Love Stick Steering but tough to turn port side?

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ober51

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As the title says, I absolutely love stick steering. I like sitting in the middle of the boat, and not having to move toward the back, and quickly hop up on the platform for some fishing. The motor starts on the first turn of the key, runs like a top.

I did notice, however, that it is more difficult for me to make the boat turn portside. I know many of you havent used this setup, but what do you think it could be? I think that the steering cable is fine, it's brand new, but that maybe it needs some grease in the steering tub on the motor - the part that the cable goes through and screws into?

Is this possible? It just seems very stiff, definitely too stiff for me. Is there a way to see if it can be greased? What kind of grease would I need to use. I think if lubed up the steering rod might slide in and out of the tube better. Thoughts?
 
Sounds like torque steer to me. Is there an adjustable tab on the cavitation plate? May need adjusting.
 
Definitely sounds like torque steer, seeing as it is only pulling to the left. Take a socket to the boat ramp with you next, and gradually adjust the torque tab until you get it turning smoothly.
 
I couldn't find my camera this morning, my bad guys. I might be going out with my gf tomorrow, so I will get her to stay on shore for a bit and take a couple minutes of footage and pics!

Ok, so what is torque steer? What does this mean - how do I adjust, etc? What am I looking for? How hard is it to adjust?

The motor runs like a top, I can't believe how well it idles, responds, etc. Stick steer is definitely a lot of fun and helps with the weight distribution of the boat, especially when alone.
 
bassboy1 said:
Definitely sounds like torque steer, seeing as it is only pulling to the left. Take a socket to the boat ramp with you next, and gradually adjust the torque tab until you get it turning smoothly.

I am thinking about this, and it's not pulling in a direction, its just hard to move the stick in one direction. It's just that the steering to the starboard side is nice and responsive, while the port is not. Not pulling, just harder to move it that way.
 
Steering torque makes it a lot harder to turn one way than the other.

Adjusting the torque tab may help. Also make sure that the skeg on your motor is not bent. A bent skeg can also cause what you are describing.
 
Quackrstackr said:
Steering torque makes it a lot harder to turn one way than the other.

Adjusting the torque tab may help. Also make sure that the skeg on your motor is not bent. A bent skeg can also cause what you are describing.

How do I know what a torque tab is? The skeg is fine, completely in good shape as seen here in this picture.

Would the motor be hard to turn even when not in water? Even when in a test tank, not using the throttle, the motor just seems so much harder to turn port side (with or without the controls).

Before I put the stick steering in, the motor turned freely from side to side by just pushing it. Once I connected the stick steer cable, it was tough to turn. Also just confused, since i don't know what a torque tab is or looks like.
 

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ober51 said:
I couldn't find my camera this morning, my bad guys. I might be going out with my gf tomorrow, so I will get her to stay on shore for a bit and take a couple minutes of footage and pics!

Having read your last post I don't think it is torque steer. Torque steer would be a problem on plane or while moving. If it is loose with steering disconnected and then sitting still and steering hooked up it is hard then you have a bind in the cable or lever.
 
dunk50 said:
ober51 said:
I couldn't find my camera this morning, my bad guys. I might be going out with my gf tomorrow, so I will get her to stay on shore for a bit and take a couple minutes of footage and pics!

Having read your last post I don't think it is torque steer. Torque steer would be a problem on plane or while moving. If it is loose with steering disconnected and then sitting still and steering hooked up it is hard then you have a bind in the cable or lever.

Crud, I hope not. I hope I installed the stick steering right? The guy said it was brand new, and it looks brand new, everything packaged nicely. It said that when installed, make sure the cable is fully retracted, I hope I didn't mess it up when installing? Where would the bind be? What does that mean for me? Is it possible the cable is too short? It looks long enough, but it seems just long enough?
 
The torque tab would look like a mini second skeg immediately behind and above your prop on the cavitation plate. That being said, you don't have one according to that picture.

If it's tough to turn even in neutral.. you have a cable or maybe even a stick problem. I'm not familiar with those stick steer units so I will have to bow out on the suggestions on how to fix it. If it has a bind, it would be in a sharp bend somewhere.
 
I am using the steering on the portside, but the cable is going through the motor from the starboard side, and connecting to the steering rod on the port side, is this normal? Is it possible that I should have it not go across the motor and then into the steering hookup, and flip the steering hooking on the motor itself? Is that even possible?
 
Quackrstackr said:
The torque tab would look like a mini second skeg immediately behind and above your prop on the cavitation plate. That being said, you don't have one according to that picture.

If it's tough to turn even in neutral.. you have a cable or maybe even a stick problem. I'm not familiar with those stick steer units so I will have to bow out on the suggestions on how to fix it. If it has a bind, it would be in a sharp bend somewhere.

Thanks Quack. There is no sharp bend at all, completely smooth. No torque tab at all considering your description.

I am wondering if the cable is not long enough or maybe the shifter connect rod (not sure of the correct name) can be flipped and the cable can be inserted from the other side of the tube (like flipping the threads so I can go in from the port side)? Just thinking out loud here, lol.
 
Try having someone move the stick port & starboard while you stand back at the engine & watch how things are working. It may be that you are hitting the limit of the cable. In any case, 2 sets of eyes and brains are better than one (usually :) )
 
CarlF said:
Try having someone move the stick port & starboard while you stand back at the engine & watch how things are working. It may be that you are hitting the limit of the cable. In any case, 2 sets of eyes and brains are better than one (usually :) )

I don't know anything about stick steer but I would say that Carl may be on to something. I was going to say something about the limit on the cable last night but I fell asleep before I made it back to the computer. :lol:

You said something earlier about full retraction when installed which I would assume to mean at neutral steering. Something about that seems odd to me. It seems like you would want as much movement in one direction as you would the other.
 
The torque tab is a piece of aluminum fin like that sticks below your cavitation plate right behind your prop ,about 2" long.
From your pic it doesn't look like you have one.
 
Quackrstackr said:
CarlF said:
Try having someone move the stick port & starboard while you stand back at the engine & watch how things are working. It may be that you are hitting the limit of the cable. In any case, 2 sets of eyes and brains are better than one (usually :) )

I don't know anything about stick steer but I would say that Carl may be on to something. I was going to say something about the limit on the cable last night but I fell asleep before I made it back to the computer. :lol:

You said something earlier about full retraction when installed which I would assume to mean at neutral steering. Something about that seems odd to me. It seems like you would want as much movement in one direction as you would the other.

Carl and Quack, thanks for the help. I am going to see how it is tomrorow, I didnt even get a chance to do it today as I was busy with all the electrical work.

If I am hitting the "limit on the cab;e" what does that mean? Do I have to buy a longer cable or something else?

I will try and take a video of what I do as well, maybe that would help.
 
Yep, you got it. Basically, the cable is too short or not set up right. WHen the motor is centered, you should have a enough cable to turn the boat fully from side to side. It may be that you dont have enough cable to turn to that one side.
 

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