pulls right at wot

Fscott4

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Sep 8, 2022
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1991 stingray 536 zp (no power steering) is pulling pretty hard to the right at WOT. low speeds it seems fine. I did try to adjust by turning the anode fins leading edge to the right but no noticeable difference. The steering wheel is also clocked wrong and maybe thats the problem? Info on the adjusting the steering in this particular boat seems be be rare.
Any direction will be welcome.
Thanks!
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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3.0?

You may have to adjust the fin a bit more

Steering wheel orientation has no bearing
 

jimmbo

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May 24, 2004
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They should make every Steering Wheel for Boats with about 25 Spokes, that way no one will ever get Their shorts in a Knot about it not being centered, or the Centering changing when the Trim is adjusted
 

Fscott4

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Sep 8, 2022
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I will put some more adjustment on the fin today and see if I can tune it in some more.
My shorts are definitely not in a bunch, just wondering if that was a contributing factor. The steering wheel is clocked 90 degrees off and it bothers me because the thumb tabs are now at 12 and 6.
 

dubs283

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Jul 27, 2005
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A fair number of steering wheels are held to the hub with six allen head screws. Easily adjustable for even the most discerning boater

Gonna guess there's no power steering? If so, yes the anode tab at the aft cavitation plate needs adjustment/offset. I've found they're best suited at max offset
 

Fscott4

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Sep 8, 2022
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I am going to have to do some testing on the water with the trim adjustments to see what happens. I did reset the steering wheel on the hub...much better! I also adjusted the anode fin to the extent it is adjustable. This is my first boat and all I really have to compare to is automotive experience which is not applicable at all on the water. I spoke with a friend and he also suggested I transfer some things in the boat to distribute weight and to start being aware of conditions when I start to notice this happening, wind. chop etc. Thanks for all the help!
 

airshot

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Jul 22, 2008
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Your friend is correct, weight balance can make a big difference in steering !! Keep adjusting the tab, you will find the sweet spot. As far as the steering wheel being off....I understand, that would drive me nuts, may not hurt anything, but would still drive me nuts !!
 

Fscott4

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Sep 8, 2022
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Well I did reset the steering wheel...much better! It is still pulling to the right at WOT. I did a number of runs with a combination of different weight changes, trim changes and throttle adjustments etc with some improvement but still pulls a lot more that I feel it should. The leading edge of the anode fin is adjusted all the way to the right which should counteract the pull to some degree but not enough. Is there somewhere else I should be looking? nothing is dragging, ladder is up and hull is in fine condition. not a critical issue at this point as Im not WOT often at all but could be unsafe and I would really like to figure it out.
Thanks!
 

Chris1956

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Mar 25, 2004
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27,807
OK, the boat looks to be a pretty normal hull with sterndrive power. What HP are you running? Why no power steering, as I had thought most/all sterndrives had it?

There is a fix used on high performance hulls. The kind of hulls where the engine is high enough on the transom, so the anode Trim Tab is out of the water at high speed. The fix is to add a Torque Tab. Torque Tab is a small wedge of material that is attached to the skeg. It will counteract most of the steering torque, at all times. They are avail and adjustable at many places on the web.

I made one for my speedboat out of one of those zinc anodes that people bolt to their trim tabs or hull, because I had one laying around. The anode shape is roughly a top 1 inch slice of a volleyball.

I cut a wedge out of it, and fastened it to the skeg of my speedboat. It took some trial and error, cutting and filing the wedge down, until it behaved correctly. So at high speed, when the antiventilation plate and trim tab are out of the water, the torque tab is on it's own.
 

1960 Starflite

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Jun 23, 2011
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Chris 1956, my 1979 Century 190 with inline 4 cyl 140 HP doesn't have power steering, wish it did. I also have terrible torque steer. Anode completely turned.

Following
 

dubs283

Vice Admiral
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Jul 27, 2005
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5,322
Sounds like you've only tried anode/tab turned hard right/stbd?

If so, try moving the other way. Start slow and low with test drives, could make it worse

I've rarely seen a boat w/o power steering not have at least a fairly decent setting where drive ability is okay

Try test runs by removing all stowed equipment so the boat is just you and wet weight, adjust accordingly
 

Fscott4

Petty Officer 3rd Class
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Sep 8, 2022
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86
The steering problem has been cured. between the weight distribution, anode adjustment and trimming I can now find the sweet spot and the boat handles great! thanks for the help guys!
 
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