www.iFourWinns.com

Hey guys, I hope everybody is off to a great start to the '08 boating season! I have a question for you all. We bought a new Four Winns Horizon 220 this spring and so far, we have been very pleased with it. We have only had it out about 3 or 4 times and it has about 3.5 hours on it now. Anyhow, we went out on it today, and I noticed a vibration in it when I am moving and lowering the lower unit. It is very subtle, but enough that it can be felt. I hadn't noticed it at all until today. It doesn't run any differently and I don't notice the vibration when I am moving, or moving and raising the outdrive at the same time, only when lowering it while we are moving. I put it in neutral and went to the stern of the boat while my wife raised and lowered the outdrive a couple times, and it seems to be working fine and it's not making any unusual noises. As the day went on, it seemed as if it got better, but I wanted to know if anybody has experienced the same thing or if anybody has any ideas about what it could have been. Thanks!

Start by making sure the drive trim fluid reservoir is filled to the right level. Sometimes new boats need to have their fluids topped off after a bit of run time. If it happens to be low, just fill it to the right level; it will purge the air out of the lines on its own.

Regardless of how the trim reservoir is, also check the power steering fluid reservoir!

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

bigblue, what kind of setup do you have? Can you describe that vibration a little better? When you say it does it when you lower it and are "moving" is that at all speeds or just when you are on plane?

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Paul
2007 Four Winns Horizon 220
Mercruiser 350 Mag MPI w/ Bravo III Drive
2004 Ford Explorer Limited (V8-AWD)
Pomme de Terre Lake (Southwest Missouri)

Hey, Pet, good questions. My boat's got the Volvo 5.7L Gi 300hp. The vibration was just kind of like a very mild shaking of the boat, and it seemed to do it regardless of what speed I was going and regardless of whether or not it was on plane. Even if I just tapped down on the trim switch and wasn't holding it down, it would do it. After it had sat for a while and cooled down, it didn't seem to do it as badly, maybe even not at all. With that being said, however, my wife and I definitely both felt it when we first starting riding around. Thanks for your help guys!

Good details. Sorry, I can't help you out on this one. I thought maybe it was just increased drag when lowering the unit back down at planing speeds. I have that going on, but it is just because of drag and it is only the slightest vibration.

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Paul
2007 Four Winns Horizon 220
Mercruiser 350 Mag MPI w/ Bravo III Drive
2004 Ford Explorer Limited (V8-AWD)
Pomme de Terre Lake (Southwest Missouri)

Pet, that sounds like exactly what mine is doing. So maybe it is during planing speeds. I wonder if it is just something regarding the design of the H220?

I get that too in my H190. More in one direction than the other. I think its the down direction under power. I took my dealer for ride and he said It felt normal to him. It doesnt bother me too much but I wish it was smoother....

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Guns kill people like spoons make people fat.
2007 Horizon 190 Gxi
97 Pathfinder SE 4x4
73 International Scout II