Wheel pulling hard one direction

[genesis78]

First let me say that I am not very mechanically inclined so if this is a mechnical problem, please respond in layman's terms

I own an older Wellcraft 190 Classic. I love the boat but ever since I bought it about 2 years ago the steering wheel always pulls hard to the right. The faster the boat goes, the harder the wheel pulls. At idle speeds or just above it's not much but at WOT it pulls so hard and you have to apply so much pressure on the wheel to keep it straight my wife will not drive it. It is like a extremely mis-aligned front end on a car. At speed making turns in one direction is just a matter of letting up pressure on the wheel and it will turn itself. To go in the other direction I literally have to crank the wheel hand over hand using a lot of force. I am convinced that if I were to let go of the wheel up on a plane just for more than a second the boat would turn so hard on it's own that people would be ejected from the boat. After a while my arms get tired of fighting the wheel. I know that the engine (160HP I/O) produces torque and without trim tabs (the boat doesn't have any) it will torque the wheel some but my boat does it to the point that I am really concerned that my wife doesn't have the arm strength counter the pressure that back feeds through the wheel to keep it straight not to mention be able to crank it over to avoid a collision. Obviously something is wrong here. Any ideas?

Thanks for your time!

 

[bigb2008]

Re: Wheel pulling hard one direction

I'm not sure about that specific boat, but I do know that some ski boats are setup to do exactly that. I think it's to keep from drifting when doing a slalom.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Wheel pulling hard one direction

have you tried to adj. the trim tab on the vent plate yet?

http://www.marinemechanic.com/New-Folder2/trim-tab.gif

 

[genesis78]

Re: Wheel pulling hard one direction

Hmm, Ok so I looked at your graphic of the trim tab and went and looked my outdrive to adjust it. Discovered that my boat doesn't seem to have that tab. I do have the horizontal plate just above the prop (its molded in as part of the outdrive) and on the bottom side of that plate facing down toward the prop there is a threaded hole for something screw into but it is empty. Is it possible I am missing this trim tab and that is what is causing the hard pulling in the wheel? Do all boats have this tab?

 

[bhammer]

Re: Wheel pulling hard one direction

I am guessing you do NOT have power Steering? Basing the following on you having a Merc outdrive....

On your outdrive, it there is silver looking flat plate in the place if where that fin should go? If not, then maybe it went into the drink some where... That is called an anode and you will need to replace it with the fin one. You can buy them right here on iBoat.com. There is an allen bolt that screws out/in down through the top of the outdrive. There is usually a little black plug over the hole. Do a search on here for trim tab adjustment and you will be set. When you install the tab, make sure you have a 1/4" between the prop and the tab/anode. If not, you will need to get a smaller diameter prop.

 

[briguy2817]

Re: Wheel pulling hard one direction

I had the exact same problem with my Bayliner. I fought the wheel until my arms gave out and my wife would not drive it. I looked for the problem for a month and adjusted the trim tab with no change in results.

I ended up installing a set of Smart Tabs and bingo, problem solved. I am now thinking that the swim platform was dragging through the water causing a starboard pull. This may not be the problem but it seems logical, the Trim Tab on the starboard side extends past where the lower rail is at on the platform, preventing it from dragging.

Now all I need to do is adjust the trim tab a little to fine tune it and I'm good to go for the summer. I'm not saying this is your problem but if the trim tab doesn't solve your problems, there may be other solutions.

Brian

 

[genesis78]

Re: Wheel pulling hard one direction

I am guessing you do NOT have power Steering? Basing the following on you having a Merc outdrive....

On your outdrive, it there is silver looking flat plate in the place if where that fin should go? If not, then maybe it went into the drink some where... That is called an anode and you will need to replace it with the fin one. You can buy them right here on iBoat.com. There is an allen bolt that screws out/in down through the top of the outdrive. There is usually a little black plug over the hole. Do a search on here for trim tab adjustment and you will be set. When you install the tab, make sure you have a 1/4" between the prop and the tab/anode. If not, you will need to get a smaller diameter prop.

There is in fact a circular silver plate set in to the bottom of the that plate that sits just above the prop (the anode if I understand correctly). In the middle of that silver plate there is a threaded hole with nothing in it. Think it is just MIA?

