Sloppy steering on a 2005 Fourwinns 180 4.3 SX-M

[Don892]

Sloppy steering on a 2005 Fourwinns 180 4.3 SX-M. I have checked the cable at the steering box and at the control assembly. (Both ends) They are tight although at the control assembly end I can pull the control assembly up and down. I can not see behind the motor very well so I can't tell if a bolt is loose or if the assembly is supposed to float. Also could the steering box at the steering wheel be sloppy. I have a 90 to 180 degree slop in my steering to keep the boat straight while under way.

 

[dypcdiver]

Wag the out drive whilst someone videos with a mobile phone behind the motor in the region of the steering actuator, then view the video on your TV. that should give you a better idea where the slop is.

 

[cptbill]

Volvo penta seam to have a lot of play in them from birth

 

[Scott Danforth]

are you on plane when you have the slop, or just meandering along. all v-hull boats wander at displacement speed. quit trying to chase it as you are over-correcting

https://www.google.com/search?q=v-hull+wander&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=ubuntu&channel=fs

 

[Bondo]

I have a 90 to 180 degree slop in my steering to keep the boat straight while under way.

Ayuh,...... Welcome Aboard,..... At what Speeds,..??..??

If On-plane,.... Don't drive the boat til it's fixed,....
If at idle,..... See Scott's post above,....

 

[Don892]

Thanks for all of your replies.  Maybe using the word sloppy was a bad choice of word. What the boat does is pull to the right,  clockwise  looking at the bow. So I have to steer to the left, counter clockwise. It has always done this at all speeds.  Just thought it was inherit to the boat because of the prop thrust.  It just seems as though it gets  a little worse every season.  The boat does not wander in the water at any speed. In fact I am always impressed how rock soild it is. At forty miles an hour it feels like a rocket ship. The entire boat seems to be still in the water.  I am hoping to find out if the steering assembly is supposed to float or is it loose.  There is at lot of play in the steering as cptbill says. Seems like there is to much so I would like to tighten it up some so the wheel is not cranked over so hard to the left to keep the boat straight.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... If the hull pulls hard like that, there's a fin down by the prop, just above, 'n aft of it, that can be turned after ya loosen the screw,...
Turn it to the side it pulls too,...
If that don't Fix it,.... Try another prop,.... maybe a different manufacturer's prop in the same pitch,....

Are ya trimmin' Up, after it breaks over onto plane,..??
If not, at full down trim, the hull strakes are probably diggin' way to hard, causin' the poor handlin',...