Steering wheel alignment at speeds

[Blue Gray in PA]

Does anyone else have an issue with the steering wheel being straight up and down at idle and low speed and then having to be turned almost 90 degrees ccw to keep the boat straight at higher (above 60 MPH) speeds?

Do I need to adjust something, is it play in the cables or something you learn to live with? I have a flat plate in the anode area and could add a plate with fin but don't know if it's all due to prop torque or what? I do have an Allison mod to the skeg but it's not too significant compared to the aluminum add-on I've seen. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[spanky]

are you running cables or hydraulic? if cables then sounds like you have a torque issue and maybe correcting in the opposite direction. if hydraulic then it could be the simple fact that the steering wheel never ends up in the same location with each use.

 

[jimmyb]

i believe he is running cables... so it is a torque issue with the gearcase crabbing thru the water slightly. A real torque tab on the skeg should go a longer way to eliminate this...

a gearcase with a low water pickup and a torque tab is what blue needs (which he already knows! )

 

[CDave]

I know the Spinelli I had torqued like a monster, Choppers and ET's didn't.

 

[John Richied]

I’m just guessing but it sounds to me like as you said,” There is a lot of play in the cables”

Try adjusting your steering cables, but it is normal to have the steering wheel pointing straight up when you take off, then have to turn it a little more to the left at speed.

 

[froggy]

Blue Gray,

My 2003/torques like crazy out of the hole and my steering wheel is just like yours. Then as I gain speed, the skeg/torque tab becomes more and more effective, the faster I go the less torque and the straighter my steering wheel becomes. Remember, a "fixed" torque tab is only perfect for a narrow range of speed. This means if the torque tab is too pronounced, at higher speeds, it is possible to get torque from the opposite side. On an airplane, we can adjust the torque tabs to match the speed, on our outboards we must live with compromise.

froggy

 

[Stace]

I have the same deal but not as bad. But I also have the Allison weld on torque tab. I just moved the wheel 1 bolt hole. It makes it a little funky at slow speed but once you hit 60 its just right! Stace

 

[fishmesser]

You should have said something last night and I would have let you run my boat and seen what it shouldn't fill like. My steering has a lot of play in it.
Good seeing you and have a safe trip home.
Tim

 

[Blue Gray in PA]

I thought fishmesser was sawing lumber in his boat last night - mine's tighter than a virgin on her wedding night compared to his setup. I think the problem is crabbing as Jimmy said since I do have cables - hopefully that will change when the CLE with Bob's nosecone arrives next week.