2022 Tohatsu 20HP vibration when turning left

[The Rooster]

Hello all. I hope I put this in the right place. I just bought a brand new 2022 Paddle King Lo Pro Angler pontoon boat with a 20HP Tohatsu outboard on it. Yesterday I noticed at full throttle that when turning left, which draws the steering cable inward through the tilt tube on the front of the motor, it immediately produces a harsh vibration. When I watch as it does this, I notice that the metal part of the steering cable appears to start moving inward and then immediately moves downward a little instead of smoothly sliding in, and that's when the vibration begins. It still allows a full left turn though.

Also, I've read that the metal (um, rod?) on the cable should remain shiny and smooth if the seals are good, and mine is not. It's somewhat dirty looking already. So I assume that seal has already failed due to the vibration. If I'm understanding right, the seal should wipe the grease off as the rod exits the tube, like a squeegee on glass.

I've had the boat only about 2 weeks, and I would normally just go back to the dealer, but that is 450 miles away. I just figured out what the source of noise was yesterday as we used it so I haven't even had a chance yet to call them about it.

Any ideas of what caused it or what it will take to fix it?

[Oldfart9999]

I'm afraid that your best bet is to call the dealer and take it back if necessary. Trying to get someone close to take of it means you'll have to let it sit at a place that doesn't care about you and you'll most likely pay through the nose, when they finally get to it.
Rodney

[Princeton_Man]

I had to look it up, I've never heard of the boat before. From what I could see in the pictures, I'll take a wild guess that the thrust of water from the prop might be hitting the pontoon or something attached to it. It only occurs while turning in one direction due to the direction of prop rotation. It looks like it could use a little more setback, a small jackplate might correct the problem.

[The Rooster]

When the boat is on the trailer I can see the cause of the problem. With the ram rod at full extension (motor set for a right turn) it is angled upwards somewhat. It does not simply extend and retract in a straight line. When I straighten up the motor by turning the wheel to the left, the ram rod draws downward as it retracts back into the tube. Basically the tendency for the ram rod to be angled upwards is keeping it in too close of contact with the upper side of the tilt tube. It doesn't ever fully flatten out, it's always up just a little. With the motor running, this causes severe vibration. At full extension it actually moves upwards a noticeable amount, as if the ram rod or cable is too long for the amount of travel it has. But even with it half way retracted (motor straight and centered), it vibrates if there is any attempt at all to turn left (drawing it further inwards).

Maybe the steering cable is in a bind? Maybe the metal plate where the linkage connects on the motor head needs to be bent downward a bit to take the upward tug off of the arm? Maybe something is installed incorrectly? I don't know on that because I don't have enough knowledge of what I'm supposed to be seeing when I look at it. The "wiper" seal already does not contact the ram rod as is. There's no seal and nothing being wiped at all as it extends and retracts. It's like the rubber cap is too big and simply for looks.

[Princeton_Man]

When the boat is on the trailer I can see the cause of the problem. With the ram rod at full extension (motor set for a right turn) it is angled upwards somewhat. It does not simply extend and retract in a straight line. When I straighten up the motor by turning the wheel to the left, the ram rod draws downward as it retracts back into the tube. Basically the tendency for the ram rod to be angled upwards is keeping it in too close of contact with the upper side of the tilt tube. It doesn't ever fully flatten out, it's always up just a little. With the motor running, this causes severe vibration. At full extension it actually moves upwards a noticeable amount, as if the ram rod or cable is too long for the amount of travel it has. But even with it half way retracted (motor straight and centered), it vibrates if there is any attempt at all to turn left (drawing it further inwards).

Maybe the steering cable is in a bind? Maybe the metal plate where the linkage connects on the motor head needs to be bent downward a bit to take the upward tug off of the arm? Maybe something is installed incorrectly? I don't know on that because I don't have enough knowledge of what I'm supposed to be seeing when I look at it. The "wiper" seal already does not contact the ram rod as is. There's no seal and nothing being wiped at all as it extends and retracts. It's like the rubber cap is too big and simply for looks.

Sounds like a rigging mistake. If it were mine, I'd be making some phone calls and arranging to make a 450 mile trip back to the dealer. The dealer should make arrangements to get you in and out the same day.

[The Rooster]

I never did update this. Sorry.

I noticed at the beginning of the season right after the first winter that the rubber nut was dried out and cracked. Figured that might have something to do with it since oil rots rubber. What I ended up doing was finding and ordering the exact same rubber nut that went on the end of the tilt tube. I put it on and ran it for all of 2022. This seemed to help at first because it made contact with the metal shaft on the steering cable. But after awhile the nut dried out and cracked all around just like the first one did.

So for 2023 I ordered a metal one that had a grease fitting on it and had rubber seals inside. I pulled the whole steering cable out of the tilt tube, cleaned and relubed it, then reinstalled and used the new metal nut on the opposite end. This metal one fits with a whole lot closer tolerance and the rubber seals actually make contact with the shaft. The problem is much better now. That nut should have been metal to begin with and this might never have happened.

There is still an occasional vibration but far less than before. But I knew I wasn't going to take the boat back to that dealer. Besides being too far away, they don't know all that much about boats. It is a used car dealer that sells new boats of this brand and had not had but just a few years experience in it. We went with them in 2021 when we bought because that was at the height of covid and availability was near nothing for boats and motors of any kind, let alone one that we could tow with the vehicles we had (2020 Hyundai Santa Fe at the time, limited to 2000 pound tow loads). We got the boat though, and I don't regret it. If there is a problem in the future, I'll either work it out on my own or take it to a local boat shop. Things have recovered quite a bit as far as resources since then.