Mid 80's Evinrude pulling left

[outpost226]

I have a mid 80's Evinrude that runs like a champ. Had it gone through this spring and it's great.....except....the last time I was out, I had to fight to get the darn thing to track straight. (in fact it wouldn't) Pulled to the left BAD. I know on larger motors there is an adjustment on the cavitation plate, but there is no such animal on this one.

The motor, is mounted on a '76 Lund Guide tri hull....Don't remember ever having to fight it like this in the past....

What can I look for or better yet what do I do to correct this problem. About wore my arm out the last trip to the Chippewa Flowage, fighting this problem...help, please!!!!!

Thanks in advance

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Mid 80's Evinrude pulling left

there is suppose to be a fin, just above and behind the prop. loosen the bolt, if pulling left move back of fin left, if right, back of fin right. you have to experiment some to find the happy place. if you do not have the fin get one.

 

[jimmbo]

Re: Mid 80's Evinrude pulling left

Any chance the skeg has been bent or twisted?

 

[rockyrude]

Re: Mid 80's Evinrude pulling left

You said you had the motor gone over this spring, was the water pump replaced? If it was , the fin called a trim tab needs to be removed to get the lower unit off to replace the water pump. It might still be on your mechanics bench.

 

[sutherj]

Re: Mid 80's Evinrude pulling left

I've owned several mid to late 80's Evinrudes with no trim tab. Did you ever figure out what was going on? I just moved my motor from one boat to another and converted it to a longshaft only to have it begin pulling to left also.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Mid 80's Evinrude pulling left

depends on the HP whether it has the adjustable fin.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Mid 80's Evinrude pulling left

Is it tiller or remote steering, and what HP?
Are you sure it is the motor and not an issue with the boat hull?

 

[sutherj]

Re: Mid 80's Evinrude pulling left

Not to hijack the thread but mine is a tiller. It worked fine on my 59 lonestar. It was actually too much motor on that boat. I bought an 07 Tracker Grizzly which required a longshaft. I then bought the kit from Evinrude to convert my 88 25 Hp short shaft to a long shaft. Once I got it done and on the boat it sat too low. I'm a duck hunter so I'm always going in the shallows.

It did ok but I kept hitting stumpse and dragging ground. I never had it in deep enough water to open it up at that point. I then fashioned a bracket out of steel to raise it up about 2.5 inches which put the cavation plate about 1/2 to 3/4 inch above the bottom of the boat. I welded the steel and bolted it to the boat. The motor is bolted to both. Whan I finally got to deep water with it I noticed it pulled hard left. To convert it to a longshaft I had to take everything apart and I'm guessing that the screw wth the spring under or between the clamps in the front of the motor may be an issue since I've read that it can be tightened to help with steering control. It was removed and then put back in during the conversion. Also the cavation plate being above the bottom of the boat may be an issue, but alot of what I read suggests a boat does well with the plate slightly above the hull. Finally the boat is realitively new with a ribbed bottom so it should plane relatively straight. It's a wide 14 ft 48 inch at bottom modified v or flat bottom with a slight v in front. The same boat Bass Pro sells now. The Grizzly 1448. Rated for a 25 HP max. Speed is good at 27 mph alone and 25 mph via GPS with 3 big guys 2 fat dogs and too much hunting gear to mention.

Update To clarify sitting in the drivers seat the tiller handle pulls hard left, which I guess means the boat want's to go Right.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: Mid 80's Evinrude pulling left

Not to hijack the thread but ....

I think you just did....

 

[sutherj]

Re: Mid 80's Evinrude pulling left

Granted, but is that all the advice you have. It seams like a couple of us have the same issue here.

 

[gyoung]

Re: Mid 80's Evinrude pulling left

Pulling to left or right is stongly affected by the tilt of the engine. Try moving the the tilt pin one hole further away from the transom and see what this does for you.

 

[sutherj]

Re: Mid 80's Evinrude pulling left

Thanks, will try that this weekend.

 

[sutherj]

Re: Mid 80's Evinrude pulling left

The engine is still pulling hard. I've tried it at different tilt levels and even took it off and remounted it to the boat. Could it be the boat hull? It's a ribbed aluminum hull so I would think it would track straight.

 

[bob johnson]

Re: Mid 80's Evinrude pulling left

I think you just did....

the OP posted NINE months ago and never came back...


and the thread layed dormant for almost 6 months till someone revived it with their own similar problems..

can that be considered Hijacking?????

what thread isnt dynamic...

posting on an old thread brings back all the parties that originally had something to say on the very subject that needs an answer

bob

 

[itsaboattime]

Re: Mid 80's Evinrude pulling left

Did you ever locate the trim tab?? And the question was asked if the skeg had a bend, is it??

These are the two biggest causes of a pull one way or the other. A bent skeg will also cause a steering wheel to shake and vibrate, like a car with a bad front end alignment, or a wheel out of balance.

 

[sutherj]

Re: Mid 80's Evinrude pulling left

The skeg is good and straight and there is no trim tab. I know that's hard to believe but I've owned and worked on several of these 87 - 88 yr evinrudes and they just have a square anode for corrosion control but no trim tab. I'm at a loss.

 

[itsaboattime]

Re: Mid 80's Evinrude pulling left

Wow dude, Im at a loss. I am assuming the hull is good and clean? was the boat loaded evenly?? I'm fishing here, like I said, Im at a loss.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Mid 80's Evinrude pulling left

Buy the 15-20 dollar trim tab already.....Its made to correct steering torque..

 

[sutherj]

Re: Mid 80's Evinrude pulling left

Buy the 15-20 dollar trim tab already.....Its made to correct steering torque..

The motor does not have a trim tab and it's not made for one. I called the evinrude dealer today and confirmed that there is not trim tab for this motor. Beyond retrofiting one I'm still at a loss.