Steering
 

Hi All,
Starting to think about the boat spring projects and need to get some input.
Last year I put in a new 540 had the drive gone through and all iswell.
The problem I have been having since this is the boats steering is squirrely.
I do know that when I first did this I accidentally ran the power steering pump really low.
If I cooked the pump would it leave some slack in the steering linkage?

As I accelerate the boat pulls to port and then when I back off it dives pretty hard to starboard.
There also is a fair amount of what seems to be torgue over while going staight, I seem to have to adjust the trim tabs one up one down to stay level.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Bill

First, have you checked for excess play between the steering arm and gimbal ring?

What steering system do you run?

Sounds like theres some slop somewhere in the drive and or steering. What power did you upgrade from? What speeds where you doing and what are the new speeds? I think anything near 70mph should have external steering. Check for loose bolts and play any and everywhere. If it is hooking as hard as you claim then it's dangerous for you and others. As far as cooking the pump. I think it would be slow to operate and make some noise like the usual bad PS pump. I would look for slop in the drive itself and the steering. What helm are you using? Merc cable over hydraulic or a full hydraulic? Keep us posted.

I would first elimate any play in the steering system. Helm unit, cable, steering arm to pivot shaft on yoke. If the play is in the helm and cable you would be better off replacing them with a full hydraulic system. If the transom assembly is the reason for play those items need to be addressed first, before adding any external steering. I would up-grade the yoke,& helmet to the HP style. That would eliminate any up-grade cost later down the road. The retail on that set-up is around $ 1300.00. That includes the yoke ,helmet, pivot pins, you will have to at that time change over to a mechanical trim indicator system. If not you can buy the parts from a I.T.S digital indicator and use your anolog sender in place of the digital. It takes some rigging to make it work.

I am new to this type of boat, but there is a cable run to a long arn at the transom. The only play I can detect, is about 3/16 between the u shaped piece on the cable and the pin that goes through it.

The gimbal has no play up down left or right. and this happens at all speeds I have not hd this boat over 35-40 due to the lac k of control. I think it is only a power assist.

The old motor was a 425 hp

I agree with your statement about being dangerous, that is why I have never run up over 35-40. The pump is sluggish and I can feel the pull to the left upon acceleration.
No noise though.
I should mention that with the 425 hp motoer the year before none of this was an issue.

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Ron Bender 216-390-1330
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