Update XB2003T

[Morespeed4me]

Well I still have issues I need help with. I took the skid plainer off and went to the lake with 2 props ( 28 Hydromotive and a 28 Allison cut chopper II ) boat seems to still run flat with both props, chopper has a little more lift, but not near like my first 03 with an Allison cut chopper. I almost lost it, at around 70ish, boat just does not handle well at all. I think it is a combination of the hydraulic steering and a balance issue. It seemed to be worse by myself. I took about 30 lbs of weight with me and just could not seem to get it to balance. The previous owner has all three batteries in the port side as far back as they will go. I would like to meet up with somebody this weekend that has driven an 03 with hydraulic steering so they can run the boat and go from there.
Thanks
Paul

 

[h2oskiier30]

If you'd like someone to meet you to help you out, that should be no problem at all...as long as you tell people where you're at.

 

[Morespeed4me]

Sorry I am from Manchester Tn and would be willing to travel.
Paul

 

[RedAllison]

Why are all the batteries in the portside?

Also, how high is your motor? Sounds way high.

How far is Manchester from Clifton, TN (Ky Lake)
RA

 

[h2oskiier30]

I believe Manchester is 60-70 miles southeast of Nashvegas.

 

[RedAllison]

SUMPIN aint right, a chopper and especially the Hydromotive are about the two biggest liftin props you'll bolt on a XB03. Plus you mentioned "nearly loosing it" in the 70s. Sounds to me like the motor is bad high.

Steering wise, since Merc quit makin the Rideguide cables a couple years ago nearly everyone I know is now running hydro on their 03s and I've yet to hear anyone say they wish they still had cables. The steering itself wouldn't make the boat do what it is doing, sounds like a load, setup or pad problem. Has the pad been whacked on by anyone?

Is this 03 a center or a sidesteer?
RA

 

[catfish123]

I would drop the motor down and try again......I agree with the other guys that it sounds like the motor is way too high. It you are bumping the trim at 70 and getting no response at all with the bow raising up, the motor is probably too high.

 

[Fishforcash]

I had my batteries and my onboard charger +6 disk CD changer on the Port side all the way back. Mine was also a side steer. I still had to add 25 lbs of ballast to get it balanced right (this was before I added the side slide). For top speed runs I wanted mine to lean just a tad to the port to allow for the steering torque. WHen it was lifted up high it ran flat (east/west).

Mine (1996 XB2003) ran best @1/8" below with just me and a light load. Even with a 2 man fishing load. To the best of my knowlege (which isnt very much) the pad was stock.

I think your over trimming and possibly over driving. If your balanced and set up correctly a XB2003 uses very little steering correction. My first trip in an Allison I over drove the crap out of it and hated every minute of it. Later on in the day I was running mid 80s. Once I bought one I hated it again until a phone call and a few tips. After 30 minutes and a few designated rocks in the port box I was loving every minute of it.

 

[hirk]

Just went through the same thing,this is my 1st Allison and my last boat was a Gambler running a raker so tons of bow lift,when I went to this boat it ran noticably flatter,I know they are supposed to run close to zero trim so I figured thats just the way they run.Anyway I switched to a 28 chopper and after running it a few times had a chance to run the boat with a guy thats had a xb2002 for 20 yrs. and he commented right away that the bow wasn't lifting much compared to his 2002.We played with the hydro plate and found
6.5 on the gauge was the sweet spot and I'd been running 7- 7.5,rpm's dropped a few hundred but it bit well and boogied.

 

[hirk]

Hey Ricky (fishforcash),I'm lovin it so far (I bought his 2003).I see you posted about over correcting,I have caught myself doing it a few times and and hear ya on minimal corrections,runs so much smoother that way lol.Was hard to get used to the idea of not touching the wheel much running topend,confidence in the handling of the hull cured that,like you said seat time, seat time......

