MMT members, just like the other thread, lets here everyone's thoughts and opinions about having/not having a clutch and/or power trim on our mudmotors to help future mudmotor owners decide what engine packages fit them best. Most of us have had it both ways so pros and cons of each would help.

Any part is sublect to failure. My take on this situation is this. I am spending approximately $7,000 on a new engine so I'd like the luxiaries that come along with it to make my hunting/riding experience be as pleasant as possible. So yeas I want a neutral (safety factor) and a power adjustable trim to keep my motor at the optimum angle for increased fuel economy and speed.

Their are 2 votes for NO guess who those would be from!!

I really don't like my full power reverse. We don't have a good relationship. It scares me sometimes. Sometimes that reverse feels like it wants to just tear the whole damn transom off the boat.

i think its worth every penny.. no regrets ever wit a clutch n trim

Guys chill.

So some people like another MM over another that's cool that their choice.

Let's get thread back on track...

I really miss the electric trim, but now have the electric clutch. I will have too make an electric trim, but would not go back to no clutch. Get both if available.my 2 cent.

I know in my areas and where I hunt / fish, cause I use my boat for both, I need an electric clutch I need power trim for my long runs and areas that I try and access chasing those Redfish .

I don't think there is a risk.
most trim and clutch problems are simple loose connections, any other clutch problems are not so bad that you can not get back to the ramp.
I am willing to bet there are more people who get towed in for running out of gas than clutch break downs.
The only person I knew who couldn't get back to the ramp on their own b/c of the trim is T-mac, but that is a whole different story.

I'M GONNA TRY MY LUCK AT THIS HERE POST AND HOPE MY SHIT DON'T GET DELETED!!

I like reverse,power trim and a clutch!! I hunt in a place that has sand, and also hunt in a place that has a lot of stumps!! And beleive it or not we also have some veggies to!! From what it sound like is that i hunt a lot of the same terrain that 99.99999% of other people on this site also hunt!!So dam the thing's that help me out and a lot of others on here is the same thing s that some don't need cause their terrain is to harsh for all that extra stuff!!

Well to be exact i ben running a mm for the past 5 years and have never missed a hunt due to a reverse ,powertrim or a clutch going out!! Dam that would be about 600 hrs ago on them!! Now i have had a clutch need to be changed one time after hunting season but i'm sure that was from dropping it in at 4 grand lol!! O and i did miss a ride last week from a blown up modded motor but i'm not racist at all and i will have a nother on the back in a week or so!!

But if that is what you like than hay its your money!! MY .02

My first two short tail mud motors had electric trim but no clutch.

The three I have owned since then have had trim and clutch, with my most recent also having full power reverse.

Knock on wood here, but I have never been stranded in the marsh due to a crapped out trim or clutch. I had a trim fail, but it was merely an inconvenience. I got home. I work for an equipment company that uses the same kind (and brand) of electromagnetic clutches that are found on mud motors. They are incredibly reliable. As muddiejeep said, the majority of clutch failures (not that there are many) are in switches and control wiring...fixable in the marsh.

Full Power Reverse is a mechanical system that is operated manually. There is a new hydraulic option, but I do not have it and do not know whether one can override the hydraulics to crank the drive direction in the unlikely event of hydraulic failure.

In my opinion, the benefits and reliability of all of these systems far outweigh the chance of failure and possible stranding of the rig. I won't have a motor without all three features ever again.

Ok - I waited until this thread fell off the MAIN - View New Post - page

But IF IT IS TRUELY to educate the NEW GUYS --- then

Hey NEW GUYS - at the top of every page is a feature SEARCH....

Type in CLUTCH --- you get over 10 pages of DIY repair advice on
the repairing and replacing of clutches....

Here are some pastes from pages 2 and 4....

* * * * * *

Gator Tail blowing fuses while frogging
Last night we went to do a little frogging in my buddy's boat. Two times while we were out frogging, his motor blew the 25 amp fuse. The motor died and wouldn't restart. Changed the fuse, motor cranked right up. Is this a common problem when flipping the switch in and out of neutral? We were going into and out og gear ALOT. My buddies boat is idled really high, so we would bump it into and out of gear to keep the speed down.

Re: PD clutch ?
They be about $200.00 for a clutch. Called Peck and ordered one yesturday and as usual it was sitting at the front door today. Old clutch broke 2 bands loose. But I got it changed out and I'm ready to roll.

Pro drive problem, any help?
Today was the first time in a couple months to run the boat, at the ramp when I engaged the clutch the motor would die, like it was locked up.......After the third or 4th attempt, the prop was turning fine........Launched the boat and ran about 4 miles when it locked up again, this time could not free the lower unit.....Got towed in and brought it to the house to check things out........Put a prop wrench on it and it broke free and spins fine..........I drained the lower unit oil, checked for metal and there was none, oil looked fine........Spun the prop by hand and looked in the oil fill hole and the gears look fine..........Filled it back up and started again and the clutch seems to be louder than I remember........Got a call in to KP but wondering what the MMT braintrust has to say.........

Re: Clutch Disengageing on Pro Drive
We were approx. 17 miles away from landing..
We just started to frog.. Had about 20 when I stated to my dad, lets go in another pond. I never been in this one, and with the fog I dont want to get turned around.. THEN... As soon as we hit deep water.. CLANK !!! Clutch didnt work anymore.. I tested the switch to see if it was still working, and it was. I think the noice I heard may of been somthing sheering off in the clutch itself. Not sure..
Thanks to coon and brad for answering at 10+pm...

