Factory Service Manual

[Mister Odd]

Is there a factory service manual for the boats (I have one for the OB)?

I've seen all the "As the prop turns" videos, read the user manual for my R27 and watched several videos on the factory delivery experience, but none of them address part numbers, access to those parts, location of many systems, etc..

I've been able to figure much of it out from the user manuals of misc. parts, other users photos and shoving my phone's camera in to random places on the boat - but there is a lot I still don't know. None that helps to know torque spec, replacement procedure, expected voltages, etc.

Now that Ranger Tugs is "out of the parts game" the parts lists are gone too.

My old $50k car has a full car service manual, why not a $200k boat? Is there one somewhere?

 

[Andrew Custis]

Hello,

We do not publish a factory service manual. If you are looking for a specific part, feel free to reach out to us directly as I have encouraged all to do. Most of the time a google search of the part will pull up exactly what you are after but, we are here to assist if you cannot find what you are looking for. You can reach our customer service group at customerservice@fluidmotionmarine.com.

Thank you,

 

[CruisingElvinRay]

Aside from the hull and the wiring, most of the parts are not designed by Fluid Motion. You should not look to them, for example, for instructions on how to replace the motor in your windlass.

That’s the difference between your car and a boat.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DMD3]

Can’t really compare automotive assembly with boat building. Economies of scale are enormous. Automobile final assembly take only about 10-15 hours with a vehicle rolling of the line every 60 seconds in a plant that builds on average 400,000 cars per year. Same applies to outboard manufacturers. I like to consider boats as more of a stand alone hand-built bespoke project. Continuous evolution of performance and efficiency improvements over time… would be economically prohibitive to print an automobile like owners service manual for each unit.

 

[Mister Odd]

We do not publish a factory service manual.

Bummer.

If you are looking for a specific part, feel free to reach out to us directly as I have encouraged all to do. Most of the time a google search of the part will pull up exactly what you are after but, we are here to assist if you cannot find what you are looking for. You can reach our customer service group at customerservice@fluidmotionmarine.com.

Thank you,
Andrew Custis

Will do, it's often hard to find out what the part number is, to look up - but I'll reach out as needed - Thanks! Now for how to get the issues diagnosed, part removed and re-installed, wish there was a good resource for that...

Aside from the hull and the wiring, most of the parts are not designed by Fluid Motion. You should not look to them, for example, for instructions on how to replace the motor in your windlass.

That’s the difference between your car and a boat.

CruisingElvinRay

Cars, planes, RVs, other boats, etc. often use parts they don't make or design. They still have a manual for how they want those parts troubleshooted, repaired, installed, etc.. It help's to cut down time for the end consumer and makes sure dealers/repair shops fix the issues in accordance with how the factory expects repairs to be done. Many times warranty is voided if procedures and parts are not followed exactly.

Can’t really compare automotive assembly with boat building. Economies of scale are enormous. Automobile final assembly take only about 10-15 hours with a vehicle rolling of the line every 60 seconds in a plant that builds on average 400,000 cars per year. Same applies to outboard manufacturers. I like to consider boats as more of a stand alone hand-built bespoke project. Continuous evolution of performance and efficiency improvements over time… would be economically prohibitive to print an automobile like owners service manual for each unit.
Dave and Lynn

I'm not comparing the manufacturing process. I'm comparing the repair manual necessity for both cars and boats.
Most car companies have far more models and yearly changes to those models, than Ranger Tugs has boat models/changes. They are able to make a repair guide for them all. They do this, not because it's free to make the manual - but because it saves them time and money down the road. Ranger Tugs could save a TON of time (and money) pointing to their manual when people have questions, rather than attempting to answer everyone's similar issues, individually. It would save us end users time too. Many of the Ranger Tugs/Cutwaters share parts and specs I bet one service manual would cover most of the boats!

 

[SJI Sailor]

A partial workaround for a factory manual -- at least for general operation -- is to search the Internet for "owner's notes" for a similar model in a charter fleet.

For example, the Google search "charter owners notes ranger tug pdf" turns up a few such sets of notes.

FWIW I would assume that the limitation from the factory is primarily the cost and effort. Other low production items such as small airplanes and some other brands of boats have manuals. But it is easy to guess that those add hundreds of dollars in effective cost per unit for the effort to write and produce them. Some brands also have community produced manuals ... maybe there's enough community here!

 

[Mister Odd]

A partial workaround for a factory manual -- at least for general operation -- is to search the Internet for "owner's notes" for a similar model in a charter fleet.

For example, the Google search "charter owners notes ranger tug pdf" turns up a few such sets of notes.

FWIW I would assume that the limitation from the factory is primarily the cost and effort. Other low production items such as small airplanes and some other brands of boats have manuals. But it is easy to guess that those add hundreds of dollars in effective cost per unit for the effort to write and produce them. Some brands also have community produced manuals ... maybe there's enough community here!

Great tip, I would have never thought of that! Thanks a bunch 🙂

As for the cost to make a manual - it's true they would (probably) have to hire a technical writer to compile it (from factory training guides?) and that is not cheap. I (and many others) would buy that manual though, that would help offset the cost to make it.. Some of those tech manuals cost $1000+. I still think the manual - in the long run - would save Fluid Motion money. It would certainly save the Repair tech/DIY consumer time, money and frustration.

 

[CruisingElvinRay]

I’d still not sure what the boundaries of this manual are that you are proposing. Is it a reprint of the Garmin manuals, for example?

If the water pump fails, I look up the manual for the water pump. It would not occur to me to contact FM.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mister Odd]

I’d still not sure what the boundaries of this manual are that you are proposing. Is it a reprint of the Garmin manuals, for example?

No, service manuals are more geared to techs who would be replacing a Garmin product and want to know how it's to be replaced. They would be looking for info on things like cable routing through access panels and torque spec for the fasteners (to not pull a nutsert though the fiberglass, etc.).

If the water pump fails, I look up the manual for the water pump. It would not occur to me to contact FM.

The water pump manual may or may not tell you how to repair it, however it will certainly not tell you how it was installed on a Ranger Tug R27 from year 2018 - 23. The service manual might tell you how to repair the pump (probably not) - but most likely would help you determine that the water pump needed to be replaced in the first place (improper resistance, wrong voltage, low psi, etc.). It would then tell you how/where to access the pump, it's part number and how to replace it. Service manuals are not user guides on how to use a product, more how to replace it like the factory would want you to.