Trim & Tilt Hydraulic Ram Repair
Labor estimate Usually 2–4 hours
Book sends us a ticket; nothing is charged online. Before any work you get a written estimate for labor, parts and the trip fee, and nothing is done without your OK.
Trip fee By distance, one way: $30 in San Pedro, $50 in Long Beach
- San Pedro$30
- Wilmington, Terminal Island$40
- Long Beach: Shoreline, Rainbow Harbor$50
- Long Beach Marina, Alamitos Bay$60
- Redondo Beach$60
- Seal Beach, Huntington Harbour$75
- Marina del Rey$85
- Newport Beach$110
Farther away: $25 plus $2.50 a mile, one way from our San Pedro shop. No trip fee when the boat comes to our shop, or for plan members. The work of a visit is at least $150; the trip fee is on top.
- Registered in California
- Breeze Marine Boat Service LLC, San Pedro
- Where we work
- At your slip from Marina del Rey to Newport Beach, or in our San Pedro shop
- Questions first
- (213) 693-0224 or submit a ticket
About this service
Trim and Tilt.
Rebuilt.
A leaking trim system does more than stain your driveway; it hurts your boat's performance, so power trim repair is worth doing early. Our trim and tilt repair rebuilds hydraulic rams with new seals, so the trim can lift the engine for getting on plane and for trailering.
Seized Cap Removal
The hardest part of the job. Saltwater fuses aluminum caps to the cylinder, whether it is an outboard ram or a sterndrive trim cylinder. For trim ram cap removal, we use pin wrenches and controlled heat to free the caps without damaging the housing. Sometimes a cap is seized so badly that the ram has to be replaced.
Internal Resealing
We don't just fix the external leak. We disassemble the piston assembly and replace the internal bypass seals. This fixes "leak down," where the engine slowly sinks while parked, when worn piston seals are the cause.
Rod Polishing
A rough ram shaft will tear new seals in minutes. We polish light scratches out of the ram rods; a pitted rod is replaced, because pits tear new seals.
The Rebuild Process.
Rebuild where it makes sense.
Extraction
To start a trim ram rebuild, we carefully remove the rams from the transom brackets. This often involves driving out seized stainless steel pins that have merged with the aluminum housing.
Bench Service
We clamp the unit in a soft-jaw vise. Using a specialized spanner tool (never a pipe wrench), we unscrew the gland caps and extract the piston assembly.
Seal & Polish
We replace the wiper seal, O-rings, and backup rings with high-quality urethane components, and polish the rod smooth before the new seals go on.
Bleed & Test
After reinstallation, we fill the system with the correct power trim fluid for the engine and bleed the air. We load-test the trim to ensure it holds position without creeping.
Rebuilt Rams.
Seals, caps and rods.
Systems We Service.
From classic to modern units.
Common Questions
Why does my engine drop down overnight?
This is called "leak down." It's rarely an external leak. Usually, trim leak down means the internal check valve or piston o-ring has failed, allowing fluid to bypass the piston. We find which part is at fault, and a rebuild or replacement of that part fixes it.
Can I just add fluid?
Adding fluid to a leaking trim cylinder is a temporary band-aid. If fluid is getting out, water is getting in. Water in the hydraulic system will rust the pump and motor, leading to a much more expensive failure.
When Outboard Repair Starts at the Trim Rams
A motor that will not hold its angle is a common reason to book outboard repair, and the cause is often worn ram seals rather than the pump. Before the visit, note what you see: fresh oil on the ram shafts, a reservoir that keeps needing a top-up, or an engine that creeps down after trimming up.
Share the engine make and model when you book, so the right seals and fluid can be planned for your power trim repair.
Reviews 4
Questions 7
Related Posts
-
Engine sagging overnight or oil on the transom? How hydraulic trim rams fail in salt water, simple checks owners can do, and what a proper trim ram rebuild involves.