---

I thought I would add some info on how I raised the engine on the transom. I bought a Mercury lift ring off amazon that screws into the crankshaft in the middle of the flywheel. I set up a little giant ladder (A frame steup) over the motor and attached my 1,000 pound rated ratchet strap I use to hold the boat on the trailer to the top of the ladder and the other end to the lift ring. After tightening the strap so it was holding the weight of the engine I removed the bolts and then used the ratchet strap to raise it up two holes. My son pulled the motor a few inches away from the transom while I removed the old sealant and we then reinstalled the bolts with new sealant. Painless and took just an hour. This same setup to hold the engine weight would be useful for changing the tilt tube on an engine as well.