# Mayhem mud motors



## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

I just got a motor from Travis over at mayhem. 
As a person that seems to break every brand and style of motor made I am going to put it to the test. 

I will let you all know the results. I have read a lot of post on here that are on both sides so I'm going in with an open mind. 

First off this is a last year model frame so no removable plate. It is 18hp van pushing a 14x42 riveted jon. 

I just mounted to boat and have not had the chance to run it yet but here are my First impressions 

The frame is a bent steel that has minimal welding so it should be strong. The bearings are sealed. There is a grease port but no release or opening to let you know it is full. I really don't want to blow the bearings out by over greasing the shaft. The cavitation plate is completely rolled Travis stated it helps keep the water in the path of the prop. We will see how it work. I have three props for this so I will run the all and get some results I have an 8x4, 9x3, 9x5 to test. 

This motor will be ran everyday until the freeze so It should get a good workout.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

I would guess the 9X5 prop will work the best for that motor. From what I have seen I think they have done their homework and build a good MM. Let us know how it works out for you.


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

Having seen the 35 longtail they build and its frame/design, ill be watching your posts/observations very closely. (I was impressed with what i saw...) From what i have been told, these guys have done their homework and are really doing their best in putting their best foot forward in delivering a solid product to market. Im excited to see what their future holds, granted their products produce and their customer service backs it up.

That said, having been the owner of a now very dated balanced 35 Hyperdrive that as anyone can imagine, (if you know me and the conditions i put that thing through year after year... From grinding the hardpan of the spur to many many impacts with rocks-concrete blocks, packing loads that exceed my load rating on the boat (bowfishing), and flinging chunks of ice that would knock a horse unconcious -lol- ;-)) has seen its share of problems over the years. As a result of the way i have been treated on every ocassion of service, beit needing advice on how to repair something myself, or having my motor in their shop, to just popping in to pick up a new belt or prop, ill be hardpressed to go with anything other than MB for the time being.


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## lablover (Jan 27, 2014)

Longgun-
I get what your saying but.............
That's also like saying I have a Remington 870 from 1975 why upgrade to a SX3 ?
Ummm, because it's better in a lot of ways! :mrgreen:
Just sayin.........;-)


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

lablover said:


> Longgun-
> I get what your saying but.............
> That's also like saying I have a Remington 870 from 1975 why upgrade to a SX3 ?
> Ummm, because it's better in a lot of ways! :mrgreen:
> Just sayin.........;-)


 time will tell, but im not buying a SX3 anytime soon.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Longgun said:


> time will tell, but im not buying a SX3 anytime soon.


 Yep, I'm sticking with my Mudbuddy for a while too.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

What happened with Dixie Mudmotors? Are they still around? Seems like they kind of fell off the grid. I have not seen any advertising from their local dealer in a year.


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## fish-n-fool (May 26, 2009)

*Dixie went out of business.*



Fowlmouth said:


> What happened with Dixie Mudmotors? Are they still around? Seems like they kind of fell off the grid. I have not seen any advertising from their local dealer in a year.


They have went out of business, I talked with Steve the dealer two days ago. As you know I switched to there 6.5 SD last season and it works great. I have not had any mechanical break downs but it's a small frame with my KX21 on it. I was having some fuel related problems last year but got a new carb 2 weeks ago and installed it. Need to go run it and see if it helped. I also have two other guys that are running there frames. 10hp and a 23hp both have had lower unit problems but the new owner sent them out the new style last year and they have been running all summer shooting carp with no problems. I do know someone that copied there design and can make me parts if need be but they are gone, to bad because like any company you just need to work the bugs out to get it right.

They were great to work with and they made my frame custom for my scanoe I couldn't be any happier with the results.

http://www.bigfishtackle.com/photos/showfull.php?photo=18747

Hope there not gone for good but just trying to make a new game plan.

fnf


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## Pumpgunner (Jan 12, 2010)

Fowlmouth said:


> What happened with Dixie Mudmotors? Are they still around? Seems like they kind of fell off the grid. I have not seen any advertising from their local dealer in a year.


I know that the original owner sold the company about a year and a half ago, I'm not sure if they are building new motors anymore. I talked to the owner a few times and it sounds like they got way too big too fast, they got buried in orders which led to long waits for products which led to some bad publicity. They had some issues with quality control too, they were only a 3 man shop and I think they just got overwhelmed. I was kind of bummed about that because I tested out their 15hp surface drive for a few months, it was a solid unit and I thought they had the potential to become a player in the surface drive market. I'm not sure if Steve still is a dealer for them or not.


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## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

I had a Dixie. It was the worst motor I have ever ran. I broke three lower units in three years. The boat that had it on it never made it past the opener for three years. I tried to work with the owner on warranty replacements it go to where he wouldn't answer his phone. The lower unit had no rear shaft support in the lower unit so it would break shafts all the time. What a pile of crap.


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## fish-n-fool (May 26, 2009)

Hoopermat said:


> I had a Dixie. It was the worst motor I have ever ran. I broke three lower units in three years. The boat that had it on it never made it past the opener for three years. I tried to work with the owner on warranty replacements it go to where he wouldn't answer his phone. The lower unit had no rear shaft support in the lower unit so it would break shafts all the time. What a pile of crap.


Maybe this is why they went out of business, the internet can make you or break you.

I heard about your problem and they tried to redesign the lower shaft making it bigger and stronger and you still broke the new one. ha ha. Not sure how you can break three and two of my friends running 23hp motors with the new design not have a problem? I didn't reply to stir the pot but to say I was happy with his service and three friends are happy with there bigger motors frames. and they all play hard, they are not babying them either, two guys made many long runs to the end of turpin last season. Both also made runs out on the hard pan on the great salt lake at least a dozen times.

