2011 GTI 155 Problem controlling thrust direction

[huntr52]

Had this on the wrong site!

Need some help with '11 GTI 155 w/117hrs that I just picked up. During the first run on the water the steering seems overly loose and obviously gets worse at higher speeds. At lower rpm's its controllable but still wants to zigzag badly with any steering correction resulting in over compensation. The steering now has a grating sound coming from it when turned!???

Anyone have any ideas, maybe stretched steering cable etc. Need some help on what to look at first

 

[Greg Moore]

Possibilities are endless! Start with the obvious which is anything visible. Have someone hold the nozzle while you swing the bar, how much movement is there when the nozzle is held solid? There should be no slop at the nozzle or it's pivot points. If all is good there then you need to get into the bottom of the steering shaft where it goes to the cable. Can't imagine a bad cable would allow that much slop, usually they tighten up. I'd expect something came loose at the nozzle end. Either way you have to clamp or hold it solid to see if slop is forward from it.

 

[huntr52]

Thanks for the response. I removed the steering cable from the nozzle and there is play in whole cable. I reattached and found about 3/16" movement in the nozzle itself before the bars moved. I blocked the nozzle and can easily move the bars apprx 3/4-1" before it stops!

Can the steering cable jacket slip back and forth inside the clamps that hold it in place. I have a manual but it doesn't seem to show exactly how the cable is clamped in place.

Do you think that is enough freeplay to cause the erratic steering i'm getting on the water?

I also discovered about 1/2" or maybe a little less play up and down in the IBR gate. Is that too much or acceptable. Again, that info doesn't seem to be in the manual

 

[Greg Moore]

My RXP is in storage so can't compare but that doesn't sound like a lot to be hounest. Is it significantly more pronounced than others you've ridden? Mine will do some S's just as it comes off plane when slowing down but that will be the OPAS which I prefer to keep. If you have trim, make sure it's trimming from pointed lower than the main nozzle to higher than the main nozzle. If it's trimmed up all the time the boat will be squirrely. Also make sure there isn't damage at the inner (non moving) nozzle or impeller. On my RXP 1" of handle bar movement really doesn't do much to the direction of the boat so I can't imagine that much play would have any real impact. Thinking maybe the water is being scattered at the back by a damaged housing or something.

 

[huntr52]

I pretty much tried most nozzle settings thinking the same thing and your right it did get squirrely the higher I got it.

I also found tonite that the IBR gate has about 3/16 - 1/4" of travel side to side. Add that to the slop in the nozzle left and right movement and I'm wondering if there isn't just too much overall slop? Ive been told that the gate will have some movement up & down from any position but not sideways. I think it may be time to have a shop take a look!

 

[Digdog]

Does it help when you change the trim? Maybe the trim isn't working causing nose down attitude and sloppy steering? You can check the trim by searching how to on this site.

 

[huntr52]

up or down on the trim made is somewhat more controllable but still requires a significant amount of control to hold it somewhat straight.

I removed the steering cable from the nozzle and I could push and pull on the cable without the bars changing, but it was not the internal portion of the cable sliding it was the whole cable including the jacket. in addition to the left and right movement of the IBR assembly, which the nozzle pivots off of, probably is the reason. Not sure if something is loose at the bars or in the back.

Dropped it off at a shop for them to look into and see as wasn't comfortable tearing out the steering at the top. The SeaDoo service tech upon first look and description said the bars are too loose that there is probably a support or cable clamp loose or broken up under the bars.????