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1997 Sterndrive Listing problem...

G

GlenK

New member
Hi all - hope you can help.

I have a '97 Lund 1800 Fisherman, Mercruiser 3.0LX, Alpha One (Gen 2) with power steering.

While under power, the boat leans hard to starboard. When looking back at my wake, I noticed something was definitely not right - I walked to the back of the boat, looked at my outdrive and it was turned toward the starboard side... as if I had the steering turned to that side.

After reading a few posts on this forum, it seems like I may need to adjust my zinc anode with the trailing edge of the fin towards starboard.

I have had to put new props on the boat a couple of times, and have never adjusted the anode. I do have one fin on my prop that is curled a bit from hitting something also.

Can that little fin (anode) really cause the outdrive to kick to one side like that?

If I had saturated foam, I understand that may cause the leaning but would it also cause the outdrive to kick to one side like that? The boat seems to be level when just sitting in the water.

Is there anything else that would cause the outdrive to kick over to the starboard side while under power?

Thanks - Glen
 
Rotted transom...sound it inch by inch w/your knuckles. Thud sounds means rot. Look inside it and probe it w/an awl.
 
I'll rap on it tonight, but the wood all "looks" solid - it's been garage kept and have never had any serious water problems.

Thanks though - I'll check it out tonight.
 
First thing to check is the gimbal ring to steering pin.

the ring which turns is attached to the steering pin and there are two hex head screws (at the top of the ring) and the ring has two slots (vertical).

check the side to side movement of the ring to the pin. the ring has a square hole and the pin is also square. move the ring side to siide lightly and see how much movement occures without moving the pin.

If more than 1/16th of an inch tighten the two hex head screws to tighten the ring to the pin. The screws can only be tightend so much so when they wont tighten any more that is it. This is a pinch/compression assembly.


Also if the boat turns to the left turn the trim tab (anode) tip to the left (clockwise). if it turns to the right the turn the anode (trim tab) to the right (counter clockwise)

There is a happy medium for this, it will only work so well either at low speeds, medium speeds or high speeds. It is not a correction for all conditions.........
 
Thanks for the reply - I wouldn't have known about that adjustment without your post.

full_320610g146.jpg

I'm assuming you mean the two screws shown in the attached picture (on the sides, below the wrench), right?
 
Ok - thanks again. If I'm understanding you, you can barely see one of the bolts in the attached pic - yellow circle.

IMG_8391_edit2.jpg
 
Checked the bolts - they were tight.

Took the boat out and was able to adjust the zinc anode to straighten out the outdrive. The listing is better at high speed now but the boat just feels loose now. My wake from the prop isn't right at all. The wake on port side looks great, but starboard side is really a mess.

I got the boat home and looked over the hull and found a dent in the bottom. Looks like I hit a rock about the size of a soccer ball. The dent is just port side of center and back at the transom. The transom aluminum didn't get bent, but the bottom did where it meets the transom wall. Is it possible that this dent, with the transom aluminum still being straight, is acting like a trim tab now?
 
Yes. The short reply. Here's the longer version.

You could try to install smart tabs.

But if the boat tracks good...turns good... and feels good on the water why mess with it ?
 
Master mechanic said:
Yes. The short reply. Here's the longer version.

You could try to install smart tabs.

But if the boat tracks good...turns good... and feels good on the water why mess with it ?
Click to expand...

Like I said in the previous post, it feels loose even though the listing is better. I can correct some of the looseness with throttle and trim but still have to be careful. I would rather it ran tight like before any problems. And from the looks of my wake, I know that I'm still not running correctly.

The dent in the hull is in a weird spot to try and bang out without pulling parts off of the engine. Are there any shortcuts to popping out aluminum dents? Maybe heat or something?
 
The dent on the bottom depending on the size and location port-starboard will have an effect. The Anode is used to adjust Torque Steer, if the steering is hard turning port, you adjust the Anode in that direction etc.. it shouldn't have an effect on listing.

Hows the Skeg? I've seen a Bent Skeg cause listing, a loose drive will too..
 
The dent is on the port side right where the hull aluminum meets the transom aluminum (just port of the centerline V in the bottom). The transom aluminum is still straight, but the hull is caved in (maybe 2 inches deep and 8 inches around) creating an artificial trim tab - I think this is why it was listing in the first place. When I get the dent repaired, I'll post the results.

The dent is in a tough spot to try and hammer out from the inside unless I pull the exhaust manifold (which I may end up doing). I thought about trying to pull the dent from beneath but have no experience with aluminum and how it would respond to a suction puller. I'm also considering drilling a hole for the standard dent puller. Either way, I'll have to lift it off of the trailer to get access to it.
 
A major depression in the hull, especially on the running surface (as you have described) will cause a lift imbalance (the "list") you've described...you are on the right path by getting the hull's divot flattened out first...the fastest way of fixing it will be thru mechanical means.
 
I'm also considering drilling a hole for the standard dent puller.
Click to expand...
Don't do it right away...use as a last resort. Talk to a quality body shop about it. They work on aluminum hoods, etc.
 
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