Permatrim Bolts Breaking.

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gman1001

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My new this summer Permatrim mounted on my Yamaha 250HP outboard works really well. Problem. The bolts attaching the Permatrim keep breaking! I can't imagine the pressure/stress being put on the permatrim to break these bolts. All bolts where properly tightened down.

Have you seen this happen with other installs? My boat is a Parker 2300DV. Only thing I can think of is swapping out the bolts for Grade 8 bolts. Which are stronger.

This happen to anyone else?
 
Happened to mine as well. I figured they were too tight, even though they were torqued as close to spec as I could get them. Almost looked as though they were bending the plate.

I replaced the ones that broke, and loosened the others until they were “tight”, but not “TIGHT”. If you know what I mean. Haven’t had one break since.
 
This is my 4th boat using Permatrims. Never an issue.
Parker 2320 SLD with Yamaha 225, Parker 2520 SLD w/ Yamaha 250, Novurania DL 400 w/ Yamaha 50 and Parker 2520 XLD with twin Yamaha 150's.

Cheers, Kadman
 
Happens to me. I have top mount permatrim on my Suzuki DF250 and I seem to break the two bolts on the trailing edge of the cav plate. Not sure why.
 
I found two broken bolts on the Permatrim on my new to me 2320. I assumed the bolts had been over torqued by the appearance of the broken surfaces. I have no idea what they were torqued to. The 10 ft-lbs mentioned above is way over the rating of a 316 SS 1/4-20. Do the install instructions call for 10 ft-lbs?
 
I found two broken bolts on the Permatrim on my new to me 2320. I assumed the bolts had been over torqued by the appearance of the broken surfaces. I have no idea what they were torqued to. The 10 ft-lbs mentioned above is way over the rating of a 316 SS 1/4-20. Do the install instructions call for 10 ft-lbs?

Yeah, they do, and with a normal Phillips head screw that’s a tall order to get them there.
 
If these permatrim units are snapping mounting bolts, have any of you fans of these devices considered the additional stress that you’re putting on the engine bracket, trim cylinders or the boat transom by installing and running them on your engines?

I’m in my 17th season with the same Parker 2520SL and am currently running a 2019 Suzuki DF300APXX with 770+ hours after putting 1800+ on my previous engine a Yamaha F225. If I add in all the drift fishing and dive operations I’ve done with the engine off, I’m sure that I have over 10,000 hours being aboard my Parker April-November in the Northeast . I operate almost 100% of the time in open ocean and my typical fishing trip almost always results in 10+ hours of engine run time. Aside from the .5 leaving my marina and the .5 returning to my marina all the rest is open Ocean operation. This past Wednesday, I was 50 miles offshore as most of my fishing trips take me this time of year . I can always over trim the boat for conditions using the trim tabs and have never considered drilling holes in a $25,000+ engine to mount an aftermarket fin on it and have been both shocked and amazed that anyone else would BUT “snapping bolts” YIKES !

I get uncomfortable just thinking about the forces ya’ll are introducing to the engine mounting bracket, trim cylinders and boat transom, that I can’t imagine that any of them are designed to absorb by mounting these after market fins on your engines.

Apology in advance, I think ya’ll are nuts to drill holes in you engines to put one of these things on in the first place and then to keep ‘em on when they’re introducing so much additional force that they’re snapping mounting bolts and in other threads I’ve read reports of the lower units cracking in the areas these “permatrims” are bolted to.

Confirmation bias seems to run strong amongst permatrim fans, just hoping I can dissuade at least 1 person from mutilating his lower unit with one of these devices………😂
 
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