xstar steering problem

(doubleup_dan) · (doubleup_dan) **Join Date: Oct 2006** 12-06-2006, 7:05 PM

i was driving my xstar today and half way through driving i noticed the steering was weird and that the steering wheel was in at a different angle then when i started driving.

so on the way back to the dock i realised that to keep the boat in a straight line i had to keep adjust the steering wheel to starboard only a little bit every 15 seconds or so.

i noticed also that it turns alot better to starboard then port shouldnt it be the other wy round if the prop is spinin anti clockwise?

anyway can help me or had this problem

(pittsy) · (pittsy) **Join Date: Apr 2004** 12-07-2006, 11:22 AM

my 06 star does the same thing..if i leave go of the steering wheel the boat will turn hard right.

(byrd) · (byrd) **Join Date: Dec 2005** 12-07-2006, 11:33 AM

You could have weeds, rope or something around the propshaft or rudder. Does it have the hydraulic steering option? If it is the Saltwater Series it does and you should check the seals, fluid levels, etc....

(doubleup_dan) · (doubleup_dan) **Join Date: Oct 2006** 12-07-2006, 2:10 PM

nope nothing on the bottom and i do have the hydraulic steering.

where do i check the oil for the steering? i know the oil goes in on the right of the driver but there is no dip stick, so how i kow how it is??

(anodyne) · (anodyne) **Join Date: Feb 2006** 12-07-2006, 2:34 PM

The X-star has built-in steering problems...

(krbaugh) · (krbaugh) **Join Date: Mar 2002** 12-07-2006, 3:25 PM

Sounds like you have bad helm I had this on one of my Outboard MasterCrafts with hydraulic steering it will get worse get it to the dealer

(byrd) · (byrd) **Join Date: Dec 2005** 12-08-2006, 1:10 PM

Do you care to enlighten us Anodyne? That sure is a lot of info you just gave us on MC steering problems, especially from someone who knows everything MC does wrong....

(woreout) · (woreout) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 12-09-2006, 12:00 PM

Byrd anodyne is an expert. I sure he can spot a problem or sub par quality issues, owning the boat he does.

(xaggie) · (xaggie) **Join Date: Nov 2002** 12-09-2006, 8:19 PM

HAHAHA

r3612 12-09-2006, 9:50 PM

No experience with owning one....but have driven them quite a bit..04's and 05's......Experienced same turning issue.....Also heard and was in 04 that Chine locked.....LIke I said HEARD that we were not the only one's who were able to chine lock one of the early X-Stars. Have drievn an 06 and 07 and can say they drive 10 times better than the 04-05's I drove and spent some time in.

(xaggie) · (xaggie) **Join Date: Nov 2002** 12-10-2006, 2:04 AM

My '07 is 100% better than my '04. As I understand it's mostly due to the new rudder shape. I could be wrong.

(swab791) · (swab791) **Join Date: Mar 2005** 12-10-2006, 7:03 AM

Well I HEARD that Malibus drive better backwards because the WEDGE has more downforce in reverse. I HEARD the Correct Craft drives better the the right because the motor rotates to the left.

Dan. Take you boat back to the dealer, or better yet set an appointment to get your boat looked at while you are there. Have him explain the hydraulic steering to you and how to check and fill the system up. Normally in he X-Star you get more turns approx 3/4 out of your steering wheel vs. the standard steering cable. The steering system on your boat is just another step that MC has taken in its saltwater series build process to insure that you boat lasts a very very long time. I HEARD that...Sorry, I do not see any other boat companies that produce a salt water series product adding hydraulic steering...do you?

r3612 12-10-2006, 7:28 AM

TK

Don't be hatin" Just cuz good ol MC has some probs...Just giving the facts. We were told of several boats that were chine locking in 04 straight from MC. I say I heard because we were unable to contact the people nor do we know the people. Just word of mouth. The 04 X-star was a hard sell due to the fact it straight up drove like a tanker not and inboard. I understand the owner goggles it ok. Gotta defend the product.

Funny I bet you've owned every boat and have experienced every problem so you never have heard of any issues associated with other boats. Also never read any of the problems posted on here. Just experienced every problem in every boat yourself.

I love retarded people. They are always entertaining :-)

(wake_upppp) · (wake_upppp) **Join Date: Nov 2003** 12-10-2006, 8:53 AM

I'm sure there is a perfect explanation for these MC steering problems. Billy???

(snyper1d) · (snyper1d) **Join Date: Mar 2005** 12-10-2006, 9:02 AM

As for the first post in this message, if you have hydraulic steering there should be no movement of the boat off of where you set the wheel. Sounds like a bad seal somewhere or something is loose in the ram.

The early x-stars had horrible handling, but the new rudder shape is a huge improvement over the old style rudder.

(timmy) · (timmy) **Join Date: Jul 2001** 12-10-2006, 9:27 AM

MC couldn't possibly have a problem, it must be user error!

