Parker Yahoo Group Archived Messages
ID | From | Subject | Date | |
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640 | rangertimbo | Re: 21SE trim tab replacement help please | 10/5/2005 22:04:00 | |
I just did the replacement of the starboard Lenco on my 2120 this evening. Here's what I learned from the experience. First, even though the Lencos seem to burn out on us more often than Bennetts, they are so easy to replace it's a breeze. The next one I do will only take me about 15 minutes. I went slow this time in order to keep from making a mistake. The Lenco customer service will tell you to test whether the tab actuator will work if you bypass the control module. I made the mistake of cutting the wires that were under the dash to find out. This can be better accomplished by pulling the slack out of the wire in the stern compartment. Lenco only provides about five feet of wire attached to the actuator, so you will find a splice in the stern somewhere. Take this apart and do your test there. Remove the plastic pins on each end of the actuator and unscrew the bracket on the boat. I used a No.3 Phillips head driver inserted through the pin holes to give me some leverage in order to break the seal and remove the bracket. Don't forget to tie a stout line to the wire connection that you severed so you can pull the new wire back into the boat, as you cannot reach the inside of the transom where the wire passes through. Tie the string to the interior wires and twist them together enough so they won't separate. Tape with electrical tape just in case, but be careful not to create any extra thickness or it won't fit through the hole. You will find it difficult to pull the wire through the hole because of the sealant that was used. This also causes the wire insulation to have a tendency to move independently, bunching up and causing problems. Working the wire back and forth in small steps freed up the wire from the sealant enough so that I could pull it out. Clean all old sealant off the transom with a razor blade and get the old stuff off of the mating surface on the bracket. Put the bracket on the new wire in the correct orientation and reattach the pull string. Pull most of the new wire back through but leave a few inches so you can coat them with sealant. Make the wire connections on the interior and test. I use crimp connectors and coat with liquid electrical tape, then tape them. Squirt sealant into the hole around the wire, into the screw holes and all over the back side of the bracket. Better to have too much than to let water penetrate! Finish pulling the wire and reattach the screws. Clean up the sealant squeeze out and push the wires in side the boat back down out of sight. Perhaps I have neglected some important detail. But my new actuator works and it's not going to leak. I wish I could get to the back side of the transom to coat it with sealant but that ain't gonna happen! By the way, I used 4200 sealant. 5200 would be a royal *&%#$@ to get off the next time. Silicone is not reliable enough below the waterline in my book. I know the wires are run differently in a 21SE but hopefully there is enough info here to help. |