Lenco 16" x 12" Heavy Duty Performance Trim Tab Kit w/LED Switch 12V

The Lenco 16" x 12" Heavy Duty Performance Trim Tab Kit with LED Indicator Switch is the complete single-actuator HD-Performance trim tab system - everything in one box for owners who want to install a serious trim tab system without sourcing the switch kit and extension harnesses separately. Lenco Marine is the dominant US electric trim tab manufacturer. the Heavy Duty Performance line is the company's mid-tier offering between the entry-level Standard tabs and the top-tier HP series. For typical 16-22 foot performance powerboats wanting real trim tab capability with full LED position display at the helm, this RT16X12HDI is the right kit.

16 x 12 inch tabs - sized for typical performance powerboats. The 16-inch length by 12-inch width is the right tab size for boats roughly 16-22 feet LOA - typical bowriders, walk-around fishing boats, smaller center consoles, and performance bass boats in this size range. For smaller boats (under 16 feet), Lenco offers 12x9 and 12x12 tabs. For larger boats (over 22 feet), 18-inch tabs and 24-inch tabs are the right sizing. Tab sizing matters: oversized tabs on a small boat cause squat and unstable handling. undersized tabs on a big boat don't provide enough trim authority. Match tab size to boat length per Lenco's sizing guide.

12-gauge 304 stainless steel blades. The blades are 12-gauge (~0.105 inch material thickness) 304 stainless steel - the recreational marine standard for HD trim tab construction. 304 stainless provides good corrosion resistance in saltwater at reasonable cost. 12-gauge thickness is heavy enough to handle the hydrodynamic loads of typical performance powerboats without flexing or fatiguing over years of use. The HP series uses heavier 7-gauge 304SS for higher-load applications. the standard series uses lighter 14-gauge for smaller / slower boats. The HD Performance 12-gauge sits in the middle - enough strength for serious recreational use without the cost premium of HP gauge.

Electro-polished finish. The blades are electro-polished after fabrication - a chemical finishing process that removes surface contaminants and creates a passive chrome-oxide layer that enhances corrosion resistance over the bare stainless surface. Electro-polishing also gives the blades a uniform mirror-like finish that stays attractive over years of saltwater exposure (the bare stainless that fabrication leaves shows fingerprints, water spots, and surface oxidation. electro-polished surface stays clean-looking).

Blade design - 1" turned-up edges, 85-degree inside taper, 1/4" hinge pin. The blade design includes specific geometry refinements that improve trim tab function. The 1-inch turned-up edges add stiffness to the blade (resists flexing under load) and create a small lifting effect at the trailing edge. The 85-degree inside taper at the front of the blade creates a gradual entry into the water flow that reduces cavitation. The 1/4-inch hinge pin handles the loads at the blade-to-transom hinge point with margin for years of use. These geometry details separate well-engineered trim tabs from cheap alternatives that look similar but don't perform the same way.

Single actuator per tab. The HD Performance line uses single actuators per tab (vs the dual-actuator HP series for higher-load applications). Single actuator at this tab size handles the typical performance-powerboat hydrodynamic loads cleanly - the dual-actuator setup is overkill for 16-22 foot boats. The kit includes 2 actuators total (one per tab).

Extreme Duty actuators with 5/16" stainless bolts. The actuators are Lenco's Extreme Duty variant - heavier than the standard actuator with the upgraded 5/16-inch stainless steel bolt mounting (vs 1/4-inch on standard). The bolt size matters because these are the hardware that takes the actual hydrodynamic load from the blade. Extreme Duty actuators handle the loads of HD Performance applications without the long-term wear that lower-spec hardware would suffer.

Solid stainless steel billet rams. The actuator rams (the linear shafts that extend / retract the trim tab) are solid stainless steel billet, chemically polished for unsurpassed durability and corrosion resistance. Solid billet construction is meaningfully stronger than tubular alternatives, and chemical polishing provides corrosion resistance in direct saltwater exposure. The chemically polished surface also runs more smoothly through the actuator seals over time, which extends seal life and prevents water intrusion into the actuator body.

