STEERING And Boat violent shaking

ccsdan@yahoo.ca

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Jun 5, 2016
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We have a 2001 Four Winns with twin 350 GSI's with SX outdrives, we read other reports stating people have experienced this same problem, where we start the boat, the steering wheel, and boat shake violently, when we turn the boat off and restart the issue is gone, also if the boat is on the trailer with drives trimmed 15% it is also doing it. We have changed power steering pump, have changed the Ram, and are still experiencing the same issue. We believe there is no air in the system, To date we have also pulled one drive, nothing seems out of place. The boat also only has 200 hours. We purchased this boat at the end of last year, experienced this a couple times, took the boat in for service this spring, our mechanic is struggling trying to determine what's going on. We also experience a wander when the boat is at high speeds (40mph) and the motors get trimmed, even 10%, as soon as we put the trims back down the boat travels in a straight line, any thoughts?
​Your help is greatly appreciated.
 

Grub54891

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Jun 17, 2012
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6,286
Hopefully someone chimes in, never heard of that issue myself. Did you talk to a dealer about it?
 

ccsdan@yahoo.ca

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Jun 5, 2016
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we have spoke to the dealer, mechanics fellow boaters and nothing. Reason we posted here was we saw posts with similar situations, but no real fix?
 

Grub54891

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Jun 17, 2012
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6,286
I have to wonder if the issue is in the trim rams. If one is losing pressure it may try to bounce in to place? I'm sure your mechanic has checked for play in the drive. Or possibly the steering cable has to be tied/ fastened down as it may be bouncing and activating the ram back and forth?
 

Silverton34c

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jun 28, 2013
Messages
113
Is it happening with the drive all the way down or just trimmed? I have the same problem on my outdrive if it is trimmed up too high in idle or starting...the universal joint could be binding and causing the violent shaking issue
 

ccsdan@yahoo.ca

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Jun 5, 2016
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It does happen when it's trimmed up, but not fully trimmed about 15%. We have pulled the drive U-joints seem good, have changed the ram, changed power steering pump. Our concern is the damage the shaking does to everything else with the boat
 

Bondo

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Staff member
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Apr 17, 2002
Messages
71,291
Ayuh,..... Welcome Aboard,...... I know Nothin' 'bout Volvos, but a shot in the dark anyways,......

Merc uses aluminum ears, with or without plastic rub liners on the gimbel ring,....
Those ears wear on the older drives without the plastic liners,....
When it gets Bad, the drive sorta wobbles,...

Volvo must use some sorta drive alignment system,....
Is yer's worn,..??
The drive can sorta wobble without the necessary side support,....
 

bajaunderground

Lieutenant
Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
1,401
had the same issue, check and make sure the steering arm/mechanism is connected as per spec. I believe its the pulsation from the power steering pump telegraphing through the steering arm. To stop it while running, grab the steering wheel and turn it a fair amount in both directions...when mine did it (2 times) that usually stopped the harmonics? I added the correct amount of power steering fluid and haven't had the issue since. It's does seem violent, almost like a Jeep death wobble!
 
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