torque steer very bad! *UPDATE* FIXXED!

[ntoracn@yahoo.com]

Well its fixed! I installed a fabbed piece of aluminum to replace the broken corner of the anti-cavitation plate. I haven't TIG welded it on as of yet, as I have 3 bolts going thru the anode/trim tab holding the piece on very snugly. <br /><br />I also found that if I trimmed the motor to far in, some of the torque steer would return. I'm running the motor in the middle of the trim holes and I can drive it with one finger at any throttle angle!!! <br /><br />We went to lake Silverwood here in So Calif, and shocked all of the people camped around our beach spot when my 1987 20 hp Merc (with a 25 hp carb pulled me up on an old "skurfer" with my wife, 2 kids and our dog in the boat. And I'm not talking beach starts either <br /><br />This motor rocks! Thanks for all the help. Below is my original post.<br /><br /><br />I posted this same question last year and got a couple of responses.<br /><br /> I did switch the rubber motor mounts and tightened the friction bolt and adjusted the anode/ trim tab plate aft of the prop, this helped a little, but my wife can't drive it more than 10 min and her arm is ready to fall off from the motor wanting to steer hard left. I can hange on a longer, but it takes some of the fun out of using the boat. <br /><br />Am I missing something that's causing this? My old 9.9 had very little to no pull. I know it's twice the power, but....<br /><br />Any help would be appreciated

 

[Laddies]

Re: torque steer very bad! *UPDATE* FIXXED!

What is the info on the unit, must have missed last years thread

 

[MercFan]

Re: torque steer very bad! *UPDATE* FIXXED!

I dunno if this will help but...<br /><br />I trim my motor all the way in (negative) when I'm at a standstill. I use the motor to push the back-end of my boat out of the water. i know many people use positive trim during hole shot. Anyways... During the time that my motor is trimmed in, and indeed on it's way out (Trim up), the steering is very stiff and if I let go of the steering wheel it'll turn hard right. Then I just keep trimming up and very very suddenly, on the way up, the steering becomes light and the torque steer disappears.<br /><br />HTH

 

[Yepblaze]

Re: torque steer very bad! *UPDATE* FIXXED!

I had one kicked in too far.<br /><br /><br />Lost top speed,<br /> and it pulled real bad too.<br /><br />Kicked it out another notch<br />gained 5mph,<br /> and it drives a lot nicer, almost neutral.

 

[gabby1]

Re: torque steer very bad! *UPDATE* FIXXED!

good luck,i bought a new 2004 jon boat and 2004 25 hp mercury in 2oo5,and it was scary,scary to run,no one had a good answer to my problem.pulled bad to the right,i ended up raising the motor one inch of the transom and that helped some but it still pulls to the right alot.

 

[Dawg2]

Re: torque steer very bad! *UPDATE* FIXXED!

Alot of boats have torque steer until on plane and trimmed properly then it gets neutral..

 

[ntoracn@yahoo.com]

Re: torque steer very bad! *UPDATE* FIXXED!

My motor is a 1986 model. Its the worst on plane at WOT when the motor is making max power. I have tried all of the trim holes to see if any of them helped, none did.<br /><br />I haven't tried raising the motor up on the transom, I would worry about doing this as my motor can cavitate now if I turn real sharp during 1/2 to WOT turns.<br /><br />I love this motor, its just so tiring to use a lot. Is this type of pulling/torque steer behavior normal?<br /><br />Thanks to all for your help.

 

[Dawg2]

Re: torque steer very bad! *UPDATE* FIXXED!

Mhttp://www.iboats.com/mall/index.cgi?keywords=torque%20steering%20tab&*******=725092318&**********=576006185&search_in_category=t&view_id=40109&page_number=2ight try one of these if it is right hand torque have you tried to turn tab all the way?

 

[Texasmark]

Re: torque steer very bad! *UPDATE* FIXXED!

Some of the smaller motors have no trim tab behind the prop on the bottom of the anticavitation plate.<br /><br />Trim position , or transom pin placement (for non trim engines) has a definite effect on trim.<br /><br />I don't know at what hp Merc uses a trim tab, but if you have one, all the way to the right as viewed from the rear is your desired position.....unless you prove otherwise.<br /><br />If you have no tab, then all you have is the transom tilt pin to help you out.<br /><br />Your engine should sit about vertical when operating in normal applications. This gets the bow up and out of the water, better speed, performance, and easier to steer.....but your hole shot will suffer somewhat, but you can live with that.<br /><br />HTH<br /><br />Mark

 

[Texasmark]

Re: torque steer very bad! *UPDATE* FIXXED!

Just checked. Looks like 20 hp is where they first use it.<br /><br />Mark

 

[ntoracn@yahoo.com]

Re: torque steer very bad! *UPDATE* FIXXED!

Yes I have the trim tab and it's maxed to the right side of the boat.

 

[AMD Rules]

Re: torque steer very bad! *UPDATE* FIXXED!

