Fleury9816 Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 (I posted this the other day and with the upgrade on the board it was bumped off, so I apologize if I missed anyones responses) I just recently bought a 1999 Ranger Bass Boat 518 VX Comanche - Mercury 200 OptiMax. The boat I had previously was Stratos fishnski, with a bass boat hull. This past weekend I took it out for the 1st time and she ran beautifully. I did happen to come across one problem that I was hoping someone around here could help enlighten me about. As I got around 70 mph and trimmed the engine up a little bit the boat begin to sway a tight but profound side to side wobble. What would cause this? I let off the gas and trimmed down and it stopped immediately. So I then brought it back up to speed to try again and again it began to sway left to right. Right at 70. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeeter Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 What you are getting into is bow sway. In some of the older faster boats the tip of the bow would look like it was rotating in a very tight circle. I had an older Cajun that did it. I have also had this happen with a 201 Cobra. There is nothing you can do about it. Trimming the engine down a touch will take care of it just like porposing or chine walk. I am sure that you could probably put out some money at the dealership and they could come up with something that might stop the problem at that particular speed. However, once you climb much above that spot it will start to do it again..... just at a different speed. Off of the top of my head I would say that a trim tab adjustment may be the simplest thing to try. It would be inexpensive also. But you will have to do test runs in the boat to test your settings out. Or an engine height adjustment may help. But you could loose a little speed. If it is an engine height adjustment that fixes it, then you could get your speed back with a hydraulic jack plate. But be ready to throw out about 800 to 1000 bones for it. It takes time to learn to use it also. One other thing that I could think of is the nose cone on the lower unit. You could go to a racing lower unit and there would be less resistance on the engine which may fix it. But again would the extra couple of miles an hour be worth the money it would cost. Have you checked with the dealer or with Ranger? From what I understand, Ranger is good at working with its customers on any type of problem. Or you could sell it and buy a Skeeter Skeeter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sducoach Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 F. Send me a PM with the following info. Year of motor. Prop you are turning. Engine height, trim setting when the chine walking starts. RPM's at that setting, weight i.e. tournament load or half gas and empty except for yourself. Are you reading speed of of speedometer or GPS? I run a 99 518 VX with a 200 E on the back. Good hull even with an average set up. J.E. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasbass1 Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Rangers are known for their chine walking. You can try to change the motor set up but it won't completely eliminate the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bladesandbaits Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 I have ran about every model Ranger made from time to time.The 518 is probably the worst for "chine walking" you will just have to drive your boat thru it or just get used to where it starts to do this and back out of it a little.If you were to continue at that particular trim and drive thru it the temp light is probably gonna come on for low water pressure. If you were by yourself and running fairly light then no matter what you do you are probably going tp see this.Put someone in the boat with you and fill the live wells with water. (just to see the difference) I run a 205 vx now with a 225 efi.By myself it will run 81 mph gps if I can drive it thru the chine walk.I might add that it will walk pretty bad until I get it on the center of the pad.When I am tourn fishing and have a partner,I could not make it chine walk for Hell.74mph is tops I wouldnt mess with it.Ranger sets those boats up from the factory to perform as a fishing boat not a racing boat.Over trimming is just something the operator needs to control.Oh yeah------ If you even think about putting a jack plate on it get prepared to have worse handling problems. Call this number and ask for CW Bond @ Bonds Marine Sales 706-795-0951 Give him the boat info and he will tell you in about 30 seconds if the motor and prop are as factory set it up.There is always a chance someone has changed something. Good Luck and congradulations on owning the best boat made Blades Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleury9816 Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 Thanks everyone. I really appreciate the time everyone put in to helping me out with this and the timely responses. I am new to Rangers and how they handle. I was just basically mostly concerned something wasn't wrong. