x-85 Speed Wheel

[EricCO]

Should I mount the speed wheel bracket flush with the bottom of the boat or up a little like the transducer?

[AquaMan]

Flush with the last flat edge of your transom. The edge of most transoms is slightly rounded where it meets the bottom and water tends to rise slightly from that point so you can move the speed sensor up 1/32" or 1/64" from the true bottom.

You will notice that the sensor has a slight rise angle as well. It is not a 90 deg angle, more like 80 or 85 deg. At least mine is. This is to help keep it flush with the rising tailwater. If the edges of the wheel housing extend too far below this you will get a rooster tail. This is not so bad except that you are drawing air down onto the wheel and that gives you a bad reading at high speed. Not that these are highly precise to begin with, but you can improve them with proper mounting. Additionally, you want to avoid exposing the housing to catching debris in the water. If the housing extends below that edge, weeds can hook up on that and render it useless or a log can pull it right off.

Be sure to silicon the holes before you put the screws in and you should be good to go.

Enjoy. You need to be on the water soon.


AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

.·´¯° --- "It all begins and ends at the water's edge"

Eric@crowncomputerinc.com

[EricCO]

Actually have been on the water about six or seven times so far this year. Have caught wipers, crappies, trout, perch and even walleyes (dinks). I've had my new boat out twice and even though I only have my main engine it sure is fun. I'm trying to find a deal on a 1998 Merc 9.9 4 stroke LS and my motorguide Excel 82# thrust is being manufactured as we speak. Walleyes - look out, EricCO has a V-Hull!

My speed wheel fell off last weekend. Guess it's not used to going as fast as it can now! LOL.

[AquaMan]

What caused to to fall off? Also be sure to mount it where the water comes off the bottom of your boat flat. Some boats have slight cupping in the bottom before it reaches the transom to help stabilize the boat at higher speeds. You might want to have someone run the boat WOT for you so you can look down the back and see what spot is best with clean flat water. I ran mine closer to the side then the middle because of the keel wash.

Don't fall in though. ;-)

AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~

.·´¯° --- "It all begins and ends at the water's edge"

Eric@crowncomputerinc.com

[EricCO]

The bracket didn't fall off nor the wheel, but when I got it home the pin holding the wheel on didn't have the the little washer thing holding it on anymore. Got the transducer and the speed wheel mounted in a good spot. Never lost bottom with the finder even at wide open throttle in some 1 - 2 footers.

Lowrance is sending me the fix kit to attach the wheel to the mount again.

[Nofish]

Hey Eric,

One overlooked thing about the paddle wheel. When you are trailering your boat, wrap a rubberband around the paddle wheel to keep it from spinning.

On each side of the paddle wheel there is a nylon bushing. Most paddle wheels lay to one side or the other due to the rize angle of the bottom.

When you go terin down the highway, that paddle wheel spins like mad, laying against the bushing on the low side. All the spinning against the bushing creates friction. Friction creates heat.

Before long the bushing will fail and even fall off. Now your paddle wheel will not work well at low speeds as it will not slide effortlessly against the paddle wheel bracket. The nylon bushing is sort of a bearing.

Have fun.....R