Revised May 23, 2001
IMPORTANT: Do not operate Porta Bracket or remove aluminum spacer brackets until Porta Bracket is installed on boat. Installation of the Porta Bracket without spacer brackets in the factory setting will result in loss of operating travel and may cause damage to the bracket and or the boat.
- Center the Porta Bracket on transom.
- Using the Porta Bracket as a template, mark the six (6) top bolt holes and four (4) bottom bolt holes (two (2) on each end) on the transom. It is not necessary to use the two (2) center holes at the base of the cylinder for mounting.
- Remove Porta Bracket and drill holes. Holes MUST BE drilled perpendicular to transom surface for proper installation of back-up plates.
- Coat transom contact area of bracket with a suitable adhesive sealant. Use ½” stainless steel bolts with sealant and mount Porta Bracket on transom. * Transom must be flat for the Porta Bracket to operate without binding. Be sure to use back-up plates provided, inside the boat. Failure to use back-up plates may cause transom damage.
- Install pump inside the boat. Mount the unit securely in a vertical position with the motor UP.
- The pump ports are embossed UP & DN. Using the hoses provided, connect the UP port to the base of the cylinder. Connect the DN port to the rod end of the cylinder. Tighten firmly but gently to seal system.
- Fill pump reservoir with 30W motor oil or any clean hydraulic oil with a viscosity range of 150-300 SSU at 100 degrees F.
- In most applications the pump is self priming. Operate the Porta Bracket UP while keeping reservoir filled. If the bracket does not travel fully up, STOP! Check reservoir oil level. Operate the pump DOWN until Porta Bracket stops moving. Do not add fluid to the pump on DOWN stroke. After cycling the Porta Bracket three (3) times, if the system has not purged or is not running smoothly through its full stroke it will be necessary to bleed off trapped air from the rod end of the hydraulic cylinder. Gently loosen the DOWN hose from the top (rod end) of the cylinder about ¼ turn. Operate system in the UP mode until air has escaped and oil comes out of the fitting. Tighten fitting, cycle the Porta Bracket 2 or 3 times. Tighten all hose connections. Check reservoir with the Porta Bracket in the full DOWN position (cylinder fully retracted) and fill to proper maximum level.
- Mount control switch to dash (use pump wiring diagram provided). Connect pump solenoid: BLUE to “UP” side of switch, and GREEN to “DOWN”. Wires to battery: RED to POSITIVE, and BLACK to NEGATIVE. Wires to switch should be 14 GA or heavier. Wires to battery should be 12 GA or heavier.
- Remove the two (2) aluminum spacer brackets. Replace button head bolts.
Mounting location instructions are given for general service oriented applications. Some brackets may need to be mounted higher or lower due to transom limitations or performance requirements. The following are a few points to remember during installation.
- The Porta Bracket is designed to provide lift and eliminate upper gearcase housing drag at low and below planing speeds. On 20” motors, install the Porta Bracket so its bottom surface is parallel to the boat bottom and just above the water surface at wide-open throttle. This provides maximum lift with no top end drag.
- Engines with low water pick up nosecones can be bolted high on the Porta bracket, further reducing gearcase drag and improving performance.
- Like power trim and tilt, the Porta Bracket provides lift beyond the operation range of an outboard. For this reason we recommend installation of early warning devices for detecting overheating conditions. Such as “hot horns” water and temperature gauges.
** When installing Yamaha 200, 225, 250 motors on a Porta Bracket please note the following: To mount the engine at the lowest setting on the Porta Bracket, remove zinc anode at bottom of outboard clamp bracket assembly, cut ½” off of one zinc mounting bolt, re-attach ground wire with shortened bolt. Gently bend exposed hydraulic tube upward, for a clearance of approximately 3/16” between tube and Porta Bracket in the full up position.
** On some motor installations there are areas where parts of the outboard or steering components may interfere with the Porta Bracket travel. Before using outboard motor trim or Porta Bracket, have someone at the helm operate all hydraulic systems slowly to their extremes while another watches the Porta Bracket, motor trim, and steering system for obstructions. Areas to watch closely are:
- Cavitation plates on outboards that extend forward of the leading edge of the gearcase.
- Add-on nosecones on lower units.
- Front mounted steering components.
- Zinc Anodes at the bottom of clamp bracket assemblies.
Porta Hydraulic Transom Bracket
Salt Water Application
PROBLEM:
Corrosion of the submerged cylinder base and or submerged hydraulic fittings with no other similar corrosion on other submerged bracket components.
REASON:
Due to the UHMW (Plastic) bearing surfaces, the components of the Porta Bracket are not electrically connected or conductive.
Cylinder base corrosion indicates an electrical system problem with electrical current finding its way through the trim pump, then finding ground through the hydraulic fluid to the cylinder base. The submerged aluminum then acts as an anode.
REMEDY:
Make sure all electrical components on the vessel are securely grounded to the negative terminal on the battery. It may be necessary to create a ground contact from the negative terminal directly into the water with an electrolysis-preventing system – i.e., a bonded zinc plate on the transom, or equivalent.
If you have any questions regarding the installation of the Porta Bracket please call us at (386) 428-7656. We will be happy to assist you with any problems you may have. Thank you for buying Porta Products.
