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Steering Question


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Spent the day pulling skiers and tubes with no issues. Last pull, (2 tubes) when we stopped, and I turned to go back to the dock, the boat would not turn. Steering wheel turned fine left/right, but the boat would only go straight.

Got back to the dock, (lots of current/reverse and other things helping) and checked the steering cable and the rudder inside the boat. All turned as they should. Then checked the rudder outside the boat and again it worked fine. Took the boat out and ran it straight, tight left/right turns etc. All seemed fine. Looked at it after we put it back on the trailer and again it all seems fine.

So is there something that I am missing that I should have looked at, or something that could cause this, because I'm at a loss, and I'm hesatating taking skiers out tomorrow with a possible steering issue.

Any input will be greatly appreciated!

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intrestings. check and see if you can turn the wheel while somone is holding the rudder, there might be some loose attach points at the tiller arm area.

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intrestings. check and see if you can turn the wheel while somone is holding the rudder, there might be some loose attach points at the tiller arm area.

we did that at the dock, and it worked fine. Holding the rudder, and couldn't turn the wheel.

I just went through it today, and checked all the bolts and grease inside the boat. Good grease, and the bolts tightened, but they were really tight to start with, didn't take more than a 1/4 turn of the wrench with a bunch of pressure.

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we did that at the dock, and it worked fine. Holding the rudder, and couldn't turn the wheel.

I just went through it today, and checked all the bolts and grease inside the boat. Good grease, and the bolts tightened, but they were really tight to start with, didn't take more than a 1/4 turn of the wrench with a bunch of pressure.

did you check the four bolts that hold the rack in place on the steering wheel shaft?

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did you check the four bolts that hold the rack in place on the steering wheel shaft?

Yes, I did that earlier today when I checked the bolts on the rudder.

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Yes, I did that earlier today when I checked the bolts on the rudder.

and to add to this, after I made sure that they were tight, I then took them out and checked the gears on the rack and on the steering column and both are fine

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One other thing. When it stopped steering, I had it turned 100% left/right(not sure which way, but full lock). as I said, the wheel was still turning but no steering.

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One other thing. When it stopped steering, I had it turned 100% left/right(not sure which way, but full lock). as I said, the wheel was still turning but no steering.

I'm confused, you turned wheel all the way one direction (hard over) normally the wheel stops when it hits the end lock, but your wheel kept spinning and you lost steering?

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I'm confused, you turned wheel all the way one direction (hard over) normally the wheel stops when it hits the end lock, but your wheel kept spinning and you lost steering?

NO, I just read what I posted and I worded it wrong. I turned it all the way to the stop in one direction. The wheel would not turn anymore. Then the boat would not go in that direction. I turned it back to the other lock, and boat would not turn that way either. The steering wheel never just spun around like it would if you unbolt the rack.

Sorry if I confused the question.

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At the point you lost the ability to steer, boat was in forward gear with prop turning?

yes. with RPM taken up to ~ 3000 and it was still going straight no matter which way I turned the wheel.

5 minutes later at the dock it was fine. :Frustrated:

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At the point you lost the ability to steer, boat was in forward gear with prop turning?

yes. with RPM taken up to ~ 3000 and it was still going straight no matter which way I turned the wheel.

5 minutes later at the dock it was fine. :Frustrated:

Gypsies took over. Idk that's all I got.

I was thinking the key pin in the rudder might be missing but that's another real longshot.

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Gypsies took over. Idk that's all I got.

I was thinking the key pin in the rudder might be missing but that's another real longshot.

I'm about thinking the same thing.

What/where is the keypin?

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on my SSLXI, the rudder shaft has a key in the side of it much like a prop key. To get to the key, remove the horizontal bolt that holds the tiller arm on the rudder post. Then the rudder can drop down, I suppose you would need to remove the rudder to look at the key.

There are some drawings on the marine hardware catalogue around page 28. On my rudder post, the rudder post is cut so that the horizontal bolt holding the tiller arm on the rudder post cuts thru the rudder post. Maybe yours is the other design where the tiller arm just grips the rudder post. I don't know, but from what you describe I would pull the rudder and inspect the key and the tiller arm connection. Depending on your trailer, you may need to short bunk the boat in order to drop the rudder clear of the prop cage. Others describe lifting the rear of the boat in order to get the to drop clear of the prop cage.

http://www.marinehardware.com/downloads/running_gear.pdf

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on my SSLXI, the rudder shaft has a key in the side of it much like a prop key. To get to the key, remove the horizontal bolt that holds the tiller arm on the rudder post. Then the rudder can drop down, I suppose you would need to remove the rudder to look at the key.

