Just bought 83 Enchanter have ???

[Kramer]

I just bought a 83 enchanter W/ 200hp Mer. OB rebuilt includes mild porting and heads milled 31cc . Did 66mph on gps with 2 aboard and full tank of gas with 23" Quicksilver prop on test ride. Has jackplate with 4" setback. Boat has dual cable steering and therein lies my question. Will raising the motor up some on the jackplate make steering this boat easier? Right now you need arms of steel to turn one handed. Any help would be appreciated>

[Eriktheviking]

Sounds like you need new steering cables.They start to bind up after a years of service.There are usually grease fittings located at each end of the cable.Grease it up and see if it helps.I just replaced mine and its a night and day difference.I found a great place to get them at, go2marine.com. Nobody can beat their prices and its at your house in a couple days.Check em out http://www.checkmate-boats.com/6/ws/,s,8626072361/Graemlins/thumb.gif

[175checkmate]

Kamer, rasing the motor will make it steer easier, but only to a point. I would look at the cable's. I just went to duel cable and its alot easier to steer. Also make sure you have a water pressure gage when you start to go higher. The last thing you want to do is burn something up.

http://www.checkmate-boats.com/6/ws/,s,8626072361/avatars/rooster_3.jpg


1975 Checkmate Tri-mate 2, 2.4 200+

[Kramer]

Thanks guys, I tried greasing the cables. It helped a little. I'm going to clean out the old grease next where the cables fit thru and see if that helps. I disconnected the motor from the steering arm and tried turning the motor by hand. It seems to turn ok but it takes more than finger pressure to move it. Even with the motor disconnected , the steering wheel is not all that easy to turn. It takes more pressure to turn left than right even disconnected. Is this normal?

[JW]

Sounds like your old cables are gummed up. You can buy new cables, or rig up a tool to clean your old ones out. There's been pretty extensive coverage on ScreamandFly.com on how to clean them. Also, make sure you grease up the zerks on the motor so it's easy to turn too.

1995 Pulsare 2100BR/1995 Mercury Promax 225 2.5 EFI/ 1.87:1 Torquemaster/ RapidJack Heavy-Duty manual 10.5" setback/ 23" Tempest worked for ski duty

[Kramer]

How easy should the motor turn when disconnected from th steering cables? It takes some prety moderate pressure to turn mine by hand. Also loseing hydrolic fluid out of top of ram cover. How expensive a job is this?

[Kramer]

Sorry for all the questions, but this is my first outboard. What is a Torque Tab? Is this the same as a trim tab that goes on the gear housing? I don"t have a trim tab, it is missing. Guy said it would lower top speed 1 mph so he didnt use one. Would this help my steering adding one on?

[Kramer]

Anyone?

[ncst8er]

A torque tab basically adds a curved surface to the rear of the skeg (the fin on the bottom of the gear housing). It basically acts like the rudder on the tail of a plane, except that it's designed to be just enough to offset the steering torque of the motor. I would grease using the fittings on the rack and the fittings for the kingpin (vertical swivel). If it's still hard to turn, then you probably need to replace the cables. One thing that will help in the future is to go out several times during the off season and turn the wheel lock-to-lock several times to keep the cables freed up.

[Kramer]

When I dissconnected the arm from the steering cables to the motor the steering wheel and cables turned freely. This leads me to believe that the Vertical swivel is the problem because it takes some force to move it by hand.

[Checkmark]

Hi Kramer,
I owned an Enchanter also, and they are great hulls. Sounds like you could have old grease that is packed in the swivel assembly. I would try hitting the zerk fittings in the swivel and tilt brackets with a grease gun. If the grease is hard going into the fittings, they are probably packed with old grease. If it pumps in fairly easily, then fill them until you see the grease appear from the top of the swivel pin and the tilt pin on each side. Try a Chopper on that hull if you get a chance. Torque tabs can help quite a bit if you are surfacing a prop. They don't always slow you down, as they can help correct "crabbing" or when excessive torque from a surfacing prop causes a paddlewheel effect and makes the engine correct slightly to achieve a straight course for the hull. Not to mention the safety factor of eliminating the chance of a sudden "right turn" if you let go, or something breaks!!