# Clamp-on motor. Any alternatives to the thumb screws?



## Sandalous (Oct 30, 2013)

Is cutting them off with a saw or torch, then bolting the motor on, an option? I did that on my 50 due to transom thickness.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

Sandalous said:


> Is cutting them off with a saw or torch, then bolting the motor on, an option? I did that on my 50 due to transom thickness.


That is certainly an option. I think there is actually a way to take the swivel part off and just back the bolt out. Question is, what would I do for a swivel on whatever I went back with? I need to the swivel part because of some features of the adaptor plate I'm using. The bolt falls where there is a little gap in the plate and the swivels bridge that gap.


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## Sandalous (Oct 30, 2013)

Not entirely sure what you mean by swivel. The pad on the end of the bolt that makes contact with the transom / plate in this case?

I should clarify that I had to cut off the two legs that the bolts are on, not just the bolts. When I say bolt the motor on, I mean using 4 through bolts like a regular install.


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## Sandalous (Oct 30, 2013)

The legs on the right are what I had to cut off.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

Oh no, I can't do that ! lol This is a clamp on motor only (well, it does have one 5/16" bolt on either side on the lower part of the bracket, but they are just there for that "oh crap" moment I'm pretty sure. And by swivels, I just mean the pads on the end of the bolt. I need to do some more measuring, because it's going to be close regardless if I can do it or not.


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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

assuming I understand the problem.......


Maybe u can cut off what u need to get pass the transom and then drill a hole thru the remaining bolt and then slide an allen wrench(now the lever) thru it and tighten...it will be a pain


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## makin moves (Mar 20, 2010)

Cut the thumb off, thread a nut on it and tack weld it. Double nut it if you don't want to tack it.


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## Sandalous (Oct 30, 2013)

makin moves said:


> Cut the thumb off, thread a nut on it and tack weld it. Double nut it if you don't want to tack it.


This^^


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

Here's a picture. Not a whole lot of thread to play with.


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## jonrconner (May 20, 2015)

You don't have room to put a nut on, but, you can simply cut the bolt back the minimum amount and use the existing flats to tighten it with a wrench.
JC


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## Marshfly (Nov 4, 2012)

Another thought. Do you really need to lower it any more? On my non-tunnel Caimen with a Microjacker I have literally never lowered the jackplate all the way. The motor runs fine with it half way up and higher and lowering it that much puts the engine way too deep in the water.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

Marshfly said:


> Another thought. Do you really need to lower it any more? On my non-tunnel Caimen with a Microjacker I have literally never lowered the jackplate all the way. The motor runs fine with it half way up and higher and lowering it that much puts the engine way too deep in the water.



No, I doubt I will ever need to lower it anymore than that. Just didn't want to have to look back there to see how close I'm getting every time. I have a piece of aluminum plate that I'm going cut into the shape of a washer. Then through-bolt it in the slot that the plate runs back and forth on to where the plate can only go so far down before it hits that stop.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

In Sandalous's picture it shows bolt holes through the clamp bracket - yours does not have these?

If you do take the clamp bolt off and bolt the motor onto the plate. You should not be relying solely on the clamps anyway.


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