HARD to believe.... HARD steering?

[Bulioh]

Hey guys... This place is awesome. Anyways... I have a 1988 20' Stratos center console with a 1989 Mercury 200HP Black Max engine. Problem is.. The STIFF STEERING when turning LEFT. You can turn to the right using your pinky! I had a new water pump and stats put in it last week, and I told the mechanic my problem, and he pushed the motor one way with his foot, then pushed it the other way... and said there was NOTHING he could do to help and that it was torque-steer. He said it came from the factory that hard to steer because of the power of that motor and the double-cable steering system. When he pushed it both ways... NOTHING was binding. Turned nice and smooth both ways. Put it in the water.. It's ANOTHER STORY. Wears me out trying to steer that monster to the left. After a day of boating... My arms are about to fall off! Any ideas.. or is it "Just the way it is"? Thanks guys!<br /><br />P.S... 4-Strokes are for sissies! Hee-Hee.

 

[Wellcraft 89]

Re: HARD to believe.... HARD steering?

Try trimming it out to see if your steering gets easy! most boats have torque steer <br />have you disconnected the cables and moved the motor by hand to see if the pivot is binding.?<br /><br />Rich

 

[Bulioh]

Re: HARD to believe.... HARD steering?

Yes.. If I trim it up once on plane, it does steer to the left easier. Just something I have to live with? It's not binding anywhere. Even with the cables still hooked up, there's no binding. That sucks. Can't believe something would come from the factory THAT HARD to steer left!

 

[ronmold]

Re: HARD to believe.... HARD steering?

Have you adjusted the anode fin above the prop? This will counter-act the torque steer problem at higher speeds by slightly turning the motor in the oposite direction. I put a teleflex NFB (No Feed-Back)helm in my boat this year to overcome the constant right-hand turning at higher speeds. Now I can let go of the wheel @ any speed and the wheel doesn't move! The motor will only turn when YOU move the wheel.

 

[Johnbe]

Re: HARD to believe.... HARD steering?

Torque tabs on the lower unit and/or hydralic steering will solwe the problem.

 

[DJ]

Re: HARD to believe.... HARD steering?

Adjust the trim tab (fin hanging down above prop).<br /><br />Adjust the rear of the tab in the direction of the steering pull. Do this in small increments.<br /><br />It probably won't eliminate the "torque steer" but it will lessen it a great deal.

 

[Bulioh]

Re: HARD to believe.... HARD steering?

How do those "torque tab" things work on the lower unit? Where do they mount, How do they mount, Where do you get them, and do they counter-act torque-steer?

 

[Bulioh]

Re: HARD to believe.... HARD steering?

Anyone answer that one or what?

 

[wilde1j]

Re: HARD to believe.... HARD steering?

They're std and mounted below the caviation plate ... it's a small fin on a round plate with a bolt in the center. If boat tends to go to port, move the tab to port (a little at a time - start with tab centered) until steering is neutral at planing speed [> 4000 RPM] and tighten.

 

[AndyL]

Re: HARD to believe.... HARD steering?

I agree with the points already made. If your mechanic changed the water pump he would have had to release the trim tab. My guess is when he re-installed it he left it centralized whereas I believe it should be cranked out so the trailing edge lies to starboard of the centreline.