Need help installing the Talon brackets that fit between the motor and the transom. I'd like to borrow an engine hoist or cherry picker and do it myself. If you've done it yourself I'd be glad to hear some advice and if the answer becomes take it somewhere I'd be open to that too.

Seems simple with just four bolts, but hanging 400lbs in the air to get to the four bolts is daunting. The boat is in NE Tarrant County near the airport.

Thanks in advance!

You can do it using a couple 2x6s and the tilt/trim on your motor. Trim it down and get the pressure off the bolts. Loosen one side off and insert bracket. Tighten up and do other side.

I did this. It works. You will have 2 bolts in it at all times. It can't go anywhere.

* You will have to loosen the off side bolt some too so you'll be able to make enough gap to slide the bracket in.

Thought about that and here are my reservations: I'm afraid I might snap the skeg off. Did you just lay the lumber on the ground and lower the skeg on to it? Also how did you remove and then reapply the sealant around the holes in the transom? The factory laid a bead of black sealant all around the existing motor mount.

Thanks for the reply.

I did just lay the boards on the ground and rest the skeg on them. I didn't put any sealant back on them. I figured as tight as I would get the bolts, very little, if any, water could seep through there. I'm sure once you got the bolts backed out and the motor far enough away from the transom to slide the bracket in you could take a putty knife and scrape the old silicone away and apply some fresh. You're going to smear it when inserting the new bracket, but some of it would probably stay in place. It's worth a try.

I managed to do it kinda like Texashart mentioned but using the transom saver instead of putting the weight on the skeg. As I trimmed down you can see/feel the weight lifting off the bolts. Then loosen one side a little and then take out the bolts on the other side and slide the spacer/bracket in and replace. I smeared sealant all over the bolt and the holes as much as I could before reinstalling. Helps to have 2 people as one can slide the bolts in from the interior while you hold the bracket/spacer from the other side!

I've seen then stand an engine on the skeg. two guys hold it uprights while the third guy switches out the jackplate. However I do not recommend this. Hopefully you do not have a Ranger that they 5200 the jackplate/motor. I saw an engine held up by just the glue once. All four transom bolts were removed.

Was in the same situation about 3 months ago.
Was going to do it myself. Called my local shop (Rockwall Marine) and they charged me 2 hrs labor to do it.
Seemed simple but I was worried about sealing and torquing the transom bolts properly.
$185 bucks, problem solved.

Gunter Marine in Fort Worth didn't want to do it.

Patterson Marine in Haltom City wanted $225.

Taylor Marine in Grapevine never called me back.

Fun N Sun said it would be $220ish.

I'm not brave enough to balance my Opti on some boards and I'm doing the work myself. I'm not paying someone $220+ to use a lift and loosen 4 bolts. So I spent $29 on the Mercury Engine lift ring, $13 on some sealant and $36 to rent a frickin engine hoist. I'm doing this one myself. I'll share my results and/or ER pics...

$200 was my spending limit and nobody really wanted the work or my $$$.

call Cal at 817-300-2827