There are some drawings on the marine hardware catalogue around page 28. On my rudder post, the rudder post is cut so that the horizontal bolt holding the tiller arm on the rudder post cuts thru the rudder post. Maybe yours is the other design where the tiller arm just grips the rudder post. I don't know, but from what you describe I would pull the rudder and inspect the key and the tiller arm connection. Depending on your trailer, you may need to short bunk the boat in order to drop the rudder clear of the prop cage. Others describe lifting the rear of the boat in order to get the to drop clear of the prop cage.

http://www.marinehardware.com/downloads/running_gear.pdf

I see the tiller arms in the link you provided (THANKS!), and it looks like you can see if there is a key or not. Am I looking at that correctly? Before I play around in that space under the gas tank, I'd like to see if there is a key before I get it apart and find out there is none.

IOW, I can see the top of the rudder shaft thats even with my tiller arm. When I turn the steering and move that tiller, should I be able to see the key?

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on my SSLXI, the rudder shaft has a key in the side of it much like a prop key. To get to the key, remove the horizontal bolt that holds the tiller arm on the rudder post. Then the rudder can drop down, I suppose you would need to remove the rudder to look at the key.

There are some drawings on the marine hardware catalogue around page 28. On my rudder post, the rudder post is cut so that the horizontal bolt holding the tiller arm on the rudder post cuts thru the rudder post. Maybe yours is the other design where the tiller arm just grips the rudder post. I don't know, but from what you describe I would pull the rudder and inspect the key and the tiller arm connection. Depending on your trailer, you may need to short bunk the boat in order to drop the rudder clear of the prop cage. Others describe lifting the rear of the boat in order to get the to drop clear of the prop cage.

http://www.marinehardware.com/downloads/running_gear.pdf

I see the tiller arms in the link you provided (THANKS!), and it looks like you can see if there is a key or not. Am I looking at that correctly? Before I play around in that space under the gas tank, I'd like to see if there is a key before I get it apart and find out there is none.

IOW, I can see the top of the rudder shaft thats even with my tiller arm. When I turn the steering and move that tiller, should I be able to see the key?

Reach in there with a camera phone and see if you can get a picture. I am not sure you will be able to see it. Might be able to feel the top of it.

One other thought, you may be able to move the tiller arm further in one direction or the other with the steering cable removed. I remember removing the steering cable before being able to get a wrench in there.

Edited by Bozboat
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Reach in there with a camera phone and see if you can get a picture. I am not sure you will be able to see it. Might be able to feel the top of it.

Yea, it was fun to get in there. needed a mirror. So here are some pictures. Key is there and seems to be as it should. I think you were saying that you thought it might be missing, which I think these pics shows it not. But here are the pics for you to see.

http://s1213.photobucket.com/user/cms271/library/steering

Edited by zone 5
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Key looks to be in there, I am assuming that you can't turn the rudder by hand while preventing the tiller arm or steering wheel from turning.

A real puzzle here. Maybe you had fouled the rudder with something caught in it and then it fell off. For now, if the rudder, tiller arm, steering cable, and steering rack are all checked out, I am lost as to what else to check.

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Key looks to be in there, I am assuming that you can't turn the rudder by hand while preventing the tiller arm or steering wheel from turning.

A real puzzle here. Maybe you had fouled the rudder with something caught in it and then it fell off. For now, if the rudder, tiller arm, steering cable, and steering rack are all checked out, I am lost as to what else to check.

yea, welcome to my world. :loser:

I held the rudder braced against both knees both ways, and my wife could move the wheel. and with her holding the wheel, I can't move the rudder.

Don't say I fouled the rudder, because thats what my wife said :Frustrated:

But I'm starting to think it too. The steering cable is the only thing that you can't check the insides of, but we both know that if that fails, it doesn't fix itself.

I'm gonna take it out tomorrow and do some slow speed full lock turns and see if it duplicates itself. Beyond that, I'm with you, I have no idea.

Thanks so much for taking the time to try and think up things I might have missed (like that key). I really appreciate it!!!!!

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I'm with Boz. Fouled rudder with some weeds or something.

I'm thinking you guy are right. But having to tell my wife that you agree with her is painful :rtfm: <-- is what she is going to do when she reads the posts

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