?)
5) trim pumps are hard to find but you could any pump (?)

i am looking to see if anyone has ever really done this or really knows what they are talking about. Some people like to help, but bad information can be. Ough to sort out. Know what I mean?

[73X18]

Good stuff Bill, thanks

[mario]

Your best bet would be to find a boat with all the stuff you need and buy it there are alot off damage boats or junkers with the volvo dp set up with trim. you can get all the goodies you need plus the drive and all the lock down stuff try to find a fresh water boats most older trim cly eat up bad from salt water but trim and tilt will make your day you can beach the boat and get lots off air on top end

[mattyboy]

Thanks for the comments. My question wasn't whether trim (not tilt) was good. It was really asking if anyone knew what was involved. When you say "relatively little expense" it sounds like you may know from experience.

Here's what I have been told so far (including beyond this forum):
1) the T in 270T does not mean trim. They didn't make it then (wrong)
2) you would need to recut the opening in the transom (wrong?)
3) you only need a 270T transom shield. The outdrive you have will bolt on (wrong)
4) you need a new/old 270T transom shield and a 270T outdrive, but use your existing lower unit where prop shaft is (?)
5) trim pumps are hard to find but you could any pump (?)

i am looking to see if anyone has ever really done this or really knows what they are talking about. Some people like to help, but bad information can be. Ough to sort out. Know what I mean?

1. yes they did make a 270T it was a unique setup required everything to be of the 270T family, transom housing steering tiller. the 270t used one ram to raise and lower the drive

2. not sure re-cut would be the word drilling a hole or two maybe.

as I have said before in this thread you are looking for a 280T that will fit your existing cut out with the addition of two holes that need to be drilled. these holes are outside of the transom seal so care will need to be taken to properly seal the drive and holes in that area. the 280 used two rams.

3. it is best as has been suggested to buy a complete donor, a merc or volvo pump can be used. I found an almost brandy new one cheap locally from a donor boat. a mounting location might be a bit tricky



my reason behind my question was opening up the transom plate on a 40 year old boat can be an "IFFY" proposistion you might not like what you find. I had my non trimable 16 for 8 yrs and once i got the solas I did not think that an upgrade to trim was worth the trouble. yes trim is nice and if you are looking for the benefits of a modern drive reglass and cut a merc into it

[f_inscreenname]

Your best bet would be to find a boat with all the stuff you need and buy it there are a lot off damage boats or junkers with the Volvo dp set up with trim. you can get all the goodies you need plus the drive and all the lock down stuff try to find a fresh water boats most older trim cly eat up bad from salt water but trim and tilt will make your day you can beach the boat and get lots off air on top end

There's a couple issues this, first is the props for these DP's. Take a look before you even think of this. Props for those drives are few and far between and they cost a fortune. The last 280T I did cost less then just the props for a DP and I still had a 28 drive left over. Then there is the drive it's self. People know what they are worth and are not letting them go cheap. Then there is the transom work....


1) the T in 270T does not mean trim. They didn't make it then (wrong)
The 270T does have trim but they are real rare and they were a bit complicated along with the issues that came with that.


2) you would need to re-cut the opening in the transom (wrong?)
With any drive besides what you have will require some sort of cutting on the transom. The 270T or 280T will need holes for the hydraulics and such along with the shield being just slightly bigger.


3) you only need a 270T transom shield. The outdrive you have will bolt on (wrong)
The transom shield is the key for the 270 and 280T's. The drives tops (forks) are the same but the bottoms of these drives (shapes) are very different. They will bolt up the exact same way as the one you have now to either T shield. I prefer the 270 outdrive being the 280 has a huge exhaust system built into it. The prop shaft is shorter but that is very easy to get around with a little loc tight. The 290 is a whole different world. The shields are bigger (will fit over the hole for a OMC stringer drive). They added another piece to the fork and the fork its self is different. The drive its self remained the same but with out these pieces it will not work. Basically the 290 is its own beast. If you have an broke 290 and have a 270/280 in stock you can swap enough pieces to make work but to start from scratch is not cost effective.
　