So sorry you had a bad experience with the frames but they are not a pile a crap. I'm interested to know if you mounted the motor your self? I know if you get the spacing wrong you can snap the shaft at the lower unit gear because of the pressure. Just curious if this was ever brought up to you or not.


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## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

Ok first report on the motor. 
We took the boat out to ogden bay, Harold crane, pintail flats
Ogden bay had a ton of duck weed the first pass through was a little slow with the 9x3 but made it out. Next I changed the prop to a 8x4 and it ripped through. I think this could be the prop. Then tried the 7x4. I little less speed but in the mud it worked great. 

Harold crane. 
Not much vegataion and pretty shallow. A little soft mud on bottom. The 9x3 was the ticket here the 8x4 worked good but a little slower 7x4 even slower

Pintail. 
Well there is no water at pintail. Once down the river the water dries up quick. Have to pull boat 60 yards across the sand. But past that water was 3 to 4 inches deep tops. I ran out to the end again with the three props and the 7x4 was the king here. The 9x3 just couldn't get enough water it would go then slow down. The 8x4 was a little better. 
This was a good test of the new frame we were pretty hard on it pushing through the mud the whole time. 
So far this frame and motor has been great I have no complaints yet. 

I going out this weekend to other places to test it some more. 
I'll let you know what happens.

PS I did blow out my upper bearing on my 27 hp mud buddy at pintail. But that seems to happen in that frame. For some reason.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Hoopermat said:


> PS I did blow out my upper bearing on my 27 hp mud buddy at pintail. But that seems to happen in that frame. For some reason.


 How old is that motor? I have never had any problems with my 27 hp Longtail Mudbuddy. I have 84 hours on it total and keep it greased every year. 
Mat, you should be the quality control tester for every brand of mudmotor made. If you can't break it nobody can.


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## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

My 27 is from the 90's. It probably has over 1000 hours on it I've replaced the hour meter a couple times. Those kohler motors are pretty good. It's been through a few shafts and bearings and rebuilt at least once I can remember. Two years ago it got the whole tail rebuilt. Its been a good motor but it has it's qwerks. 

I have a bunch of small hp motors like honda kohler and vanguards. They run on various equipment. I have a honda that has 2000 hours never rebuilt. And a vanguard with 1500. But these get used every day. I did get 5000 hrs out of a 18 hp vanguard on a pressure washer.


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## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

Fowlmouth said:


> How old is that motor? I have never had any problems with my 27 hp Longtail Mudbuddy. I have 84 hours on it total and keep it greased every year.
> Mat, you should be the quality control tester for every brand of mudmotor made. If you can't break it nobody can.


I wish I could test them all that would be a fun job. It seems like all the new motors on the market look pretty good. It also think some company's are so focused on surface drive they are not paying much attention to the long tail anymore.

But I guess once you have a good design you can stick with it. 
(If it isn't broken than don't fix it). But I also like that thought of some other guys trying to come into a new market that has been pretty doninated by a few company's and try to do better. Those small guys will bring some type of innovation to their products that just might improve things.

And I'll be here to break them.


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## Hoopermat (Dec 17, 2010)

Once the surface drive was invented the long tail has almost been forgotten. Kind of like the surface drive is pushing out the long tail. But to me they both have a place. I have seen this in other industries. Take motocross bikes. Once the four stroke bike came out two strokes are fading away. But now the racing numbers are way down becuase the average guy cannot afford to race because the bikes are so expensive. 
I see this same example in mud motors. 
And to have these other smaller guys come into the market is good for us the low cost consumer. 
I think mayhem has a good product but only time and punishment will tell. But to truly survive their customer service has to be top notch. 
Lately most comments about the big brands are how poor their customer service is let face it everything mechanical will fail at some point. But at that point is what makes or breaks a company is how they treat their customers when the customer need a part or service.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Hoopermat said:


> I wish I could test them all that would be a fun job. It seems like all the new motors on the market look pretty good. It also think some company's are so focused on surface drive they are not paying much attention to the long tail anymore.
> 
> But I guess once you have a good design you can stick with it.
> (If it isn't broken than don't fix it). But I also like that thought of some other guys trying to come into a new market that has been pretty doninated by a few company's and try to do better. Those small guys will bring some type of innovation to their products that just might improve things.
> ...


 I am a fan of longtail mudmotors. I know they have lost popularity in recent years with the introduction of the surface drive motors, but there is definitely still a market for the longtails. I would love to have another 16' boat with a 35 hp surface drive for those long hauls across the marsh, and for fishing. 
I will always have a longtail though for the style of duck hunting I do. I hunt some very shallow areas where I need a quick hole shot to get moving, and that is the main reason I have stuck with the longtail.


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## fish-n-fool (May 26, 2009)

Fowlmouth said:


> I am a fan of longtail mudmotors. I know they have lost popularity in recent years with the introduction of the surface drive motors, but there is definitely still a market for the longtails. I would love to have another 16' boat with a 35 hp surface drive for those long hauls across the marsh, and for fishing.
> I will always have a longtail though for the style of duck hunting I do. I hunt some very shallow areas where I need a quick hole shot to get moving, and that is the main reason I have stuck with the longtail.


You can do that with a shorty buddy just lower it all the way down into the mud, pick it up, start it, rev up to 3500RPM and drop her in the mud. better hold on though. HA HA. See you in the marsh my friend. a week and two days!!!!:grin::grin::grin:


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