Setting up Kicker Motor

[Fishingaddiction]

I currently have a 681 ranger with a 135 Optimax and I am thinking about adding a kicker to my rig. The question I have is if I am getting a 4 stroke kicker what is the best way to mount it to the boat? Also, how do you hook the kicker up to your fuel tank? Would like to get an idea of the extra costs to mount it and use it besides just purchasing the motor.

[Fishingaddiction]

Oh yeah, and how much horsepower would you recommend for an 18' fiberglass boat? I was thinking either 8hp or 9.9 hp.

[Lovgren69]

This is the set-up that I had on my 690 Ranger & 150 XR-6. I've since blown that engine and repowered w/ a 150hp Optimax. The Opti mounting will end up being a little different based on where you can tie the rod ends together.

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj276/lovgren69/boat6.jpg

I installed a T-fitting off my main fuel line and never had any issues.

My kicker is a 9.9 Mercury Pro-Kicker, which has performed flawlessly for me. Top speed on my rig w/ the kicker is around 6-7mph, and trolls nicely from 1mph all the way up. The Prokicker series come standard w/ a 4 pitch prop and lower gear ratios for maximum torque, they are not set up for speed.

The only sidebar w/ that motor is that it is heavy-around 130 lbs. Having that extra offset weight affects the boat's handling a little bit, but as long as you're propped correctly and have enough motor it shouldn't be a big deal.

[Fishingaddiction]

Where did you get the T-fitting for your gas line? Do you have a picture of it? I looks like you had to purchase the ranger mounting plate for your transom, how much did that set you back? I am thinking about just picking up a basic kicker without the tilt and trim. I figure that it is not a big deal to tilt the motor manually when starting and ending trolling and as long as you can connect it to your main motor and then set the speed on the handle you should be good. I am sure it is nice to have the tilt and trim and troll master control but I would think you would be able to get by without it. Thoughts?? Would there be a problem trying to link steering with my optimax to a non-mercury kicker??

[biotroller]

I installed a fuel selector switch on mine, I'm mechanically ignorant, I read on here about creating a vacuum & potentially causing problems when running the big motor so installed a selector switch. I bought the selector from my local marina, I looked online @ Cabelas & didn't see any. The part was around $20.

[Lovgren69]

You can purchase the fittings @ a local hardware store. Just a brass T, adapters, and some hose clamps. Conversely as was mentioned a fuel selctor valve would work fine.

My kicker model has the manual (throttle), but I did get the electric trim. Certainly remote throttle and power trim aren't necessities, but nice to have. The electric trim is nice when you're running spot to spot and loading up.

As I mentioned I use the tiller throttle and must set it manually. It works fine but gets tedious @ times when trying to constantly adjust speeds. Here is where a remote throttle and/ or trollmaster control makes things alot more convenient.

For steering, I run a tie connection to the front of both of my motors. I did some simple fabrication to build a bracket for the kicker motor. I lucked out on my boat's transom since with the setback transom my motors lined up pretty well. I have no aftermarket mounting plates, my kicker is mounted directly on the transom. I have a rubber pad underneath to prevent marking the fiberglass.

If you search the archives on here you will find some really good information on the best way to mount your motor for your application. Alot of good pictures of guy's set-ups and how they did the install. I know it helped when I had to set mine up.

Connecting your optimax to a non merc kicker shouldn't be too much of a problem, you will just have to check your alignment when everything is mounted. Alot of times when using a tie bar connection you cannot run a straight rod, therefore you might have to bend the bar to suit your application.

Good luck w/ your install and let us know how it goes for you.

[BW]

Just a note on not having power trim. If you go that way, you will need a strap that adds some tension to your motor when tilted up, otherwise it will bounce around with just the tilt feature. My brother ran this same boat and the first kicker got bounced around a little too hard! Put a T-8 on with the power tilt and did not have an issue. The other thing is, it is a longer reach and eventually you will get sick of pulling the motor up and down. Worth every penny to invest in a T-8 or Prokicker! you will not regret it!

[tds2180]

I put a f8 (manual) on my ranger 617dvs. Fully loaded i can hit 5.5mph with the stock prop pitch(7 ithink). I got a r&r static plate off ebay. It's the same as cabela's sells for $170. Real easy to mount. My fuel line i tied into my water seperator. Check if you have one it is the best way to tie it in. It has two in's and two out's so it works perfect. Between that and the bulb in your fuel line you won't get that vaccum people talk about. The bulb alone isn't going to let it flow back anyways. You can get the steering tie in from fleet farm. Then i added a trollmaster which is so convienient. Definetley worth the money. Here were the prices i paid for my set up.


kicker motor $1000
R&R static plate $100
trollmaster $255
all fasterners $10
steering from fleet farm $25
If need be i can post pics they are almost the same as the previous post but wiht static plate. Let me know

[Fishingaddiction]

TDS

If you could post some pics that would be very helpful. What type of main motor do you have that you tied you kicker into? I am curious how you tie it into the fuel separator of the main motor. If you end up buying a kicker without power tilt and trim how do you strap it down so it doesn't bang when you are going down the lake?

