Steering Issue

« **on:** September 01, 2017, 04:14:04 PM »

I just purchased this Spectra 20 and I drove it and it wants to keep pulling to the right. Feels almost like a car in need of a front end alignment. Also the steering binds up near the end of travel and is hard to steer while underway. Does anyone see anything wrong or have this problem before?

« **Reply #1 on:** September 01, 2017, 06:40:38 PM »

Same thing happened to my last boat, steering cable was stuck in the housing then broke at lake Mead, never made it out of the harbor

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« **Reply #2 on:** September 01, 2017, 07:23:53 PM »

Hard to steer is usually the cable. You can disconnect the cable from the jet and see how the wheel turns.
If the cable and rack system are ok, is the rudder centered even with the nozzle? Any obstructions in the jet?

« **Reply #3 on:** September 02, 2017, 12:39:37 PM »

Quote from: spectramitch on September 01, 2017, 04:14:04 PM

I just purchased this Spectra 20 and I drove it and it wants to keep pulling to the right. Feels almost like a car in need of a front end alignment. Also the steering binds up near the end of travel and is hard to steer while underway. Does anyone see anything wrong or have this problem before?

Much of what you are experiencing is the sheet metal tabs, that someone attempted to make a steering extension from, are acting like a hinge. The steering and diverter are under a tremendous amount of load. Keep in mind that the nozzle and diverter are not only trying to turn the boat, but lift it out of the water as well. What you have now is unsafe and reduces steering response.

Depending on how your steering tube is installed, you may be able to flip it and/or adjust it so you can eliminate the makeshift steering extension altogether.

Probably the easiest would be to get the proper steering extension. Get a center-to-center measurement between the holes on the sheet metal tabs, right before you throw them in the trash. They are available in different lengths to suit various rigging and are available from several sources. Here is a link to a 5" extension.

http://www.cpperformance.com/p-26607-5-steering-cable-extension.aspx

You need to measure yours to know specifically what you need. Additional adjustments to the steering tube may be necessary to achieve equal left/right turning.

While you have have the steering cable disconnected, turn the wheel lock-to-lock to make sure the steering cable isn't binding. It should turn easily with one finger. If there is any binding or damage to the steering cable, it is time to replace it.

Post up your findings if that doesn't entirely resolve your issues.

Enjoy your new boat.

Cheers,

Joe

« **Reply #4 on:** September 06, 2017, 05:13:54 PM »

I took off the make shift linkage and adjusted the tube and connected the cable shaft. It reached all the way, turning left and right. But it is still tight. I think the steering shaft doesn't have much "land" in the tube itself causing it to bind. I measured the hack-linkage and it is about 2 3/4 from center hole to center hole. I think the smallest size is 4-1/8. Should the extension with adjusting the tube fix it, maybe add a greasable nut on the end? The steering is smooth with nothing attached so I do not think it is the cable.

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« **Reply #5 on:** September 11, 2017, 01:53:08 PM »

Quote from: Flusher on September 02, 2017, 12:39:37 PM

Much of what you are experiencing is the sheet metal tabs, that someone attempted to make a steering extension from, are acting like a hinge. The steering and diverter are under a tremendous amount of load. Keep in mind that the nozzle and diverter are not only trying to turn the boat, but lift it out of the water as well. What you have now is unsafe and reduces steering response.

Depending on how your steering tube is installed, you may be able to flip it and/or adjust it so you can eliminate the makeshift steering extension altogether.

Probably the easiest would be to get the proper steering extension. Get a center-to-center measurement between the holes on the sheet metal tabs, right before you throw them in the trash. They are available in different lengths to suit various rigging and are available from several sources. Here is a link to a 5" extension.

http://www.cpperformance.com/p-26607-5-steering-cable-extension.aspx

You need to measure yours to know specifically what you need. Additional adjustments to the steering tube may be necessary to achieve equal left/right turning.

While you have have the steering cable disconnected, turn the wheel lock-to-lock to make sure the steering cable isn't binding. It should turn easily with one finger. If there is any binding or damage to the steering cable, it is time to replace it.

Post up your findings if that doesn't entirely resolve your issues.

Enjoy your new boat.

Cheers,

Joe

The steering wheel is smooth with nothing attached and the jet moves nice by itself too. My father has the same boat and his steering cable has a bigger loop to it, could a too tight of a bend cause tightness only when the cable is connected to the jet?

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« **Reply #6 on:** September 11, 2017, 04:47:02 PM »

Yes, a tight bend radius could cause excessive drag or even kink the housing/cable.

This is the first time I have seen a steering tube installed like yours. Does it protrude inside the boat? That would contribute to a tight bend radius.

I just noticed the washers stacked under the swivel. There should be a tube installed, in the center, that the bolt tightens against, allowing the swivel to move freely. Does your swivel turn freely or tight?

« **Reply #7 on:** September 12, 2017, 06:07:07 AM »

Yes it does protrude inside the boat and there is a sleeve in the clevis allowing it to swivel nice on the tiller. So would the tight bend on the cable allow it so move nice with out the jet attached and then with it attached make it so much harder? The jet moves very easy by its self.

« **Reply #8 on:** September 28, 2017, 02:19:48 PM »

Sorry for the late reply. Don't know if you got this resolved or not. Without seeing your boat in person, I only have a few other thoughts.

The two nuts on the steering tube, where it passes through the transom adapter, should not be tight. There should be a rubber grommet that seals the steering tube to the transom adapter. The rubber grommet also allows the steering tube to swivel as the steering cable and nozzle move through their range of travel. If the steering tube nuts are torqued tight, making the steering tube rigid to the transom adapter, the cable will bind.

The long threaded portion of the steering tube is used as adjustment to center the steering. Ideally, I would like to see no tighter than a 2' bend radius on the steering cable.

With the cable disconnected from the steering nozzle and the steering nozzle straight, turn the steering wheel all the way to one side lock. Now count the number of rotations as you rotate the steering wheel to lock in the opposite direction. Then rotate back half the turns lock-to-lock. The hole in the end of the steering cable should align with the hole in the swivel. If not, adjust the steering tube in/out until the holes align. If necessary and/or possible, flip the steering tube end-for-end so you have the most generous bend radius in the steering cable.

Lastly, it could be possible that your helm has so much wear that it binds when under load. Simply having the steering nozzle attached could be sufficient load to bind.

Good luck,

Joe

« **Reply #9 on:** October 01, 2017, 12:20:16 AM »

Quote from: spectramitch on September 06, 2017, 05:13:54 PM

I took off the make shift linkage and adjusted the tube and connected the cable shaft. It reached all the way, turning left and right. But it is still tight. I think the steering shaft doesn't have much "land" in the tube itself causing it to bind. I measured the hack-linkage and it is about 2 3/4 from center hole to center hole. I think the smallest size is 4-1/8. Should the extension with adjusting the tube fix it, maybe add a greasable nut on the end? The steering is smooth with nothing attached so I do not think it is the cable.

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What's with all the damn washers under the steering clevis? That should be a shouldered bolt and no washers between the tiller and the cable clevis.

Pulling to the right tells me there is something going on with the rudder or under the boat....

GT

« **Reply #10 on:** October 18, 2017, 03:01:02 PM »

Z #,.o 7. Z. ... .u. .. u

spectramitch

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