Tough Steering when running at full power

[CT3057]

I have a 86 Bayliner Trophy and since I have had it I have had a small issues with it steering hard when running up on full throttle. It will only be tough to steer when I am turning to the starboard side, when I say tough, I have to use both hands to turn but when I turn to the port side I can easily turn it with a couple fingers. When I am running at idle the steering is not that tough, still easy to go to the port than starboard, just not has tough as when running on full power. Good thing I am not running on full power the entire time or I would have massive guns. I believe it has a pack and pinion system and I am not sure if it has been every been replaced. I just do not want to spend the money for a new system and still have the same problem. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.

Clyde

[L&M]

What drive is on it?

[holy mackerel]

My 200 outboard did the same thing. Turned out to be torque of the prop rotation. There should be a small adjustable fin above the prop to compensate for torque or add a whale tail like I did. It really improved the handling and planing however, lost some top end.

[CT3057]

It is a Volvo Penta drive AQ131. I will have to get the exact specifics as I am not sure what I did with my paperwork on it(its hell getting old).

Holy Mackeral, I believe there is a small fin above the prop but there is a rubber flap on it and seems like it is an exhaust of some sort.. This one that I am talking about is on the cavitation plate. If I remember correctly there is one bolt that is holding this one on. I do not recall any other fins above the prop. How do you know if you adjusted it correctly? Just trial and error? What is a whale tail?

Thank You

Clyde

[lakebound88]

CT, my 87 bayliner did the same thing, i had the same engine with the 275 outdrive? It was in fact two problems, the steering cable was crap, and there is an adjustment inside the engine compartment i believe. The marina fixed it for me, but it took a few trys before we got it right, hope this helps...

[tree top flyer]

My wellcraft with a 3.7l does the same thing, it has a whale tail on it, I believed it was just the torque from the rotation of the engine. I know they built some of the same engines with power steering and believed this was why??? If anyone has luck with using that fin (witch also holds one of the bolts for the lower unit on a alpha one) i would like to hear more. mine is so bad i dont think the girl could handle it witch give me a good reason to let her drive more when im setting lines

[holy mackerel]

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... id=0017147

[jimski2]

Above the prop there is a small fin that can be adjusted to help compensate for the side thrust.

[L&M]

The fin referred to above is called a trim tab and serves two purposes. One to act as a sacrificial anode to help prevent electrolysis if it is made of zinc. The other to help or lessen steering load at the wheel. In CT's case pulling or hard steer starboard, rotate the tab to starboard ( aft part of fin ) in increments until the problem is solved or lessened. That is most likely the cause of the your problem's. If you still have it give me a call.

[CT3057]

Thank You all. I will try adjusting it once this white stuff goes away and it warms up a little bit.

Clyde

[lakebound88]

Good Luck Clyde! Those are good little motors too!

[CT3057]

Knock on wood, I have not had really any major issues with it in the few years that I have had it. I had the timing belt go when I was out on the water, but was able to get towed back in. Needless to say... LESSON LEARNED.

[lakebound88]

...My biggest issue, was my outdrive took a crap. The oil seal blew and oil poured through the bellows and smoked the unit...i found a unit with less than a hundred hours on ebay, for 400 bucks. i got luckey, put it on and that was it, sold the booat 6 months later to a guy from canada on ebay!! I ma have a spare prop laying around...if needed

[tree top flyer]

thanks as always L&M for your input.

[NitroMusky]

In CT's case pulling or hard steer starboard, rotate the tab to starboard ( aft part of fin ) in increments until the problem is solved or lessened. That is most likely the cause of the your problem's. If you still have it give me a call.

I'm not sure that its the same on the I/Os as it is on outboards, or what your top end speed is, but at WOT the trim tab doesn't always have water flowing by it...if you're going fast enough its actually out of the water. as you test out your adjustments, make sure to check its effect at mid range and WOT. if you notice a difference (pulling the other way, for instance) at midrange but no effect at WOT, then the trim tab is in fact out of the water and rendered useless at WOT.

BTW- small changes on the trim tab make a BIG difference on steering effect, move it just one or maybe two notches at a time and then test.

[L&M]

Good point if your talking a go fast type boat such as a bass boat or other higher speed outboard application. But on a standard factory I/O you will seldom not see the bottom surface of the cavitation plate and trim tab in contact with the water.