Bennett Trim Tab Installation Question

[esfishdoc]

I have in my possession the 30 X 9 kit from Bennett and as I size up the job and measure with eyeball accuracy for now I'm thinking that getting the hydraulic line to run directly through the transom and run into the ram exactly where it needs to be mounted might be either very difficult or impossible. It looks like the easy way would be to run the lines through an easily accessible spot and then to the rams......

If this is the case I would need some extra parts and a different ram or modification to the ram.

Has anyone tackled this with your installation?

I'm in the very early stages of this so the questions may turn out to be a bit premature... and maybe it has been covered.

I'm going to post this question at THT for Tabman also.

I've got plenty of time before I start the job as my fingers would freeze after 30 minutes if I started this weekend.

Thanks,

Richard

 

[Outta Here]

The actuator housings can be changed to a style that has exposed hydraulic tubing. Allows one to install tubing a couple of inches above the actuator to clear obstructions.

TabMan may have other solutions...

 

[esfishdoc]

I'm thinging that is exactly what I need to make the complete installation a whole lot easier.

 

[DaleH]

Richard:

I too at first thought my hull using 9x24 tabs needed the exterior connections. So I bought the connections and actually installed them. Then I saw an identical boat with internal hose tabs and I took some comparison measurements. Indeed I was able to get the hose to go through in a clear spot ... I at first though I would be at the level of the floor.

Talk to Tabman, Bennett can give you longer or shorter actuators so you clear the floor or any other obstruction. They also make a small internal hose connection that you can connect outside the hull, thenjust route the cable into the boat. As long as you can reach up under the back 'knees' of the rear outboard stringers, you can grab the line and hook it to the pump.

Tom should help you out. Take some real good measurements using your cockpit drain holes and/or OB bracket mounting bolts as reference or datum points on each side.

 

[joshdad]

I went through the same type of dilemma when I installed 12x24 inch tabs on my 2320. Using the standard size actuators and mounting the tabs appropriately, left my at a location where I could not get access to the inboard side of the transom- so I considered using the external hose connectors on the actuators. Nevertheless after a lot of careful measuring I realized that I might be ok with the hose running through the actuator bracket. When I drilled the hole, it turned out to be ok. It sure would have been nice to be certain ahead of time though.

Although I bought a full Bennett kit, I decided to use my Lenco actuators for the time being. The plan is to use the Lenco actuators until one of them dies and then switch over to the Bennett hydraulic system. So far the electric actuators are working great. Below is a picture of the starboard Bennett tab with the Lenco actuator. I sent an earlier post where I discussed how to adapt the Lenco actuator for the Bennett tab. Also by using a nonstandard upper bracket for the Lenco actuator, as I explained before, the Bennett actuator will be exactly hole compatible with the Bennett actuator, so the changeover (if it ever becomes necessary) should be fairly easy.

[/img]