Leaning issue

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MajTnVol

New Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
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Location
Greenbrier, TN
I have purchased a 2004 Nitro 700LX w/ a 90hp Mercury. I got it for a good price, and NOW I am better understanding why. I thought the problem was Torque Roll. It came with the Motor raised up to the last hole on the transom, and a 22 pitch Stainless Steel prop. We have dropped the motor down 2 holes on the transom, we think it's back to factory setting. Installed a Whale Tail. We replaced the prop with a 13X19 aluminum prop, but the issue remains, not as much, but it is still not where I would like it to be. With 2 adults onboard, it gets a great hole shot and gets up on the pad quickly, but if you are slow to trim it, it leans hard Port and you have to back it down to restart the process. If I drive it aggressively and stay in the throttle it is fine, but that is it, GO or NO, no in between. It's either pin the ears back or putt-putt to your fishing spot. With one person in the boat, it will lean hard Starboard. We have done all kinds of research, tried weighting the starboard locker on the boat, but it continues to lean to port, at less then full power. We took it to boat mechanics, explained the issue till we are Blue in the face, ask everybody we know, and still no solution. The best description as to how the boat acts is this: It's like the boat is on an inline skate, with one person it leans Starboard, two people it leans to Port. Please help me solve this issue if you have the answer. I am at the point right now, that I'm thinking I have a 17' really nice rowboat. Ugh!!
 
Factory doesn't necessarily mean it's correct. The motor could be off center or could be out of alignment with the plane of the boat (tilted left or right). I would measure port side to a fixed point on the boat and do the same to the starboard side to see if it's centered. I would also measure from the top of the motor to the ground on the port side and do the same on the starboard side to see if there is any motor tilt. Or you can also measure port and starboard from the skeg to a fixed point on the boat to determine tilt.
 
I have a 1998 Nitro 700LX 120hp with the same problem. It has a whale tail, motor is factory positioned. Heavy on the starboard side above idle on up until it planes out. It wont level out unless its just past 90 degree up.
 
I have purchased a 2004 Nitro 700LX w/ a 90hp Mercury. I got it for a good price, and NOW I am better understanding why. I thought the problem was Torque Roll. It came with the Motor raised up to the last hole on the transom, and a 22 pitch Stainless Steel prop. We have dropped the motor down 2 holes on the transom, we think it's back to factory setting. Installed a Whale Tail. We replaced the prop with a 13X19 aluminum prop, but the issue remains, not as much, but it is still not where I would like it to be. With 2 adults onboard, it gets a great hole shot and gets up on the pad quickly, but if you are slow to trim it, it leans hard Port and you have to back it down to restart the process. If I drive it aggressively and stay in the throttle it is fine, but that is it, GO or NO, no in between. It's either pin the ears back or putt-putt to your fishing spot. With one person in the boat, it will lean hard Starboard. We have done all kinds of research, tried weighting the starboard locker on the boat, but it continues to lean to port, at less then full power. We took it to boat mechanics, explained the issue till we are Blue in the face, ask everybody we know, and still no solution. The best description as to how the boat acts is this: It's like the boat is on an inline skate, with one person it leans Starboard, two people it leans to Port. Please help me solve this issue if you have the answer. I am at the point right now, that I'm thinking I have a 17' really nice rowboat. Ugh!!
I have a 2006 640 Lx, I bought 4 or 5 years back. It had a 90 Hp Merc. was not original. When I drove it the first few times it did exactly what you described ...running down the lake 40 mph leaning hard to one side. Someone told me that the motor was pivoting to far when all the way down. So we put in a few stainless steel bolts to keep rotating all the way. (almost like you have trimmed it 5 or 10 degrees.)Works fine now.....has never did it again. GOOD Luck. $10 fix
 
I have a 2006 640 Lx, I bought 4 or 5 years back. It had a 90 Hp Merc. was not original. When I drove it the first few times it did exactly what you described ...running down the lake 40 mph leaning hard to one side. Someone told me that the motor was pivoting to far when all the way down. So we put in a few stainless steel bolts to keep rotating all the way. (almost like you have trimmed it 5 or 10 degrees.)Works fine now.....has never did it again. GOOD Luck. $10 fix
I'm open to all ideas!! Could you please post a picture of where yo placed the Bolts and I will do my fix exactly like you did your boat and keep my fingers crossed!!
 