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleury9816 Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 sducoach, I did PM you, it was acting screwy. I dont know if it went through of not. Let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeeter Posted April 13, 2005 Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 I think what he is getting fellas is that little bit of sway in the nose of the boat as it is running around top speed. It is not a chine walk as most of us know it. At least I think I am right ..... Is that the problem Fleury9816? Or is it more like a chine walk? If you have enough throttle you can drive through a chine walk. But you can't with the nose sway. If you ask me... anything that will run 60 mph or more is a race boat. I have been in the Allisons and Bullets. But a Ranger hitting 80 mph is just as fast as an Allison hitting 80 mph. That kind of speed is just plain fast. My fastest ride has been 98 mph. I still tense up when I think about that ride. Skeeter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basskat Posted April 13, 2005 Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 Apply pressure to the right on your steering wheel. With a little practice you'll find the perfect amount. This will st5op the sway or chime walk. Seat time is the best experience you can get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sducoach Posted April 13, 2005 Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 I think what he is getting fellas is that little bit of sway in the nose of the boat as it is running around top speed. It is not a chine walk as most of us know it. At least I think I am right ..... Is that the problem Fleury9816? Or is it more like a chine walk? If you have enough throttle you can drive through a chine walk. But you can't with the nose sway. If you ask me... anything that will run 60 mph or more is a race boat. I have been in the Allisons and Bullets. But a Ranger hitting 80 mph is just as fast as an Allison hitting 80 mph. That kind of speed is just plain fast. My fastest ride has been 98 mph. I still tense up when I think about that ride. Skeeter Skeeter, Bingo. Many people call any type of "motion" chine walk. Older Rangers were prone to a little chine walk when guys were over powering the boats but I run a 99 518 right now and it's solid up to my max of 72 GPS. Rigging is a big part of performance and that's where many shops fall short. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeeter Posted April 13, 2005 Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 sducoach, What is your setup? Do you get that nose sway? I run a Skeeter SX160. It is the second smallest Skeeter made. It is 16'8" and has a stock Yamaha carburated 115 hp. motor. I don't recall the prop size and pitch at this moment but it is the same that they run on the VMax 150. It is the middle of the three sizes that the boat will take. It will run a consistent 56 mph with 2 grown men, 20 gal. of gas and full load of tackle. By myself I can run a consistant 58 mph. On a good day and 10 gal of gas I can hit 60 mph. I can get the boat to chine walk but I never get the nose sway. Maybe it is not fast enough. But for what the boat is ..... it will flat SCAT. It will take rough water pretty well. I have had the boat on Ky Lake, Barkley, Old Hickory, Biloxi Back Bay, and High Rock and have never been worried for my safety. As you said, drive time is the best teacher. My boat rarely chine walks. Only when trying to string it out do I get it. Skeeter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleury9816 Posted May 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2005 ok well...here is the update I am still starting to sway at around 65ish MPH to the point where i have to back off completely and take off again. (I have established I am not so called Chinewalking, its definetly a sway) I thought I had found the source of the problem. Which I still believe is the source, but my method of fixing it didn't work. I noticed that when I grab my engine out of the water and rock it side to side there is a 1/4 inch movement in the engine on my seastar hydraulic bar, both ways. I don't know anything about hydraulics but I am assuming that it should be tight. Does anyone know if there should be any play in that? That would explain why i am a swaying to the point of losing conrol if the engine is actually moving side to side slightly. I also assume that the reason why I dont have the problem until I get to high speed and trim up is because when there is a lot of the boat in the water the small give isnt affecting the boat enough, but as the boat gets less and less of it in the water the small give in the engine is really affecting the control of the boat, hence making it start to sway side to side. So, I emailed the teleflex company who makes the seastar hydraulic bar and they tell me that I have air in my line for sure. So I bought a seal kit and took apart the seastar bar and the helm and re-sealed it all...emptied it and refilled with brand new hyrdaulic fluid. Fingers crossed!!!! Took it out tonight, there is still a play in the engine. Any ideas? Maybe the pump for the fluid inside the helm needs to be replaced? Getting frustraited as the season approaches Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleury9816 Posted July 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2005 Just for anyone who cared. I solved the problem. After taking apart the helm pump in the stearing to replace seals in case of a cracked one, I realized that someone had put the thing on the wrong way and I wasnt getting the correct revolutions it was suppose to in order to turn the wheel from left to right, therefore messing my stearing up and causing me to lose control of it. I assume previous owner must of replaced the seals and put the piece on wrong when he put it back together. She runs beautiful now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted July 18, 2005 Report Share Posted July 18, 2005 I have almost the exact same boat. 99 518 VX 200 Opti and a 8" jackplate. I used to get a little chine or sway with mine also. That is until I finally put my tackle and a little more gas in it. Since then I havnt had the probs. I also think I have learned to "drive" the boat better since then. I have a 4 blade 26P trophy and have gotten my boat up to 69.7 GPS. MR B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