Fully submersible, maintenance-free, sealed for life. The actuators are designed for continuous submersion in saltwater - the actuator housing is fully sealed with no required maintenance over the life of the unit. The 50% glass fiber-filled UV-resistant nylon case handles direct UV exposure and provides structural integrity for the loads the actuator carries. No grease intervals, no service kits, no scheduled maintenance - install it and forget it.

6-foot leads with Deutsch plug-and-play connectors. Each actuator ships with a 6-foot factory-terminated lead and Deutsch waterproof plug connectors. Deutsch is the marine-electrical standard for waterproof plug-and-play interconnects - sealed silicone seals, locking detents, crimped contacts (not soldered) for vibration resistance. The plug-and-play approach makes install dramatically faster than older hardwire trim tab systems.

20-foot actuator extension wiring harnesses INCLUDED. The kit includes two 20-foot extension harnesses (one per actuator) for running wiring from the transom-mounted actuators forward to the helm switch position. 20 feet is sufficient for most 16-22 foot boats. This is meaningfully better value than the kits where the extension harnesses are sold separately - typical separate harness purchase adds $50-100 to the kit cost. Including them in the box saves you that cost and the install hassle.

Factory pre-assembled with full transom back plate. The kit ships factory-assembled - back plate, blade, actuator brackets, and actuators come pre-mounted and ready to bolt to the boat transom. The full transom back plate spreads the trim tab load across a wider area of the transom skin (vs older trim tabs that loaded the transom at just the actuator mount points), which protects fiberglass transoms from stress-cracking under high loads.

Mechanical strain relief cable seal and adjustable C-channel brackets. The mechanical strain relief at the cable exit prevents water intrusion and prevents cable damage from tension or vibration. The adjustable C-channel mounting brackets accommodate different transom angles and trim tab geometry during install. Both features are signature Lenco engineering details that separate quality trim tabs from cheap alternatives.

3.75-inch sacrificial anodes. Each tab includes a 3.75-inch sacrificial anode bolted to the blade for galvanic corrosion protection. Replace the anodes when 50 percent consumed - typical replacement interval is annual for hard saltwater use, longer for fresh water.

Tactile LED Indicator Switch Kit included. The premium switch kit ships in the box: self-contained sealed keypad with fade/smudge-proof laser-engraved graphics, separate self-contained sealed control box module, plug-and-play switch wiring harness connector, 36-inch power pigtail for control box. 2-inch hole cut-out for clean dash mounting, 2.75 x 2.75-inch overall switch face. Two high-intensity LED indicator displays show exact tab position at all times - so you don't have to guess whether the tabs are deployed, retracted, or in between. Built-in auto-retract returns tabs to fully retracted position when power is removed (the right behavior for trailering or storage). Photo-eye reads ambient light and automatically adjusts LED indicator brightness for optimum viewing in direct sunlight (the LEDs don't get washed out by sunlight, which is the typical problem with cheap LED indicators on boat dashes). 12V and 24V compatibility. Self-check feature on power-up verifies the system is functioning properly.

Customer supplies boat mounting hardware. The bolts that attach the back plate to the transom skin aren't included because the right size and material depend on transom thickness and material. Typical install uses 5/16-inch stainless bolts of appropriate length, with sealant and inside backing plates. Source from any marine hardware supplier.

Install. Mount the back plate to the transom using customer-supplied stainless bolts (sealed with marine sealant). Connect 12V power from the battery to the helm switch via an appropriate circuit breaker (typical 15A breaker for the single-actuator HD kit). Mount the LED switch kit at the helm using the 2-inch dash cutout. Run the actuator extension harnesses from the helm switch back to the actuator Deutsch connectors. Plug everything together. Test deployment / retraction operation. Total install runs 4-6 hours for a competent boat owner. Lenco standard warranty applies.