Not a solution but, I bought a new Nitro in 94 ,17ft. w/115 Merc. The day I picked it up (new) from the dealer he warned me of that trait. He said "it'll pitch to the left until you get it trimmed out". I just always expected it. It didn't take much trim but I never really thought about it until now.
 
You could try some trim tabs. They will cost a little on top-end, but should level out the boat. A hydro-foil like a stingray, may also help. We had a procraft years ago, that would porpoise terrible at midrange speed. it was scary to drive. We were told to epoxy 1/4" wedges to the bottom of the hull and it would correct the issue. It fixed it! At higher speed the wedges were out of the water, so didn't create any drag or top-end speed loss. At low / midrange speed they leveled the boat, kept the nose from falling off plane and made it much more enjoyable to drive. The wedges were glued at the transom, right below the first step. When the boat was up on the pad, the wedges were out of the water, but at slower speed, when the hull was running wet, they created lift and kept the boat centered and wouldn't allow it to fall off plane. I would think the lift from the wedges would also be effective in keeping a boat from leaning from one side to the other. Just like flaps on a airplane wing. Might be worth a try, if you want to keep the boat :)
 
My 2006 482 does about the same as MajTnVol's describes. I installed a SE 300 Hydrofoil it helped it to plane faster but didn't help the lean. I ordered Bennett trim tabs for 17 to 21 ft boat SLT 90 not enough room on tramsom to install and back of boat near R and L chine is too contoured to mount correctly. Thanks to Hodges Marine for allowing me to return them, great company to work with. I am interested in what Tony banks mentioned.
 
I'm open to all ideas!! Could you please post a picture of where yo placed the Bolts and I will do my fix exactly like you did your boat and keep my fingers crossed!!
 

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My 2006 482 does about the same as MajTnVol's describes. I installed a SE 300 Hydrofoil it helped it to plane faster but didn't help the lean. I ordered Bennett trim tabs for 17 to 21 ft boat SLT 90 not enough room on tramsom to install and back of boat near R and L chine is too contoured to mount correctly. Thanks to Hodges Marine for allowing me to return them, great company to work with. I am interested in what Tony banks mentioned.
 

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    271.2 KB · Views: 120
My 2006 482 does about the same as MajTnVol's describes. I installed a SE 300 Hydrofoil it helped it to plane faster but didn't help the lean. I ordered Bennett trim tabs for 17 to 21 ft boat SLT 90 not enough room on tramsom to install and back of boat near R and L chine is too contoured to mount correctly. Thanks to Hodges Marine for allowing me to return them, great company to work with. I am interested in what Tony banks mentioned.


Hi Slim, did the bolts do the trick for you? I have a Nitro Z6 (the 482) and I have the same issues. Let me know please, I am based in Europe and I dont have anywhere else I can ask around here. Thank you
 
yes, its not steering to the left or right...its leaning on the side when at low speed but the direction is fine...its a common issue for early Z6 and Nitro 482...
 
I just purchased a 1998 Nitro LX 700 and it’s doing the same thing. Leans hard to the right just when the bow starts to come down when I get on plane. Prior to this boat I had a 1972 tri-hull glastron that ran super smooth, so I was very nervous when it started to lean. I killed the throttle right away, only to swamp the back deck. 🙃 I’m going to try going out with a passenger next weekend, and see if that helps with the issue.

From checking the threads, it seems like this is very common for some of the older Nitros, and I just need to learn how to drive a bass boat!
 

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