4) you need a new/old 270T transom shield and a 270T outdrive, but use your existing lower unit where prop shaft is (?)
Not sure but I think I may have answered the question above but the prop shaft on the 270 is slightly shorter but not that much. I use a Solas (long shaft) prop on my 270 now and have used other long props. Like I said, a little removable loc-tight on the cone and ditch the metal locking disk and you can use any prop you want.


5) trim pumps are hard to find but you could any pump (?)
I only use MerCruiser pumps on all my Volvo stuff. No reason to use the over priced Volvo pump that does the same exact thing.
　
Hope this helps. These videos are a bit long for what you are looking for but he is what I have done in the past.

This one is a 280T,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBzcrm3w9L0&list=UUgjMt8W_HOufy0AI1DgW3HA&index=16 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBzcrm3w9L0&list=UUgjMt8W_HOufy0AI1DgW3HA&index=16)

　
This one is a 290T replacing a OMC drive.
http://supernova19.com/Hosting%20stuff/Monza%20Project%20II.wmv (http://supernova19.com/Hosting%20stuff/Monza%20Project%20II.wmv)

[f_inscreenname]

sorry double post

[mattyboy]

I had typed out a long response basically the same has f'in's waiting on moderation. Never mind it finally appeared

[mattyboy]

here is a pic of the cutouts I had posted in another thread.

you can see they incorporated the trim lines on the 290 inside the transom seal and also the 290 is totally different the trim rams attach directly to the drive not to the reverse lock mechanism

[MOP]

If you do some searching you will find several innovative ways to add trim with out going bankrupt, the easiest is to hunt down an original Elephant ear setup. Finding a 290 setup is a waste, there are "NO" rebuild kits for the rams Griz spent over a year trying. No matter which way you do decide you WILL love having trim!

[Kirbyvv]

I added trim to a non-trim volvo 280 in a 1978 X-18. I bought a 280T transom assembly (elephant ear type) and Merc trim pump and used my original 280 drive. We had to drill a couple holes for hydraulic lines and cut about 1/2 inch out of one place in the opening. We were able to get new bushings and everything we needed relativley easily. I love having trim, as it is shallow near my dock, but as far as adjustments underway, I just hit the trim button 3 times from full down and leave it.

[Pat McPherson]

One of the reasons I sold my 18 was the lack of power trim. I looked into adding trim to my Volvo 280 and found it was going to be quite a chore to piece all the parts together. I think the best way to upgrade the Volvo is to find a doner boat but your still looking at old parts.
If I ever go the route of buying an older boat without trim and look to upgrade, I'll glass over the transom and go with a newer Merc setup as the parts are so much easier to come by.

[smidgen too]

Making a power trim set up is not that hard. All you need is a Merc trim pump & two Merc Ob trim cylinders. I made many of these for Volvo & Sternpower drives back in the 70's by welding some SS flat stock around the lower gimbal. The Magnum I'm restoring now had the Roger Munn patented Volvo trim set up, I thought it just looks to busy and may use it on a different project. The first pic's are of a early model that worked well & never failed in any of the offshore races this boat was in. The other pic's are of my Magnum with the Roger Munn set up. If I find I need trim on my Magnum I may make up a new trim set up with a cleaner look I have been working on..

[maddad]

Smidgen too, do those lowers on your magnum have merc shafts in them? If so, are they holding up/have you put any hours on them?

[smidgen too]

[Smidgen too, do those lowers on your magnum have merc shafts in them? If so, are they holding up/have you put any hours on them?

Maddy's Daddy]

Yes they do have the Merc shafts. Roger Munn did all the mechanical work on this Mag for the last owner in Florida & said that he has had no problems with the shafts. They have about 8 years service on them running in the ocean. The Merc Mirage 23p work great for this Mag when it had twin 400cu small blocks.

[f_inscreenname]

Smid,
I came up with the same ideal about a decade ago. The main thing I didn’t like about it was the rams being mounted to the transom. I thought all that pressure on those 2 little spots could be too much for it. And then when I priced everything out I found that it cost more than the 280T shield that I got off of eBay.
Good work though



http://www.supernova19.com/ef9809a0.jpg