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Significant Benefits of Marine Rubber Engine Mounts

6 December 2021

Eugene Craig

While marine engine mounts are often out of sight and out of mind, you should never downplay their importance. Though small and delightfully simple, a marine engine mount could be the difference between a steady and well-performing engine and a misaligned and inefficient outboard motor. Thus, boat owners should ensure their engine mounts are always in excellent condition. However, knowing your options is crucial, especially when you buy a used boat and notice that the mounts need replacing. Notably, marine engine mounts are available in a variety of materials. This article highlights the top reasons to invest in rubber polymer engine mounts.

Noise and Vibration Dampening

When you buy a used boat with worn-out engine mounts, the chances are high that you will experience an uncomfortable ride, thanks to the vibrations from the loose mounts. Moreover, you risk damaging the engine if you let the vibrations persist. In this regard, it is advisable to replace worn-out mounts with rubber models to dampen the vibrations and noise resulting from pistons and inertial imbalances. The reason is that natural rubber has excellent resilience and rebound characteristics that effectively dampen noise and vibrations originating from a boat engine.

Balances Energy Absorption and Motion

A moving boat subjects the engine to inertia forces; hence, it is vital to accommodate the resulting energy transfer. Failure to make room for engine movement when a boat is in motion causes it to bounce excessively and worsen the vibrations. Therefore, while engine mounts absorb energy from a vibrating engine, they should also allow for a smooth energy transfer. However, you should understand that excess allowance might expose the machine to erratic movement and damage. It is why rubber mounts are an excellent option, thanks to their rebound characteristics. The ability of a rubber mount to return to its original shape guarantees a balance between energy absorption and the kinetic energy subjected to an engine via inertia forces.

Less Downtime

The last thing you need to deal with when buying a second-hand boat is downtime. You need to spend less time maintaining and repairing parts on your boat and more time enjoying the sea. Luckily, rubber mounts reduce downtime and extend the time a marine engine operates. The reason is that rubber mounts are resistant to tear and abrasion, extreme temperatures, acids, oils, flame, and water. However, you should understand that rubber mounts vary, and while one type might resist high and low temperatures, it could perform terribly when exposed to flames. Thus, custom-made rubber engine mounts are the best since their design considers the operating environment.

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