Trim & Tilt Motors & Components

Trim & Tilt Motors & Components Resources and Information

Trim and tilt motors are crucial outboard engine components that control the trim of your boat. PartsVu offers a complete selection of trim and tilt motors from top marine industry manufacturers, including Sierra, ARCO Starting and Charging, Panther, T-H Marine, Arrowhead Electrical Marine, and more. 

Looking for more marine products for your boat and outboard engine? Browse PartsVu’s products and accessories or aftermarket engine parts.

Trim and Tilt Motors & Components FAQs

What does the trim and tilt motor do? 

The trim and tilt motor adjusts the angle of your outboard engine, changing the pitch of your boat in the water. This determines the smoothness of your ride, how well your boat grips the water, and your boat’s ability to jump on a plane. 

What manufacturers does ARCO offer replacement parts for? 

ARCO makes OEM replacement parts for the following original manufacturers: Chris Craft, Chrysler, Crusader, Delco, Force, Hitachi, Honda, Marine PWR, Mariner, Mercury, Evinrude/Johnson Company, Pleasurecraft, Suzuki, Tohatsu, Universal, Volvo, Westerbeke, Yamaha, and Yanmar.

How is ARCO able to provide original manufacturer quality at a lower price?

ARCO offers OEM Replacement Boat parts are a fraction of the cost of the original manufacturers because we manufacture, quality-test, and warehouse our products at our facility in Pensacola, FL. "ARCO’s product return rate is less than ½ of 1% – the lowest in the marine parts industry" -- so we're able to continue to produce high quality parts without delay.

I have the 35LE mounted on my Ranger boat, and the actuator comes apart. What do I do?

It is possible that the unit was not installed properly at the boat factory, and this has allowed water to seep in through the breather tube. A new actuator and breather tube will need to be installed. 

How can I improve my outboard motor performance?

A boat that’s over-propped can cause your outboard’s highest RPM to be lower than the wide-open-throttle RPM recommended by the manufacturer. This happens because the higher pitch causes more resistance to the water, keeping your propeller from revolving as freely as it can. The wide-open-throttle RPM is usually between 5,000 and 6,000 RPM, but refer to your owner’s manual to be sure.

Running your RPM below the recommended range will make the engine work harder. This increased workload causes your combustion temperature to rise and will stress your boat’s internal parts.

An under-propped boat can also be harmful. If the engine spins above the recommended RPM, it’ll wear down the parts, and your engine won’t last as long. You can adjust your engine’s wide-open-throttle RPM range by changing the propeller pitch. Increase the propeller pitch to lower the wide-open RPM or decrease the pitch to raise the wide-open RPM.

It’s also helpful to experiment with different propellers. Find propellers within your budget until you reach the performance you’re striving for.

One way to know if your boat is reaching the recommended RPM is doing a wide-open-throttle test using a tachometer, and your boat may be already equipped with one.

Boats handle best when they run parallel with their at-rest waterline — you’ll notice a more comfortable ride, increased speed, and more efficient gas mileage. The bow of your boat meets the water at a specific angle — and that angle has a direct correlation to how efficiently you operate your vessel.

For peak performance, set up your boat to use less positive trim. Be sure to point the nose of your outboard lower unit straight forward. That causes the thrust from the propellers to go straight aft. If you’re unfamiliar with the term aft, it’s a naval term that means “towards the stern (rear) of the ship.”

Outboards or lower units trimmed out have the noses point down, and the thrust is directed up. That means the thrust isn’t aft, reducing efficiency and increasing fuel consumption.

What are the common ways for an outboard to break down?

Over the years, we’ve heard some boat owners ask “Why are boats so unreliable?” The truth is, Yamaha outboards are incredibly reliable but require regular maintenance to stay reliable. This maintenance must occur at recommended service intervals.

Boater owners committed to regular maintenance will also often ask, “How many hours will a Yamaha outboard last?” While Yamaha makes a diverse line of outboard motors, most models will last 1,500 – 3,000 hours depending on how often it is maintained, stored, and used. Considering that the average boater racks up 50 hours of usage per season, owners can expect many years of use. This said, we commonly hear of Yamaha motors lasting well beyond 3,000 hours.

Performing routine maintenance at the recommended intervals prevents many problems and significantly contributes to engine life and performance.

One of the most common ways your Yamaha outboard motor will break down is a fuel system failure. Whether you’re experiencing an intermittent bog down, poor performance, or complete engine failure, your fuel system is a common culprit.

• Ethanol gasoline: Only use premium low-ethanol gasoline for your Yamaha outboard motor. The reason is that ethanol attracts water, causing fuel to dilute through “phase separation.” Additionally, ethanol gasoline can also gunk up fuel lines and fuel system components due to additives used. To help prevent these issues, regularly use a high-quality fuel stabilizer.
• Fuel lines: Check your fuel lines. If you discover any breaks or leaks, you should stop using the engine and make any necessary replacements. Also, take a look at any fuel hoses with an interior liner.
• Fuel filters: The fuel filter is designed to catch any debris and contaminants that have entered your fuel system. Regularly replace your fuel filters to keep fuel running freely.
• Fuel pump: A malfunctioning fuel pump can significantly reduce engine performance and, over time, severely damage other components. If your fuel pump is not working correctly, replace it and any hoses that may have been affected.

What do trim tab anodes do? 

Trim tabs are essential for steering your boat safely and accurately. When properly aligned, trim tab anodes counteract torque pressure generated by the propeller for steering and helps even out “prop-walk,” a propeller’s tendency to rotate about a vertical axis. That’s why it’s called a “trim” tab, enabling a more stable ride that offsets unwanted torque. Trim tabs are often set at an offset angle for this purpose – aligned right for right-turning outboard motors and left for left-turning outboard engines. Most Yamaha outboards have a series of hash marks by the trim tab that indicate the offset needed for accurate steering.

There are three types of corrosion boaters typically experience:

• Simple electrochemical corrosion
• Galvanic corrosion
• Electrolytic/stray current corrosion

Trim tab anodes absorb these types of corrosion more readily than other engine components, so they serve as a protective barrier to save more expensive and harder-to-repair parts. 

Over time, these anodes—typically made of cheap zinc materials—will degrade and need to be replaced. As the material degrades, it begins to lose some of its steering abilities and its ability to attract corrosion. While simply cleaning it with a wire brush will restore it for minor damage, replacement is necessary when corroded to approximately half of its original size. This is why they are referred to as sacrificial anodes—the anode sacrifices itself to protect your engine and its components. 

Checking your trim tab anode(s) (and other anodes, for that matter) should be done minimally as part of your annual or 100-hour service.

What are the other types of trim tab anodes?

Bear in mind that there are several other types of anodes also located in your Yamaha outboard motor. Depending on your model, your Yamaha outboard may have:

• Lower plate/bracket anodes 
• Button anodes
• Internal anodes

While these anodes serve the same anti-corrosion function of the trim tab anode, their function does not affect steering. Replacement is a bit different than trim tab anodes – for example, internal anodes require taking off the engine cover to access them and may only need a light brushing if minor corrosion has occurred.