The bolts that secure your outboard to your boat’s transom endure tremendous stress when the boat is underway and even when the boat is being trailered. Those bolts are critically important, so don’t neglect them.

Loose transom bolts can “wallow out” the holes in the outboard’s transom bracket and the transom itself over time due to the outboard constantly moving in relation to the transom. This can eventually cause the bolts to break, creating a potentially dangerous situation. Not to fear; checking and tightening your transom bolts is not difficult, and this Mercury Quick Tip video will show you how to do that.

Be sure to check your owner’s manual to learn how often to perform this check, and the proper torque specs for your particular model.