You indicated the boat pulls hard to the left, and later mentioned that the trim tab is maxed to the -right- side.<br /><br />Just to be sure we understand; the trailing edge of the trim tab (rear part) should be pointing in the direction that the boat is pulling.<br /><br />ie. For a boat that pulls to the left while under power, the rear edge of the trim tab needs to be moved towards the -left- to compensate.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: torque steer very bad! *UPDATE* FIXXED!

Sorry guys (AMD) I must have been smoking dope or something. I agree on turn the rear of the tab in the direction of pull....pulling left, turn to the left........always have to sit down with a piece of paper and get that straight. Guess it happens so infrequently I just forget.<br /><br />Mark

 

[ntoracn@yahoo.com]

Re: torque steer very bad! *UPDATE* FIXXED!

My mistake, the tiller handle pulls hard left, the boat turn's to the right. <br /><br />I can't imagine any MFG making an outboard, sticking it on a boat, driving it with this hard pull and saying to themselves "we did good boy's, this is a fun motor to drive".

 

[MercFan]

Re: torque steer very bad! *UPDATE* FIXXED!

OK... Then to check proper engine height.<br /><br />With your motor straight vertical, not trimmed in or out. Get it on plane and keep it at WOT. When you're at maximum speed, look down behind the boat. Check where your anti-ventilation plate is sitting (Flate horizontal "plate" part of the casting directly above the prop). Your trim tab is flush with the anti-vent plate. It shouldn't be in the water, or only-just in the water.<br /><br />The only other thing I can imagine is something mechanical. With the engine off, go WOT and feel if the engine moves freely to left and right. Is there anything weird on the bottom of the hull maybe? A tab or something that might be trying to make the boat steer and what you're feeling is actually the counter steer?

 

[ntoracn@yahoo.com]

Re: torque steer very bad! *UPDATE* FIXXED!

AMD rules, Texasmark and Dawg2: Thanks for all your help, The "torque tab will be my last resort fix if all else fails. Thank you guy's.<br /><br />MercFan: Thanks for your time. No tab's or anything on the bottom of the boat. I wonder if a rear corner of my anti-vent plate that is broken off is allowing the tip of the prop to be exposed to air and is causing my problem? I think its called "paddle wheeling"?<br /><br />A 1" X 2"long triangular rear corner piece of the vent plate is broken off and missing. The previous owner didn't have the piece when I bought the motor.I'm gona have to try and fab up a piece of aluminum, and try to replace the broken piece. <br /><br />Thanks again.

 

[MercFan]

Re: torque steer very bad! *UPDATE* FIXXED!

Fast LC4...<br /><br />I've never had a motor with a missing piece off the Anti-vent plate, but in theory it does sound very possible.<br /><br />The one side of your prop isn't venting and thus delivering full thrust. The other side is venting and thus only gives partial thrust. Could very well force your motorto want to turn.<br /><br />Looking at the boat from the rear, if it's the right hand corner that's broken off, the boat will want to steer right.<br /><br />If you have a shop that knows how to work with aluminium they should be able to cut a piece to fit. V it, weld it, and then shape it to be pretty damn close.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: torque steer very bad! *UPDATE* FIXXED!

Thanks for the feedback.<br /><br />In Dallas is a prop shop that welds (repairs) plates on lower units and skegs (both of which have broken off or have been damaged). They do this in addition to selling and repairing all types of props. <br /><br />Might look around and see if you have something like that. If on the rear corner, nothing there to hurt with the heat. Regardless, I would run water on the rest of the lower unit while welding to the tab to insure the seals in the gearbox and the impeller don't get hot.<br /><br />Two other things that affect steering torque would be tilt angle and depth of engine in water. <br /><br />I know that several mfgr's have large engines, like 50-60 hp that are tiller controlled. I just looked in a couple of Ranger boat catalogs and noticed that Merc, Suzuki, and Yammie, toname 3 have 50-60 hp tiller engines. In the pictures the boats are running flat out and the people holding the tiller arm don't seem to be straining with one hand on the tiller.<br /><br />Might contact these mfgrs and ask why and how do they do it or go to one of their dealers and pose the question.<br /><br />HTH,<br /><br />Mark

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: torque steer very bad! *UPDATE* FIXXED!

I have a very hard time believing that anyone older than a pre-teen could have so much trouble with steering torque from a little 25Hp. If it's such a problem, convert to a steering wheel. Never turn the trim tab more than a few degrees from straight. That may be what's wearing you out. Typically the trailing edge will be slightly to the right when looking from behind. If it's way off, you'll be adding to the torque, not diminishing it.<br /><br />There are devices (link above) that bolt to the trailing edge of the skeg to help with that, but they're rarely necesary on anything less than triple what your motor will ever put out. I don't recall seeing one on anything less than a V-6. Is the skeg bent? That's the only thing I can think of that could make steering such a chore on such a little motor.

 

[Motor Boater Bill]

Re: torque steer very bad! *UPDATE* FIXXED!

Willie,<br />Forgive me, but I must respectfully disagree. I have a 20 HP Merc 200 that pulled really hard to one side when I mistakenly had the motor trimmed in too far. I had moved the pin to the inmost hole when working on the motor. Moved it back out, problem solved. Yes, a small motor can indeed pull hard if there is something out of whack. And, unfortunately, I am MUCH older than a pre-teen!