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| I had purchased a 1998 ranger 690vs with a 175hp EFI mercury motor. What I have a question on is this motor doesn't have a trim tab on it just a blank cover. At top speed it is kind of hard to control the boat even if I trim it down and it pulls to the right a bit. Should this motor have a trim tab on it and why would someone put a blank cover were the tab should be?????? |
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Posts: 358
Location: London, England | Has it got a very large prop on it? A friend of mine had no tab on his bass boat's 150, the only reason we could work out was because of the size of the prop fitted to the engine. The prop would have hit the tab if it had been fitted. |
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Posts: 332
Location: Neenah, WI | I run a similar boat with a tempest 21 and I had to take mine off for clearance reasons. actually handles really well without it.
SAINT 1 |
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| It has a four blade stainless prop on it and it has no markings of what size or pitch. It looks like there would be room for the tab. Would you have any suggestions on what to do? It does have sea star steering and the fluid is at proper level.
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Posts: 332
Location: Neenah, WI | That Trim Tab is cheap You could put it back on and see if it helps . I had a high five on mine proir to the tempest and had the tab on it . Handled really well but i lost 7 mph. That is why I went to the tempest.
SAINT 1 |
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Posts: 5874
| Trim tab is not really needed with hydraulic steering. Not to say you coudn't use one. |
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| Thank you for the info, I think I might try putting the tab back on it and see what happens. |
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Posts: 32934
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | If the boat 'steers hard' to one side or the other and you have hydraulic steering, I would have the steering checked. It should steer with one hand and little effort. |
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| Thank you for the info, the more I talk to people about this issue the more I think I am going to get it checked out, but if there is no air in the system there should not be a problem. |
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Posts: 5874
| At top speed, and you trim down, it will steer harder, and may pull to the right. But that is not the way to drive a boat. Easiest steering is acheived at the optimum trim for the speed you are running. Not coincdently, you'll get your most efficiency that way, too. |
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Posts: 176
Location: Tomahawk, WI | I have the same boat and i used to have a 4 blade Trophy prop with the trim tab. I switched to the 21p Tempest and had to remove the trim tab and add the blank cover for clearance reasons, didnt change my handling one bit. |
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| I just wanted to let you guys know what is causing the hard steering at top speed and at optimum trim. Went to my local mercury dealer and told him what the problem I was having. He stated he has the same boat and motor that I have and he had the same problem. He stated that his motor had a four blade 23 pitch prop on it, changed it to a 21 pitch three blade prop and the boat drove like a dream. Thanks again for the info. |
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mercury 175hp trim tab??