Bravo 3 turns hard starboard underway

[Tunabass]

Mercruiser 5.7 with bravo 3 and at pretty much any speed but worse at higher speed she will turn hard starboard as soon as I let go of the wheel. I understand this is not normal but I have just dealt with it over the two years I’ve owned it but now I want to figure it out and solve it. There is no trim zinc on the bravo 3s like other engines and the skew is straight as an arrow. Any ideas? Thank you.

 

[scoflaw]

Hook in the hull

 

[alldodge]

Mercruiser 5.7 with bravo 3 and at pretty much any speed but worse at higher speed she will turn hard starboard as soon as I let go of the wheel. I understand this is not normal but I have just dealt with it over the two years I’ve owned it but now I want to figure it out and solve it. There is no trim zinc on the bravo 3s like other engines and the skew is straight as an arrow. Any ideas? Thank you.

Need to check the settings of your steering cable nut and also see if your steering ram is in the correct position.

Is it easy to steer in any case?

If it is
Grab hold of the outer jacket of the steering cable jacket and see if there is play on the outer jacket and the nut attaching it to the power steering ram

Next look at the ran and notice the slots to see it they are straight up and down as in the illustration below in "d"

 

[Tunabass]

It is easy to steer and easy to turn back to port when it does go hard over to starboard. It’s nrver been difficult to steer which is why I didn’t really bother with it. I’ll check that stuff out tomorrow afternoon Dodge. Thank you.

 

[Fed]

Try trimming it out a bit.

 

[Tunabass]

I just grabbed the outdrive and tried to pull it to port. It would not budge. I tried pulling it to starboard and I was able to pull it right over. As I did the hel turned as well. When I tried to pull it back to center it would go a few inches then stop. I continued moving it back to starboard then back towards center and each time it would not go as far back to port as it did previously.

 

[Tunabass]

Also there is about 1/8 inch play in steering cable jacket. I can also spin the nut on the ram which rotates the entire shaft inside the ram including the alignment mark part.

 

[alldodge]

The nut is used to hold the outer jacket to the shaft to keep the alignment marks up/down. If you can rotate the shaft and outer jacket 360 degrees then I'm thinking the jacket is cracked or free at the helm.

As for the one way and not the other, your cable and helm may need replacing due to wear, or at least needs grease. The inner cable normally comes into the helm on top, wraps around and exits in the bottom. So when the drive goes port your trying to push the cable back thru the helm and the gear and cable may be binding. Going to starboard the cable is being pulled out

 

[Tunabass]

The outer jacket does not rotate just moved in and out 1/8”. The nut and shaft going into the ram, I can freely spin

 

[alldodge]

The outer jacket does not rotate just moved in and out 1/8”. The nut and shaft going into the ram, I can freely spin

That's not correct, the end should be held firm by the nut on the shaft. Remove the nut and slide it back to see if something is bugged up

 

[Tunabass]

Alldodge I’m trying to send you a private message

 

[alldodge]

OK, their done the same as starting a new thread, just do it in your message area. Start typing my name until it shows up, then select

 

[Tunabass]

https://youtu.be/bWPkdQ8BCEE

 

[alldodge]

Cool the vid tells the tail

You should not be able to turn the nut by hand, nor should the nut turn without turning the cable outer jacket. Place a wrench in the slots on the other side holding it straight up and down, and tighten the nut down tight.

Before doing that remove the nut and check the outter cable jacket

 

[Tunabass]

Thanks Alldodge. You figure that will solve my initial problem? Thank you very much!!

 

[scoflaw]

Keep us posted on the outcome. Can't wrap my head around how this would fix your issue.
Let me recap so I understand your problem.
Your on plane , and the wheel moves easily in both directions and the boat responds.
Let go of the wheel and it pulls hard starboard.???

 

[alldodge]

Not sure it will fix your total problem, but should help. The notches should be up and down to allow the power steering to work correctly. Otherwise the pressures are not equal

Be a good place to start

 

[Tunabass]

Scoflaw

that is correct. I tried to tighten the nut as Dodge said but will have to pull the elbow to be able to get significant turns on it. It seemed really tight for the short time I tried it before realizing I need to pull the elbow to do it properly. Hope to try it tomorrow afternoon. I’ll report back. Mechanic friend of mine said to add grease to the grease fittings on the ram and that may help as perhaps the grease was pushed out of one side which allows the ram to fall easily to starboard now. Seems unlikely to me and I can’t see any grease fittings in it anywhere.

 

[Fun Times]

The test you mentioned above with the engine off is sometimes normal to see on the heaver type bravo 3's.... I'd try carefully starting the engine at home on the garden hose first at idle RPM then at around 1300 (+ maybe a few more as a quick test) RPM and see if the drive want's to turn on it's own starting with the drive centered.....Then carefully step outside of the boat while in neutral gear and try turning the drive by hand/foot with first little to much effort and see you can move and shake the drive around especially to starboard.....With the engine running you technically shouldn't be able to turn the dive at all.....If you can (or even if you can't due to not able to put enough pressure like being under-way) it sound's like possibly one of the control valves inside the steering actuator has failed internally and you may need a new assembly......There are pressure testing procedures within service manual # 39 section 6A you could try doing to see if your steering is within pressure ranges. Under boatinfo service manuals see page 764 + for steering.

Would just like to also mention that technically speaking I know you know this appears to be a safety issue that truly needs fixing so stay with/on it and good luck to you.:encouragement:

 

[Tunabass]

Thank you Sir! I will try that test with the engine running and report back. It really is a safety issue and a huge inconvenience! Thank you again.