 

[pickwickangler]

I would make sure the hydraulic steering is properly bled. Walk around to the back of the motor and shake it back and forth pretty hard and see how much play you have. Should have around a 1/2" or less. If it aint got bow lift then drop your motor till she will pick the bow up at say 65 mph. A late bow lift (inda 80's) is usually from to much engine height and can be dangerous. My first trip with my second 03 and second hydraulic installation was a nightmare to drive at 70. Got back to the ramp and shook the motor and she had about a foot of play :idiot

 

[Bill Kemp]

hey paul you need to clear you pm's it will not except any more as for getting together this weekend is fine for me you tell me what works for you and i'll be there

 

[Morespeed4me]

OK guys sorry for the late reply had to work 14 hrs today from 7am to 9pm. Here is the scoop I had the hydraulic steering power purged at Clark Marine before the last outing motor height was 1/4" below the pad measured before the outing moved to 1/2" below and then 3/4 below. Also Red it is now a side slide,was driving from the side because of the batteries in the port side and trolling motor on. I will call Bill Kemp in the morning and try to set up a time, oh and my PM box is now cleared out. Thanks for all the replies and thanks Bill for the offer to help. Hope to get problems fixed soon.

Thanks Again
Paul

 

[Morespeed4me]

Well a big thanks to Bill Kemp for meeting me at the lake today. What a great guy, to take time out of his Holiday weekend to help another Allison owner. To start we checked a few things out and everything seemed to be OK so we put it in the water and ran it. It did not want to lift well which wanted to make the boat skate or not free up running the 28 Allison cut chopper, so he suggested putting it back on the trailer and check things out further. I knew this boat did not run or handle anything like my other 03. By the looks of the pad he thinks somebody has sanded the pad, which you can see sand marks on the pad and has sanded a hook in it right before the lip and that the lip is to big. So he suggested sanding and removing some of the lip or letting Darris take a look at it. I will get a hold of Allison to see if I can make an appointment for them to look at it during the Rally. I think I have explained what he thinks the cause of my problems are. Maybe Bill will post on here his thoughts. Also what are the ill effects of removing some of the lip and how much lip should be removed for those of you who have done this. I thought the lip was on the boat to help lift the bow. Wanted to get everybodies thought on this before I do anything to it. I do not want to make anything worse. I run a stock 225 PM
Thanks again Bill and everybody
Paul

 

[RedAllison]

Has the pad been whacked on by anyone?
RA

That's what it sounded like it had to be if your steering and everything else checked out. Also, being a previous XB03 owner you know what they are supposed to feel like so when you jump in one with problems you know it immediately.

I'd for sure let Darris return it back to stock. There are some tweaks you can do to it if you were going to hang a 2.5 on it and run for triple digits but with a stock 225PM I'd for sure stick with Darris' stock pad and lip.

Glad you found the problem, once you get it ironed out you should be able to start moving some of those batteries around and getting things more "centered".

Keep us posted, :beer:
RA

 

[Morespeed4me]

Jim (Redallison) sorry to hear about your accident. By the look of the pic on your post, you were lucky, somebody was watching over you! You know we all take chances and learn from them or hopefully learn from them. I did not know anything about it until Bill told me about it today. I am really glad you are OK and look forward to seeing you at the Rally. I know the feeling of the bat turn, turned my other one around once at a high rate of speed, not to mention the other close calls. Things happen fast. I tore a hamstring and never left the seat. Was all my fault. Hit the up trim one to many times. One reason I do not like running a boat not handling well. I think you are right, I will call Allison Tuesday and see how soon I can get it in. It would be nice to get it there and have it fixed before the rally. Allison owners are a great bunch of guys with a lot of Knowledge, the reason I come here for advise.
Thanks for the replies
Paul

 

[Bill Kemp]

paul it was great meeting you too just wish we could have fixed the problem with the boat but maybe we have the problem figured out
paul's boat has a pad and lip problem i believe. i drove the boat and it will not lift the bow even at slow speeds (40 to 50) i hit the trim and the bow stayed planted in the water trimmed it to the max and just got a big rooster tail then pushed it up to around 6000 rpm and it still would not lift. put the boat back on the trailer and checked the engine hieght it was almost 1" below the pad so we got the level and looked at the pad it has close to 1/8 of a inch gap between the pad and straight edge of the level and can see light between the edge and the pad for almost 8" forward not sure if the lip was made that big or if someone has sanded a hooker into the pad. we can see some light sanding marks.
paul when ever you want to fish priest call me

 

[chad202]

Also, if he's doing some sanding on the lip, make sure you clean the entire running surface cause it also can stick to the water if it's very dirty.

 

[F2008]

I thought the lip was on the boat to help lift the bow.

I always thought it was to lift the stern.

 

[Aqua Vicious]

Why are all the batteries in the portside?

Also, how high is your motor? Sounds way high.

How far is Manchester from Clifton, TN (Ky Lake)
RA

How much weight would you need to balance out a side steer? Can you run it WOT with no additional weight on the opposite side?