(swab791) · (swab791) **Join Date: Mar 2005** 12-10-2006, 10:13 AM

KJ, QUOTE
"I love retarded people. They are always entertaining "

You must really be IN LOVE with yourself

(krbaugh) · (krbaugh) **Join Date: Mar 2002** 12-10-2006, 10:43 AM

The problem with most of this stuff is it is aways he said she said stuff! The problem that was origially described sounds like a leaking hydraulic helm. I have experienced the same thing on Outboard MasterCrafts the hydraulic steering is baisccly the same thing.

The Chine lock and steering problems always seems to be abuddy saw one flip or a friend of a friend had one that chine locked??? I have no idea what is true because I have never talked to that "friend" or been in a production MasterCraft that did any of those things.

This just seems like something that the competition grags onto and runs with....One thing is for sure this stuff is nothing new!

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.sport.waterski/browse_frm/thread/d35f79f59a722dca/212c99e66ee4688d?lnk=st&q=mastercraft+fail+the+boa t+test&rnum=2#212c99e66ee4688d

r3612 12-10-2006, 2:24 PM

Most definately..If you can't love yourself you have problems.

Chine lock is def a hard issue to entertain purely because of it's nature. Most people really have no clue what it is......they think that when the boat sucks air or does the hesitation trying to grab the water it is startingto chine lock. It's just rare and without being there y ou have to take one's word for it not knowing what really happened.

(curtisco24) · (curtisco24) **Join Date: Dec 2005** 12-10-2006, 5:27 PM

Should stuff like this be happening on an 80k boat? if I were to pay for an 80k boat, it better not tear up for at least 10 years. It seems to me since mc likes to charge so much that they should see to it (quality control) that things like this don't happen. If things like this happen to mc, then what are you paying for?

(swab791) · (swab791) **Join Date: Mar 2005** 12-10-2006, 6:38 PM

Matt

TELEFLEX makes the steering system that MC uses for saltwater use.
Same company that makes the steering system in your BU.

r3612 12-10-2006, 9:08 PM

So why doesn't the Bu have the same steering issues? HMMMMMMMM

Must be more of a design flaw on MC's part! Try again to pass the buck....I love it.

I personally think they were in such a hurry to show off thier flagship that they rushed production and cut alot of corners on the early X-stars. Not as much R&D went it to it as in the past purely due to the market. The boat though throwing a great wake was just not a great showing of how MC's great past and name became. It just had more aof a runabout interior feel an alot of plastic and open fiberglass. Can't fault them in a way....but def hurt their reputation for sure. But they have obviously turned that around with the additions and fixins to the current year models.

(swab791) · (swab791) **Join Date: Mar 2005** 12-11-2006, 7:46 AM

KJ

You are making a FOOL of yourself. No one passed the buck. MC does not make the steering system in the X-Star. The stand behind it and will warranty the problem. How do you know it is not a bad seal in the Teleflex system? I appreaciate your effort to talk down MC but you are only digging yourself into a hole. By the way hows that PLASTIC dash in your Centurian holding up. OR those guages that no one can get ahold of?

(krbaugh) · (krbaugh) **Join Date: Mar 2002** 12-11-2006, 8:54 AM

Ok now lets not all make fools of our self’s!
What do you thin the dash in a MasterCraft is made of unubtainiam? Most of the http://www.faria-instruments.com/index-new.html gauges are lifetime warranty and are no harder to get a hold of than the TELEFLEX helm in the MasterCraft

(roughrivermike)

Actually Kevin, much of the dash on an XSTAR is carbon fiber and aluminum.

(meathead65) · (meathead65) **Join Date: Sep 2006** 12-11-2006, 9:25 AM

Wow, Kevin....throwing out the old rec.sport.waterski link!! Those were some debates back then!! What ever became of old Mark K? Last I remember, he got divorced and re-married and had some huge change of personality that led him to argue less.....but it's been a while....

r3612 12-11-2006, 10:31 AM

HAHAHAHAH I don't know I have a billet dash in my Centurion

So it has just as must platic as an MC HAHAHAA......Gauges are def easy to come by....Faria is a great company when it comes to warranty and guages. LIFETIME WARRANTY! Maybe they just wont sell to MC customers

And for the record never once did I say MC was a bad company.....I am actually looking at getting into an 07 X1 Wouldn't be doing that if I thought they were crap. Everytime a gauge or something breaks or steering cable or ballast pump breaks everyone always wants to give the company a pass and say well it's actuall Tleflex's problem.....or it an Indmar problem..........That's just plain BS. Not saying MC does this, but what if a company just skimped out on gauges, ,connections and used cheaper cable, or they use a guage that has had problems in the past....does that make it ok because it not directly from MC? HELL NO! it's in their boats so they are just as responsible.

