CMC trim units, anyone use them?

phatdaddy · #1 02-19-2012, 05:52 PM

i am working on my dads bass boat i inherited and the trim went out. it is a 96 mariner 40hp with the single ram unit. i can find no one who can fix them. motor is fine, it its the hydraulics. local merc dealer says the best bet it to trash the unit and install a cmc unit.

just wondering in any one has any experience with them?

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...classNum=50418

spareparts · #2 02-19-2012, 08:11 PM

If its the single ram unit, there are parts for them, they are indeed hard to find, but they were used on a number of model engines, give me a pic and a serial number and i'll see what I can come up with

As far as the CMC units, they do the job, but they are kinda clunky

phatdaddy · #3 02-19-2012, 09:30 PM

spare, this is the unit. i have 3 donar units from similar models and the all do the same thing, motor turns and fluid moves , but no ram movement.

spareparts · #4 02-19-2012, 09:45 PM

did you check to make sure the release screw was closed? Did it sound like it was pumping or did the motor spin kinda high speed? Does the ram try to move at all?

phatdaddy · #5 02-20-2012, 09:23 AM

release screw closed,motor sounds like it's pumping & ram moves slightly, then stops. movement is not smooth, almost like it is starving for fluid. resevoir is full, filled with the motor tilted all the way up. this unit set up for about 2 years with no movement, i suspect some of the seals got hard and are letting the fluid bypass, but everyone i talk to says these units are almost non-serviceable, except motor failure.

kamikaze · #6 02-20-2012, 10:49 AM

Phatdaddy:

If Spare can't help you repair/replace (which would be my first choice). I run a CMC PT130 on a 1972 OMC 60 HP didn't have trim/tilt from the factory CMC products are pricey new. However I have found that they are built extremely well. I would recommend looking for a used one on CL, just make sure you get the wiring harness/switch with it and you should be good to go. There hard to kill even in saltwater. The PT 130 and the smaller version (unsure of the number - PT35??) use they same hydraulic piston assembly but the eternal framing is thicker on the 130. I wouldn't be afraid of pickup the larger version as it will extend the usefulness of it later (resale) and only adds a couple of pounds difference (all aluminium construction) so it real doesn't make much difference in weight.

Kamikaze