Re: Trim torque question...
OK it sounds like you have three separate and actually unrelated issues. On a Stringer drive tilt and trim are independent systems, and steering torque is yet another issue that can be affected by trim, but that is not the primary cause/concern.
1) Tilt is accomplished with a small motor that is similar to a starter motor, but also reverses. There is a large gear segment on the drive outside the boat that this motor acts on to move the lower unit up and down. There is also a clutch system between the small drive gear and the motor. Up is primarily for trailering. The drive should be fully down when underway. This is very important with Stringer drives. Problems can exist with wiring, switches, solenoids, the clutch and the motor itself. The clutch, motor and the solenoids are the primary culprits.
2) Trim on a stringer is handled by height adjustment on the front motor mounts. I believe that your 3.8 should have two hydraulic rams as front motor mounts. Basically they raise and lower the front of the engine, and that up and down results in the opposite at the drive. Up on the mounts causes down (in) trim and down on the mounts causes up (out) trim . . . This is the adjustment for, hole shot, top speed and ride comfort that you use underway. Problems can exist with switches, wiring, pump and the rams themselves.
3) Steering torque is adjusted by way of a small vertical trim tab that is bolted to your drive. It is immediately above the prop and mounted to the big horizontal flat thing called the anti-ventilation plate (sometimes incorrectly called anti-cavitation plate). This is a simple adjustment and the only way to get it right is trial and error. This diagram should help you with that.
Hydraulic rams on the drive would be a Cobra, big funny 1/4 gear thing for tilt on the drive would be a Stringer.