Case in point Centurions pilot one gauge...Notorious for failing and going haywire. Does that mean Centuriuon should just chalk it up.....Does Centurion get a free pass? HEll no it's a product that is in their boat and a product that should work correctly or they should get rid of it (which they did). In my eyes the boat company is just as responsible as the the component company. Especially when it is a common problem among several boats

(Message edited by r3612 on December 11, 2006)

(woreout) · (woreout) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 12-11-2006, 11:30 AM

Thats what I say, if a product doesnt hold up the Mfg needs to come down hard on the supplier. The Mfg has more pull than any one customer ever will. MC doesnt farm out options to aftermarket companies like a few other Mfgs do. MC puts all the Bling on at the factory ie; (biminis, tower lights/speakers, trailers etc). If you do have a problem, you deal with a MC dealer, the company that sold you your boat, no passing the buck.

(curtisco24) · (curtisco24) **Join Date: Dec 2005** 12-11-2006, 12:04 PM

Anybody ever read the warranty information on Mastercraft? It is very interesting when compared to other builders.

(woreout) · (woreout) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 12-11-2006, 12:40 PM

matt, Tell us more, in what way do you mean?

(curtisco24) · (curtisco24) **Join Date: Dec 2005** 12-11-2006, 1:41 PM

I mean Mastercraft claims no responsibility for alot of things in their boats, as in gelcoat is not covered under warranty or if pink spots appear in your seats (some mysterious bacteria that seems only to appear in Mastercraft seats) Mastercraft will not warranty those seats. I can go on with plenty more examples. Oh yea, the gelcoat issue is up to the factory, good luck with that one.

(woreout) · (woreout) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 12-11-2006, 1:47 PM

How is gelcoat not covered? I have seen MC fix Gelcoat issues before under warranty. I think if you leave your boat in the water for very long periods of time and you get blistering, thats not covered. If you complained enough, I bet they would fix that as well. matt have you read every Mfgs warranty? Or is MC the only one you want to interpret in a negative way?

(Message edited by woreout on December 11, 2006)

(curtisco24) · (curtisco24) **Join Date: Dec 2005** 12-11-2006, 2:07 PM

Just Malibu, Supra, and Mastercraft. If you have read the warranty, which I'm sure you have, you will notice several clauses that excuse Mastercraft from responsibility on most items mentioned. That sheds a pretty negative light on things doesn't it? Oh yea, the other two books do not read anything like the Mastercraft manual. To me, it seems as if they want to make sure the customer is pleased with their product and do what they can to make it right, not provide you with an out of sight warranty on a very expensive purchase.

(woreout) · (woreout) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 12-11-2006, 2:21 PM

So does that mean Bu and Supra cover everything no acceptions what so ever? I know a few of my friends have Malibus that wont stop leaking and Mailbu wont fix it either. I am sure your right about MC though, in fact I am going to lite mine on fire tonight and then, go punch Zane in the mouth. Thanks for enlightening me matt.

(swab791) · (swab791) **Join Date: Mar 2005** 12-11-2006, 3:05 PM

Billy,
You are going to punch Zane in the mouth? Get his autograph first. Then punch him in the stomach for me because his does such a bad
job representing the MC product line.

By the way...FACT COMING ON, NOT A RUMOR OR "I HEARD THAT"...had a BU on my lake this past weekend loose the bottom wing there wedge in the middle of the lake. (2006 V RIDE) THAT IS RIGHT THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE. Did not hit anything. Please note the local dealer just added it to the pile of 20 or so. Hope BU covers that under warranty. The driver could not figure out why the boat wanted to pull the the left.

Matt...let me enlighten you a little. GELCOAT is a permiable surface. It allows water to flow through it. No matter what boat you own. Centurain has had all kinds of problems in 2006 with those flames coming apart on there boats. FIXED under warranty yes...

MasterCraft is just covering there ass as not to allow stupidity to be covered.

(krbaugh) · (krbaugh) **Join Date: Mar 2002** 12-11-2006, 4:06 PM

meathead

Yeah we had some great Threads going back in the day many like this one

Take out huge wake and replace it with small wake and it almost the same stuff

Mark lost interest in skiing around the same time as his divorce last I heard he was bike riding a lot. Rec got so bad it was Just Tom R arguing with himself

(Message edited by krbaugh on December 11, 2006)

(tdc_worm) · (tdc_worm) **Join Date: Sep 2002** 12-11-2006, 4:24 PM

speaking of enlightening... you need a class in grammar and spelling! who would take anything written/spoken by somebody that communicates like a 5th grader seriously!

(curtisco24) · (curtisco24) **Join Date: Dec 2005** 12-11-2006, 6:04 PM

There are some exceptions to Malibu and Supra, just not near as many. Not trying to argue here guys, just stating what I have seen and read.

(wake_upppp) · (wake_upppp) **Join Date: Nov 2003** 12-11-2006, 6:10 PM

I recall looking at several MC's on the lot that already had gelcoat stress cracks around the tower mounts and hadn't even been sold yet. I've heard this is sorta common with MC? Maybe this is why they don't cover gelcoat because of the stress the tower creates? Myself, I'd have a hard time taking delivery of my new boat with ANY stress cracks, no matter how small.