[PAL]

Here is some previous information on a kicker tie system

http://walleye.outdoorsfirst.com/board/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=9082&posts=14&highlight=seastar&highlightmode=1#M55291

The SeaStar Tiebar kit is P/N 961501 About $80

The Merc Kicker bracket is P/N 17024003. About $25

The Panther Tie Bar kit is about $30, too.

[tds2180]

TDS

If you could post some pics that would be very helpful. What type of main motor do you have that you tied you kicker into? I am curious how you tie it into the fuel separator of the main motor. If you end up buying a kicker without power tilt and trim how do you strap it down so it doesn't bang when you are going down the lake?

I'll get picks asap but i have an evinrude ficht that i tied the kicker motor into. The fuel seperator goes in your main gas line. It should be gas tank to fuel seperator inlet 1. from fuel seperator outlet 1 to bulb to main motor and from fuel sepertor outlet 2 to bulb to kicker motor. The water seperator acts as a Y and it helps to keep water out of your motors. If you have a kicker motor that is manual trim it has brackets and springs that keep it in place. Even at full throttle in 3 foot chop the fiberglass boat don't get beat up that bad. The kicker holds just fine. My yamaha f8 has a little handle you can tighten so the kicker motor can't flop back and forth. The motor stays in the up position and barely touches the water when moving. Even on my step dad's lund he has a 1775 pro-v wiht a evinrude 9.9 for kicker and even in a little rougher water the kicker on his boat doesn't bang around. Where people have problems with kicker motors breaking off is usually due to running high hp boats full throttle in rough water. The other thing is you also need to bolt the kicker to the transom or static plate. I didn't bolt my through and through because i didn't want any more holes in my boat. I drilled out the holes and tapped them in the staic plate and used 4 one and a quarter inch hardened 1/4" bolts to help keep my kicker motor mounted securely to the static plate.

[tds2180]

here are the pics

[CoryY]

I had this put up on another post. Here are a few pictures of a T8 install that I just did on my Sylvan here is the thread that may help as well http://www.walleyecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163673

[tds2180]

I had this put up on another post. Here are a few pictures of a T8 install that I just did on my Sylvan here is the thread that may help as well http://www.walleyecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163673

i like your bracket off the back of the main motor. I bet that helps give a little better turning radius on it. I think i'm going to make one for mine.

[RangerFisherman]

A Ranger static plate for a kicker is $258 plus shipping. A panther marine static can be bought for approx $160 on the internet. From people I know who have kickers, you don't want to buy a kicker w/o power trim because the mechanical brackets can't support all the bouncing when running the main motor in rough water, plus its hard on your transom. Finally I was advised by Rangers lead engineer not to put a kicker on a 681 that has a 135hp motor because the transom was not built for that amount of additional weight. He told me if I were to have a smaller main motor then he would be ok with a kicker on this boat.

[Fishingaddiction]

Ranger Fisherman-

This seems a bit odd that they would not recommend putting a kicker on the transom if the boat is maxed out with a 135 hp. Was it for a particular year of 681? Most boats are maxed out with kickers so this does not make sense to me.

[RangerFisherman]

He did not say it was just a certain model year of the 681. I understand alot of other boats are maxed out on the coast guard rating and have kickers, but the way the mechanical engineers designed the transom 681 verus lets say a Ranger 617 which is virtually the same boat could be totally different

[tds2180]

A Ranger static plate for a kicker is $258 plus shipping. A panther marine static can be bought for approx $160 on the internet. From people I know who have kickers, you don't want to buy a kicker w/o power trim because the mechanical brackets can't support all the bouncing when running the main motor in rough water, plus its hard on your transom. Finally I was advised by Rangers lead engineer not to put a kicker on a 681 that has a 135hp motor because the transom was not built for that amount of additional weight. He told me if I were to have a smaller main motor then he would be ok with a kicker on this boat.

The static plate installed at the ranger dealer near me is the r&r design. It's the same one at cabela's for $170.

[Fishingaddiction]

Thanks for all the help guys. I called Ranger directly and spoke with one of the engineers. He said that they don't recommend putting a kicker on the 681 because it has such a narrow beam that the boat would be unbalanced. He said he would not be concerned about the transom being able to handle the extra weight but only that the extra weight would make it unbalanced. So I sadly I won't be getting a kicker any time soon. Thanks again for all the help.