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Steering box Rattle ???


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I would have thought they fixed this by now. Do you notice it more when the boat is more loaded with weight or maybe powering up on the trailer (not that you should be doing that :biggrin:). Is it a vibration/rattling in the steering wheel? Malibu sold me a heavier tiller, for you it should covered under warranty.

You should read this.

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I had a rattle in the this past season on my 07. I did not feel it in the steering wheel but could feel it THROUGH the steering wheel if that makes any sense. I found that it was a loose nut/bolt down where the steering cable runs through the engine compartment. I can explain more if this sounds like what you're experiencing.

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I have the same problem with my 2010. Like Ndawg say only when I'm loaded up or pulling someone out. Called the dealer he said it was fine just water passing the rudder and the pressure of the water. I feel it in the steering wheel. New to the boat last year and our first boat I thought holy crap I just screwed something up check the depth of the water made sure nothing was rapped around anything. Call the dealer he said all was fine. So should I presure him to get the larger tiller arm.

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Noticed this exact same problem at the end of last season. Doesn't happen with wakeboarding set-up (all 4 stock full). Wake surf (3000lbs-with people) definate chatter, when powering up ......I also nudge("power onto") trailer (last 2-4"s). Was never a problem until I put on an OJ Fusion prop??? Didn't happen the first couple of times out with the new prop. This prop makes the boat jump out of the whole. Loaded or not, even my wife noticed the difference! I put the prop on late in the season and didn't notice it the first couple times out. So the first time I heard/felt the vibration (while trailering/powering on 3") I figured that I must have dinged my new'ish (less than 10 hrs) prop, earlier that day. Once on the trailer and inspected,no visable damage? One more cruise with the family and I had to put her to bed for the winter.......thinking I must have dinged the prop, and it's so minimal it's not clearly visable but enough to slightly vibrate the steering wheel? Figured I would put my old stock 537 on and have my new'ish OJ re-worked.....now I'm thinking there really is no damage to my OJ prop??

Hope my situation kinda makes sense..........How do you know if it's cavitation or a tiller arm problem? Is the heavier tiller arm a solution or a band-aid (possibly doing more harm), have we decided yet? Maybe my sluggish stock 537 should go back on and my better preforming OJ will become my emergency spare??

Kinda lost, looking for the crew's perspective.....

Koop

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I have the same problem with my 2010. Like Ndawg say only when I'm loaded up or pulling someone out. Called the dealer he said it was fine just water passing the rudder and the pressure of the water. I feel it in the steering wheel. New to the boat last year and our first boat I thought holy crap I just screwed something up check the depth of the water made sure nothing was rapped around anything. Call the dealer he said all was fine. So should I presure him to get the larger tiller arm.

I would, if it's even close to as bad as mine was. It felt like the whole steering column was going to fall apart. The more I think about it though, it could possibly just be a band-aid, I regularly ride/drive a vlx and an lsv, all 3 of our boats with the same motor and prop, but they don't have the same problem...? Oh well, I'm good for now :whistle:

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This topic has been discussed before but I don't remember the consensus other that many people experience it. My 2004 Sunsetter used to do it when I put it on the trailer. A 2007 247 Wakesetter that I test drove also did it when the dealer was putting it back on the trailer. My current 2008 247 Sunscape does it occasionally. Seems like heavy load+turned rudder+heavy throttle causes it. I'm in the camp of water passing over the rudder causing it.

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I got used to making sure my wheel was straight as an arrow before powering up, it helped a little, but not enough.

07 vride.......mine does it as well when loaded to the max coming out of the hole.......having the wheel straight helps as well

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i can tell you my experience with steering rattle. ever since the day we bought the boat it always had a rattle through the steering, kept taking it back to the dealer and they said nothing was wrong, fair enough. its a lot of water pressure passing over the prop when taking off.

recently we tried a brand new acme 1235 on our boat, the rattle disappeared. so we thought maybe our acme 537 (stock) prop was damaged from day 1. so then we decided to try a new acme 537 and the rattle came back.

our dealer explained that the 1235 has more surface area and is more "finely tuned" than the 537. the 537 is the all round prop, it does everything without hassle.

basically the 1235 is just a better engineered prop cause its only for 1 discipline which is hole shot and keeping a constant speed.

my 2 cents

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I had the same problem with my 2004 23 LSV. The wheel rattled on take off, but was worse when power loading onto the trailer. It started at around 300 hours. 537 or 1235, same problem. Replacing the helm helped, but the real culprit was a worn rudder bearing. I doubt that your newer boats have worn stuff, but it would be worth giving that rudder a shake and see if there is any play.

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i can tell you my experience with steering rattle. ever since the day we bought the boat it always had a rattle through the steering, kept taking it back to the dealer and they said nothing was wrong, fair enough. its a lot of water pressure passing over the prop when taking off.

recently we tried a brand new acme 1235 on our boat, the rattle disappeared. so we thought maybe our acme 537 (stock) prop was damaged from day 1. so then we decided to try a new acme 537 and the rattle came back.

our dealer explained that the 1235 has more surface area and is more "finely tuned" than the 537. the 537 is the all round prop, it does everything without hassle.

basically the 1235 is just a better engineered prop cause its only for 1 discipline which is hole shot and keeping a constant speed.

my 2 cents

I am getting a 1235 prop and will report back once installed.........

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