Pulling Left


V

V1rowT8

Active member
Just had my boat out of the water for annual Drive service about a month ago. The usual stuff.... pull drives, lower unit oil change, check engine alignment, check gimbal bearings, reinstall, new anodes, repaint. (No Bellows change this year.)

Since doing this, and going back in the water, I've experienced a pronounced pull/track to the left at idle power. The steering wheel is anywhere from 45–100° right to counteract this. As RPMs are gradually increased, the problem gradually diminishes....a directly proportional relationship....and by 1400 RPMs, the boat is tracking straight. No problems on plane at cruise power either. No excess play in the drives when they went back on, nor is there any excess play in the steering wheel. No vibrations, all seems well except for this anomaly, with the boat's performance numbers remaining normal. Never seen this before. Any ideas? (Volvo-Penta Ocean X drives.)

TIA for any insights...
 
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Sorry, I am not much help in Volvo Drives - but what might be causing this:

Do you have external tie bars, or just internal...I am thinking somehow maybe one of the drives is angled more than the other and at idle it shows itself, but then under power, the thrust factor out ways the slight angle difference and all seems well. All I can think of at the moment, wonder if there is a way to see this in the water ?
 
I wonder if there is a a problem with the props? I assume they were removed, are VP props phased?
 
Thanks for the comments afratki. In response to your input:

I have two complete sets of duoprops. Every season, I swap them out on haulout. When the alternate set returns to the boat, that set has been freshly balanced and tuned to historic/target specs, and anti-fouling coating applied. Thus, no prop issues.

No external tie bars. Never seen them on a VP equipped cruiser. I haven't checked to see if anything is loose with the internal tie system, but will do so next visit. Nominal play in the drives....all easily within specs, and not deteriorating. Drives are parallel at all levels of trim and steering direction.

Thanks again....
 
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Mmmmmmmmmm, could they have bent the skeg just a tad and at slow speeds this makes you turn ? (stretching of course, but it is feasible)
 
toofast said:
Mmmmmmmmmm, could they have bent the skeg just a tad and at slow speeds this makes you turn ? (stretching of course, but it is feasible)
Click to expand...

I don't think so, as I was there for the haul, work, and launch. But I will look. It's a frustrating situation. :mad: Going to look into the steering valve as well. Who knows....
 
V1rowT8 said:
I don't think so, as I was there for the haul, work, and launch. But I will look. It's a frustrating situation. :mad: Going to look into the steering valve as well. Who knows....
Click to expand...

Ok...perhaps a tab is tweaked when the lifted and it is angled and causing the push....then at speed the thrust overcomes it - another WAG
 
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