Tight Steering Turning Left under power

[Organized Slime]

I have a 21' Starcraft center console with a 90hp Mariner and 9.9 kicker with the steering link conected & steering with a Teleflex no feed back rack. When I run on the big motor with the kicker tilted up steering is pretty tough to the left with the kicker steering link connected or not. When I'm trolling on the kicker steering is a breeze in both directions. I grease both engines on a regular basis with white marine lithium. I have an autopilot I like to use once in a while on slow plane but worry I will overwork it. It lust seems like under decent power on the 90hp steering is too tight to the left? I have looked at going to the Teleflex rotary system with the quick connects but dread pulling that new cable & am not sure that will fix my problem??? I plan on pulling the steering cable from the turning tube on the 90 to inspect & lube this weekend but sitting on the trailer both engines steer easily?

[Capt Vince Pierleoni]

Anytime I have experienced that problem with an outboard rig it has been a worn steering cable. If it is, using it like that could eventually cause problems with the helm itself.

[stinger]

OS,.....your problem could be a trim tab adjustment on your main engine. That is easy enough to check out and correct if that is the problem.

Also here is a link to a autopilot topic that touches a little bit on what could be a cause of your problem if it turns out to be a worn steering cable. I went into some detail of my thoughts of autopilot use and cable steering systems in the second paragraph. I just pulled my boat out of storage yesterday and having a new Telflex BayStar steering system installed by my dealer on Monday.

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=15167&start=15

[L&M]

Here is a post I put on another thread concerning a similar problem with a higher speed steering pull.

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=15452&p=86328&hilit=trim+tab#p86328

[Organized Slime]

Thanks L&M along with everyone else. I just checked the anode(trim tab) and it was loose enough to turn almost a quarter rotation in either direction. I'm going to center it and tighten back down. For future adjustment if needed, you turn the trim tab fin away from the hard steer???(i.e. hard steer port, swing tab fin to the starboard) from the perspective of standing behind the boat.

[L&M]

Turn toward the the hard steer. Pulling to port = rear of tab toward port.

Hope that help's you out.