handling problem at 70 and up

[bobthebuilder]

Anyone have suggestions? I have a 83 Ranger 375V bass boat modified into a modern fornt deck and avarything running a 6 in set back jack plate and a Merc 2.4 200 with Tempest Plus 25P prop. Holeshot is awsome and quick might can run a 27P but first I thing is I am having a problem actually starting at about 65mph and even more at 70 and above. When I back off the hot foot it jerks to the left. It is so much so I am reluctant to go faster than 70 although I have plenty more throttle left in it. Not sure what max speed will end up at? It was worse before I raised the motor but now I am at about 2 3/4 from pad down to center of prop shaft.. and it now handles better but still has the problem just not as bad. Thinking about raising it more but what about potential for blow out? It carries the bow easily without much trimming but evidently it is torquing the boat to the right and when it drops the bow it is not going straight enough??? Any suggestions?

[imq707s]

Have you checked for slop in your steering? If you can wiggle your motor back and forth more than a 1/4" and you steering wheel doesn't move....something needs to be tightened up.

I would check that first...then go from there.

[bobthebuilder]

Yea the steering was first thing I checked out. It is tight. Dual cable no feed back. Had play but used some E clips (one on each cable) near the motor to eliminate the play in it. I am considering a hydraulic steering system. The motor still has the torque corrector tab in front of prop on it. Would adjusting or removing it make any difference? I am thinking about trying raising the motor maybe 1/2 inch at a time. It have Bob's nose cone LWP on it water pressure guage and everything.....

[WATERWINGS]

Have you checked for slop in your steering? If you can wiggle your motor back and forth more than a 1/4" and you steering wheel doesn't move....something needs to be tightened up.

I would check that first...then go from there.

Does it have solid mounts?

I grab my cavitation plate everytime before I put the boat in, give it a good shake, and feel for slop, while I look at every pivot point/mount area/steering bolt etc.

[D.B.S]

Don't back off so fast, until you know what you doing

[bobthebuilder]

Today I found out exactly what is going on. I have a good friend who is a marine mechanic for the last 35 years and and veteran hydro racer for many years. He showed me in 10 seconds what is happening.... It is not the steering although he highly recomended a new Sea Star Hydraulic steering system. My problem is the motor is torqued out to the max and when I back off it swings back because of soft rubber mounts. Solid mounts or very stiff rubber ones will fix it. He just grabbed the motor and twisted it back and forth without moving the steering wheel at all. He showed me about 1/8th in. play still in my cable steering but said that was nothing to be concerned about as it is definately in the mounts.... Oh well got to take old TAZ back apart again! Maybe not too bad to fix it huh? I forgot to ask him where to get the mounts? Anyone know where to get some very stiff rubber ones. Absolutely solid ones will transfer motor vibes into the boat right?

[WATERWINGS]

Is there an echo in here??

Yea, thats kinda what I was thinkin.......solid mounts will make a BIG diffrence.

[Wizard]

Even with solid mounts you should never just let off the gas when fully extended on the pad. Always trim back down to get more hull in the water before backing out.

The rubber mounts wear out very fast especially on bassboats the run in rough water all the time. Mercury makes a set of hard rubber mounts that last longer than the standard ones. Solid aluminum mounts will make your boat vibrate more and you also run the risk of breaking an adapter plate if you pound alot in rough water. I had a friend who did just that after three years of running Erie and Lake St. Clair with solid mounts. It's worth the risk though for the best handling.

[wideglide55]

Torque tab on skeg helps alot too,can be installed with rivets in 15 minutes.

[bobthebuilder]

First of all my lower unit was built by Bob's Machine! Great unit! Has skeg already fixed with LWP and everything done right. Second thing is a friend who is a former racer of Merc BP motors and has a marine motor shop gave me a steering stablizer plate for it. It was just laying in his old tool box. Some call it a torque arrester plate. It is stainless steel and bolts to the motor under the cowl and also bolts to the steering arm of the motor. So right now I have a fix until I remove power head at which time I plan to install the very hard rubber mounts.. I hate to remove powerhead right now as I just built the motor myself and it only has about 20 hours on it since rebuild... Like Wizard said it is a bass boat and vibration is also a problem and unnecessary. Yes it runs rough water more than smooth water. Mercury Hard rubber mounts will be on it eventually.

All we need now it for the rain to go away and I am gone to the lake!

[WATERWINGS]

Some call it a torque arrester plate. It is stainless steel and bolts to the motor under the cowl and also bolts to the steering arm of the motor.

All we need now it for the rain to go away and I am gone to the lake!

(the rain)........(amen to that)

I bought one from Bob's a long time ago...they called it a "V-brace"

It makes a big difference, and your boat doesn't vibrate, (or resonate) (with the factory mounts), as bad, but you still get a more solid set up.