Steering problem/question

N

nigels

Seaman
Joined
Oct 2, 2011
Messages
54
1999 Trophy 2052 4.3 with Alpha Outdrive. Trying to resolve my bad steering issue.

What kind of power steering do I have and where can I get a manual for it?

When I get the wife to move the steering wheel from lock to lock (engine off), and I watch the power steering assembly I see that the steering cable with the coupler (see left of photo) moves back and forth (left/right in photo) through the power steering assembly. Surely this is not right. I would have thought that the cable, coupler and threaded tube would be fixed in the assembly and only the end part where it connects to the steering at the extreme right would be seen to move, maybe I am wrong. Can any one throw some light on this I anm concerned that this is my problem.

Thanks guys.
Photo0017 Resized.jpg
 
achris

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
N

nigels

Seaman
Joined
Oct 2, 2011
Messages
54
Re: Steering problem/question

achris said:
The movement you see is correct. The tube the cable retainer nut is screwed to is the control valve for the ram.



Any chance of being more specific?

Here's the manual that has the information you're looking for (section 6A, and you have the 'Late style' control valve)... -> https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...YWRiNy00ODUyLWFmNzgtMTBmMzhlNGY4Mzk3&hl=en_US (Download and SAVE...)

Chris........
Click to expand...

Thanks for the pdf, I see the later model can't be touched, no adjustments to be made? The reason for my concern was that my steering is hopless at low speeds, the other day I missed the trailer on the ramp, had to do a U turn to try again in between a docked float plane and a float plane coming in to dock.....scary moment ...went between the two wings not by choice but thats where the boat wanted to go..... yikes my Bimini is higher than their wings, all this with a pub full of onlookers.

So I started to check out where the slop is and then I saw the cable going in and out the power steering, I expected the cable to be fixed like bicycle brakes, throttle linkage, gear shift, etc, I guess it is fixed but at the other end and the moving Cable (Cable guide tube) is doing all the business........right? The older models though are fixed though, or am I getting confused?

The out drive moves freely about an inch side to side, there seems to be no play at the gimbal by what I can see, but both pins have a bit of movement. The Helm which is a back rack has 4 inches of play, not sure if there is any way of adjusting that.

Apparantly deep V trophys are notorious for not steering well at low speeeds, then I have a broken skeg which can't help, the anode is a later model with no fin, so that can't help either, and I only just read that it is better to put the trim tabs all the way down whilst motoring dead slow....any other suggestions.
 
achris

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: Steering problem/question

No other suggestions... I know what you mean about poor steering at low speed. I also have a deep-V hull, and it does exactly the same thing... It's either put up with the poor low speed steering and be grateful for the sea-holding, or sell it and get a boat that has great steering, but I'm too scared to go out in... :confused:

Chris.....
 
Bondo

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
71,148
Re: Steering problem/question

Apparantly deep V trophys are notorious for not steering well at low speeeds,
Click to expand...

Ayuh,... It ain't just Trophy's,... It's called V-hull wander... Pretty much All of 'em do it...

The usual Cure is less operator input...
 
N

nigels

Seaman
Joined
Oct 2, 2011
Messages
54
Re: Steering problem/question

Thanks for the info and the other pdf.

What is the small grub screw for that sits on top of the assembly next to the serial number?
 
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