Edit: Correct, no power steering, the out drive is marked "Alpha one"

 

[genesis78]

Re: Wheel pulling hard one direction

I had the exact same problem with my Bayliner. I fought the wheel until my arms gave out and my wife would not drive it. I looked for the problem for a month and adjusted the trim tab with no change in results.

I ended up installing a set of Smart Tabs and bingo, problem solved. I am now thinking that the swim platform was dragging through the water causing a starboard pull. This may not be the problem but it seems logical, the Trim Tab on the starboard side extends past where the lower rail is at on the platform, preventing it from dragging.

Now all I need to do is adjust the trim tab a little to fine tune it and I'm good to go for the summer. I'm not saying this is your problem but if the trim tab doesn't solve your problems, there may be other solutions.

Brian

That is a good point, I also have a swim platform on the aft left side. I never really thought about it, I am taking it out this weekend, I am going to ask my wife to look at the platform and see if it is dragging when at speed. How do smart tabs install? Bolt on?

 

[bhammer]

Re: Wheel pulling hard one direction

Since you do not have power steering, you need one of the anodes with the fin on it. This helps counteract the torques of the propeller and allows you to steer easier.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Wheel pulling hard one direction

For about 10 bucks these are worth a try...
http://www.iboats.com/Anode_Trim_Ta...36445124--**********.952566738--view_id.45064

 

[chuter]

Re: Wheel pulling hard one direction

While adding a trim tab to the drive may help a little it will not eliminate steering torque. Proper trim of the drive will create neutral steering on a single engine/drive powered boat.
The theory is:
With the drive/engine trimmed all the way in, you will probably experience steering torque to the right (with a right hand rotation prop). As you come up on plane and trim the engine/drive further out you will eventually come to neutral steer where you will have zero steering torque, even if you do not have a trim tab on the drive. As you trim the engine/drive further out you will begin to experience left hand steering torque.
Depending on which prop you have on your MerCruiser Alpha One drive you may not be able to install a trim tab anode and that is why the flat anode is on the bottom of the anti-ventilation plate.

 

[MikDee]

Re: Wheel pulling hard one direction

While adding a trim tab to the drive may help a little it will not eliminate steering torque. Proper trim of the drive will create neutral steering on a single engine/drive powered boat.
The theory is:
With the drive/engine trimmed all the way in, you will probably experience steering torque to the right (with a right hand rotation prop). As you come up on plane and trim the engine/drive further out you will eventually come to neutral steer where you will have zero steering torque, even if you do not have a trim tab on the drive. As you trim the engine/drive further out you will begin to experience left hand steering torque.
Depending on which prop you have on your MerCruiser Alpha One drive you may not be able to install a trim tab anode and that is why the flat anode is on the bottom of the anti-ventilation plate.

I never heard of this nor have I ever experienced it?

 

[chuter]

Re: Wheel pulling hard one direction

MikDee: honest it works. You can drive down the lake with trim alone. With power steering, as found on many stern drives, you won't experience it but with standard steering this is the only way to neutralize steering torque. It works for outboards and stern drives. Check out page 42 of Mercury Marine's "Everything you need to know about propellers" handbook. Oh yeah, I'm listed as one of the authors. And yes, I work at iboats.com. But don't tell anyone. OK?

 

[MikDee]

Re: Wheel pulling hard one direction

MikDee: honest it works. You can drive down the lake with trim alone. With power steering, as found on many stern drives, you won't experience it but with standard steering this is the only way to neutralize steering torque. It works for outboards and stern drives. Check out page 42 of Mercury Marine's "Everything you need to know about propellers" handbook. Oh yeah, I'm listed as one of the authors. And yes, I work at iboats.com. But don't tell anyone. OK?

I'll hafta give it a try? Oh, and if it works, where were you many yrs ago when I needed you

 

[chuter]

Re: Wheel pulling hard one direction

Mik:

Hydraulic steering helps reduce (almost eliminates) steering torque too. The Teleflex hydraulic steering is easy to retrofit too. I have it on my 200hp Merc EFI and although there is some "creep", it's minimal.

 

[MikDee]

Re: Wheel pulling hard one direction

Mik:

Hydraulic steering helps reduce (almost eliminates) steering torque too. The Teleflex hydraulic steering is easy to retrofit too. I have it on my 200hp Merc EFI and although there is some "creep", it's minimal.

Thanks for the tips, I may hafta replace my steering assembly soon, as it is old, and hard to turn