Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Isn't it normal to be able to adjust the friction in the steering so the boat stays straight if you take your hands off the wheel?
My previous 'toon had a screw on the collar behind the steering wheel for adjusting friction. The (newer) boat I have now doesn't.

Is this simple but important adjustment hidden somewhere?

I would think that it would make turning the "other" direction that much harder.. Have you taken a look at where the trip tab is set?

But that old steering friction knob does bring back a few memories. Years ago my bro in law (he was crazy) in an old 15ft glastron, in the middle of the night going out across lake LBJ Tx. just as fast as that boat would go. He turned loose of the wheel to look at something and before I had a chance to grab the wheel there we were, both thrown to the deck and skimming across that lake sideways. Lucky we are both still here. Just one of many times I just knew I was going to die hanging out with him.

old steering friction knob...

So this is an obsolete feature? I thought it made sense to have it and certainly couldn't add more than a dollar to include it.

Previous 'toon had a Mariner (Yamaha) 40 that apparently is known for having a rough idle. No matter the trim setting it would wiggle the wheel to a new heading. My current Johnson (2000 J40PLSSM, 2-cyl, 2-stroke) also idles rough, with the same result.

Beats me, my new boat didn't have the knob but I remember them from many past boats. maybe something hidden somewhere like you say. Surely somebody out there knows.

ok,,, I found the seastar system manual for my new 2017 suntracker bass buggy. There was no mention of adjusting the steering effort. Just reading between the lines, it led me to believe the new "no feedback" systems no longer utilize the old adjusting knob..Thats all I got. And using the trip tab to compensate for torque steer.

I can see by the pic that it is a teleflex system, i guess u could google the model # and go to their site and look around?

So I guess seastar is teleflex, I found this,, didnt read it all. Thats your job.
https://www.jamestowndistributors.com/u ... ?docId=686