Steering wheel position?

[blackcup]

Hey guys ... random question here but ever since getting my autoflow 2.0 upgrade done I have noticed that my boat always steers to the right. I have to keep the steering wheel in the 10 o'clock position (almost a 1/4 turn to the left) in order for the boat to go straight. If i keep it in the middle it always goes to the right ... and I'm not talking just a little ...

I am guessing it is because the plate on the starboard side of the boat doesn't retract as high as the plate on the port side. It isn't WAY off but you can definitely see it:

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=wwjcrc&s=9#.V3IOIvkrKUk

I never noticed this before so maybe the wheel has always been like that but just curious what everyone thinks? Seems strange to me that SC would make a boat so that you constantly need to have the wheel turned slightly one way for it to go straight.

[kaneboats]

The tabs are probably supposed to be offset slightly to account for prop rotation and keep you closer to neutral. They may have gotten it backwards.

[CFD3Captain]

It's funny you posted this (well not funny), but ever since I got my boat my wheel has been off center when going straight. Maybe the 10 or 11 O'clock position as you said. Finally last night, I unbolted the wheel and moved it one rotation to the right. We will see how close it is today LOL

[kaneboats]

You mean you performed a precision high tech alignment on your boat.

[mmandley]

You mean you performed a precision high tech alignment on your boat.

HAHA

On your plates yea they should be level on both sides, I would at least call your dealer, email hi the pic or Text him. That plate sitting lower is technically dragging and you see it in the steering. You should be able to cruise straight ahead with barely a finger on the wheel.

Mine has always gone straight, after my Wave Control it still goes straight with no issues.

[icemanftr]

Also think of the weight transfer in boat. If your starboard side is full of added weight plus driver, essentially it will pull to right. Think of it as a low tire on a car, the side with less air will always flex and pull you that way down the road.


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[rdlangston13]

My boat has never had a straight steering wheel while going straight. I was always under the impression that this was due to the steering wheel being straight aligned with the rudder however while under way because the rudder is offset and the rotation of the prop the rudder has to be turned one direction slightly to maintain a true straight a head line with the boat.

[kaneboats]

Well, David is right on with this. With inboard tournament ski boats they would grind the rudder so a pro tournament driver had to hold it to the side that counteracted the prop rotation. That would allow them to predictably drive down the center of the course without deviating. In the modern wakeboard era they have moved away from this and toward a more neutral setup. Not sure about the specs for what they try to do now with the rudders. But, I am sure that the variable plate heights make it a lot harder to get it set up perfectly for a neutral wheel. Add a little play in your linkage and here we go.

[blackcup]

Here is a pic of the wheel with no bags filled/plates down:

https://s31.postimg.org/ysz2zk6ff/IMG_0944.jpg

[blackcup]

HAHA

On your plates yea they should be level on both sides, I would at least call your dealer, email hi the pic or Text him. That plate sitting lower is technically dragging and you see it in the steering. You should be able to cruise straight ahead with barely a finger on the wheel.

Mine has always gone straight, after my Wave Control it still goes straight with no issues.


Yeah thats exactly what I was thinking. Even at speeds of 15+mph the handling of the boat is strange. My wife noticed it first and I thought she was crazy. It is hard to explain but the boat just feels much less stable at higher speeds. I also have a different wake when going 15+ ... a slight rooster tail.

Ill take a few better pix today and send em over/post em.

[parrothd]

You have the wake plate to far down, it should be all the way up, then trim down if your porpoising, just enough to stop it.


I can see it in you pic..lol

[blackcup]

Huh? That is the position that allows the boat to plane. Even if it is at the 1/2 mark the nose of the boat goes sky high. I couldn't even imagine going 15+mph with the gauge all the way to the left.

[parrothd]

You're actually lifting the back end out of the water, causing the back end to feel lose(funky steering) and shooting a rooster tail..lol..You can start in that position, then trim up if you want to keep the nose down during starts.

[blackcup]

Well then my gauge is the opposite?? If I want to keep the nose down during starts the needle has to be all the way to the right. If it heads over to the left then the nose goes sky high and the ass end drags like a mofo.

[parrothd]

The gauge is correct, wake plate down lifts the rear and forces the nose down. Try it at 1/2-3/4 next time..

[parrothd]

You can fix the wheel, there's a nut under the center cap, remove it, you should be able to pull the steering wheel off, then place it where you want.

[MJHSupra]

HAHA

On your plates yea they should be level on both sides, I would at least call your dealer, email hi the pic or Text him. That plate sitting lower is technically dragging and you see it in the steering. You should be able to cruise straight ahead with barely a finger on the wheel.

Mine has always gone straight, after my Wave Control it still goes straight with no issues.

I agree with this. Tabs do not look level in the up position. I did not know if that was a funny angle the pic was taken.

I have the aftermarket tabs on my Supra. No steering/tracking issues.


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[CFD3Captain]

You can fix the wheel, there's a nut under the center cap, remove it, you should be able to pull the steering wheel off, then place it where you want.

Shouldn't need to do this. If you look at the pic there are 6 hex head bolts holding the wheel AND center plate to the column. Just take them out and re-position the wheel. At least this is what I am going to try "again" LOL

[parrothd]

Remove one nut and place the wheel exactly where you want it, or remove 6 and have it close.You may get lucky and the holes line up where you need them, but probably not, sounds like you weren't..lol

[CFD3Captain]

Remove one nut and place the wheel exactly where you want it, or remove 6 and have it close.You may get lucky and the holes line up where you need them, but probably not, sounds like you weren't..lol

You have to remove the bolts to remove the center cap...

[parrothd]

I'll take your word for it, but it looks like every other steering wheel with a center cap. I think you can adjust it under the helm as well.

[blackcup]

Talked to Wakeland about the plates. It looks as though they sent me the wrong size actuators. We put the boat on the lift and measured from underneath the swim platform to the top of plate 1 and it was 7". Went to the other side and measured to the top of plate 2 and it was 8". The starboard size is 1" lower than the port. I am sure this is causing the drag ... similar to if you were in a kayak and put a small portion of the paddle in the water on right side ... the boat slowly turns right.

They are shipping new actuators in the next few days.

Here is a better pic:

https://s32.postimg.org/4ij0seutx/Full_Size_Render.jpg