O.. one other thing.. If you were in a mudboat around Turtle Bayou last night, I hope you get very sick.. Not sick enough to die, but sick enough to realize that you shouldnt just passed on the side of me !!!

Me and My dad paddled 3 miles up current: then, some hoopnet fishermen pulled us to landing..I return, I had him follow me to the gas station, and I filled his 24 gallon tank up.. I also gave him one of my World Famous Catfish Stunners.(No, mine is not in a skoal can. It is in a Electric Tape case)

Any clutch is a wearable item on ANY product. At times parts need to be replaced or serviced, and that is NOT a reason I would buy a motor without it. I like to leave my motor idle at the ramp to warm up while im pulling up the ramp and parking my truck. A clutch is a saftey factor aswell IMO.

Whackem

Yes there are many good machines and ways to use them all safetly
and efficiently... Everything brakes or needs maintenance...

Just offered the new guys a bit of advise - how to SEARCH MMT....

Search TRIM and CLUTCH - there is a lot of info there....

Hey everyone stay at home!Your truck can break down on the way to the launch it has a transmission that MAY go out on you.It may also not start if a relay goes out,your best bet would be to walk to a pond and wade out into it so you can be sure that you will make it out there.



I ran boats for a living and if I worried about them breaking down I would have never left the dock.There were issues with them every week engines,clutchs,shafts,wheels, controls what ever.GROW A SET AND GET OUT THERE IF YOU ARE SCARED TAKE UP NEEDLE POINT BITCHES!!!!!!

I have a $2200 John Deer lawn mower that the cluth went out one time!! I think i'm gonna go out when i'm off and hook it up to strait drive!!!

Giga i really think their is just somthing wrong with you!! I talk shit 24-7 everyone knows that and every one knows i back Gator-Tail up 1000% 24-7!! You take all this abuse from people and intern get nothing from Gd (O except a 3 blade prop Sorry forgot about that big reward) But people respect me cause i'm their every ride that we can make not snaping pics of stuck boat and shit not sitting back and just watching cause i'm scared i might get stuck and a dill dow like your self can take a pic of me!!You won't people to respect you and at least earn a little respect!! Show up at these rides and meet people and show them your not what this site makes you out to be, bro it makes you look like a AZZ HOLE!!

With that said i got a couple storys for you their my friend!!! The first year Gt came out with their mm they was at LA. superdome!! Along with pd their also.. I then ran a 31 LT Gd your idel told me they would never go any where with those surface drives Well couple years later look what on the market!!!

You talk about cluthes like they are the junk!! Well alot might remember this year before last at gonzales expo center!! Your boy come out with a center console!! He has a $8oo doller hydrolic jack plate to go up and down to act as his clutch!!! Well i guess it didn't catch on very well!!!

What this all boils down to is your just a Dumb AZZ !!

It's nice to be able to warm your motor up while you park the truck, but you can't leave that damn razor blade spinning at a public boat ramp while you aren't there, plus I'm sure I'll blend a decoy up before I remember that it's only a foot off the water with a rope looped on the handle while I'm picking up.

Ya'll crack me up --- you setup an opinion poll --- then act like
lil kids if anyone posts a different opinion than the one you are
attempting to "indoctrinate" the new guys with....

It takes a whole pit crew to keep some of these rigs running with
2 shop wrench turning hours for each water hour....

LMAO @ 150+ trouble free stock GDSD hours so far this year in my rigs
and the season ain't even started good yet....

Here we go again!

So yeah I like my engine warming up too on cold mornings

I'm headed to go get popcorn...

I will have to say a good majority of us on here dog the you know what out of our engines, regardless of brand... That being said there are a some people that prefer the boat lanes and deeper water never truly putting the motor through anything it was "designed" to run through, they may run 500 hours before having their first issue...

I just prefer to drive it like I stole it jump trees, seek the shallows everywhere I go, push the motor to the limit and it keeps coming back asking for more, I love it!

If you aren't breaking stuff your not dogging it hard enough has always been my motto.

Phuck all of yall, Im off to buy a rickshaw MM.

Whackem,

All I ever posted was that I saw the lack of a clutch to be a type
of asset too - a simpler design with less to break....

The balanced GDSD design has a lot of merits....

So do the PD / GT / MB designs....

But instead of intelligent exchange of ideas and experience there
is a flood of insults and "dis-information" that flows forth as soon
as someone states an opposing opinion - based upon his experience
in his particular area...

I have no doubt that your MM served you reliably and worked well
for you in your areas.... Guess what mine does too.... I might
not be able to keep up with yours in your area - and - you might
not be able to keep up with mine in my area....

I give up....

I think i figured why GiGa is at it again!! Think about it, its near duck season and someone has already posted about being with coco at his hunting camp!! This dude is just that much of a suckazz plain and simple!! Giga i got news for you if you don't know Your idel at gd brings the pd main man hunting way to much for you to be around talking shit about his mm!! From what i here they are pretty good friends!! And they only shoot their limits so outlaws aren't welcome!! And pintails this year is 1 !!!!