Reverse Buckets Question

[JPass]

So I saw in another post a question about the size of the wake and it appeared there was a question about the reverse buckets being too low. So I decided to check mine out this weekend and my wake appears to have a rather large rooster tail coming up. So when I got home I checked the reverse buckets and noticed there's quite a bit of vertical play in the buckets and that when looking dead on to the nozzles, the buckets obstruct the top 30% of the nozzles.

Do I need to adjust them so there is no vertical play? See the video for what's actually going on:

[video=youtube;kUblaCQyOWk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUblaCQyOWk[/video]

 

[ID62]

For sure, they aren’t fully open and I would adjust them until the nozzles can operate properly. I guess now you blow 15-20% into your buckets. A little bit play is OK but your buckets are covering the nozzles slightly.
My kids forgot once the swim ladder and we had a 5 m high water fountain behind the boat. :facepalm:

 

[Coastiejoe]

Yep,, if there is room left to adjust them, do so...

 

[beerdart]

It should be adjusted so the locking paw engages to lock.

 

[xintersecty]

Yeah, that's a bad setup. Mine go up all the way

 

[JPass]

I see there's the adjuster at the rear of the cable where it mounts to the bracket. I'll see how much I can raise it with that adjuster. Not sure if there's another adjustment up at the throttle lever.

 

[JPass]

It should be adjusted so the locking paw engages to lock.

Isn't the locking arm catching properly in the video? Seems to move the arm up when I raise the buckets.

 

[beerdart]

Isn't the locking arm catching properly in the video? Seems to move the arm up when I raise the buckets.

No it will latch in place when fully raised.

 

[Asecilop]

Was the video of when it was in forward position or neutral? In neutral it is supposed to block about half the nozzle

 

[JPass]

Was the video of when it was in forward position or neutral? In neutral it is supposed to block about half the nozzle

Neutral.

So now this makes me ask the next question:

There is some "neutral feel" to the throttle just off of neutral (weather pushing it forward or reverse), then you feel the throttle "resist" a little once the lever is pushed past this point. I am assuming that once past this "neutral" position is when the buckets should move up when pushing the throttle forward. Is this correct?

None of my previous ski had reverse, so this is all new to me. Sorry for my ignorance.

 

[xintersecty]

On my setup. In neutral, the throttle goes up by so much. It's about about 1000 RPM more than idle. On reverse I can get about 3K more. Forward, it's game on.

 

[JPass]

On my setup. In neutral, the throttle goes up by so much. It's about about 1000 RPM more than idle. On reverse I can get about 3K more. Forward, it's game on.

Neutral on our boat is when the throttle lever is in the locked position and idle is 1800 rpms. You then push the lever release button and the throttle lever will forward or back with very little resistance for the first few degrees of movement, after that you can feel more resistance which I am assuming is moving the bucket linkage at that point.

I never really gave it much thought, but need to look into it a little more later today or tomorrow. I'm assuming you have the two lever set-up and not single.

 

[Asecilop]

In neutral the bucket covers half the nozzle to give someone of equal forward and reverse thrust since there is always some water pumping when the engine is on. There is a tension screw that causes the gear shift to stop in neutral and thus there is a little force needed to move from neutral to forward or reverse. In forward the bucket locks up and out of the way. In reverse it covers the entire nozzle to redirect water backwards.

 

[JPass]

When the throttle lever is in neutral, our boat still creeps forward. It creeps at an extremely slow speed, but it does not stay still.

 

[beerdart]

Latch

Neurral

Forward.

 

[JPass]

Thanks for the pics. It's raining out right now, so I can't climb under the cover to take pics of our set-up (in forward, neutral, and revers), but it appears our bucket might actually be sitting too high in neutral as she creeps forward when I first fire up the motors.

Here's what they look like as dead on as I could get yesterday when I took the video.

 

[Asecilop]

That looks about right jpass. My boat has the single engine but same setup. It moves forwards in neutral....slowly, but it moves.

 

[pvamax]

They all move forward in "neutral" a bit. Iirc when/if you try to adjust the cable to get rid of any forward movement, the bucket blocks the pump outlet too much when in Forward.

 

[xintersecty]

That looks about right jpass. My boat has the single engine but same setup. It moves forwards in neutral....slowly, but it moves.

Mine moves forward slowly too. Great for docking into a bay.

 

[JPass]

Took her out today. I think I'm good to go. Here are some pics of what's going which appears to perfect:

Reverse engaged:


Forward:


Lock engaged:

 

[FarmerSid]

Wanna bring this back up JPass. Where did you adjust the cable to correct the bucket? Would it be the same on a 2011 180 SE?

 

[JPass]

Wanna bring this back up JPass. Where did you adjust the cable to correct the bucket? Would it be the same on a 2011 180 SE?

I didn't need to adjust anything as everything appeared to be working as it should. Once I moved the shifter/throttle, the buckets cleared the pumps and jet.

If I were to adjust them, I would have started at the rear cable as that is the easiest to access. I believe it would be the same on your boat.

Are you having an issue with your bucket/s?

 

[FarmerSid]

Not sure if I'm having problems with my bucket or not. With the shift lever in forward as far as it will go, the bucket is not up all the way. I can lift it up a bit then it clicks and locks. Before I lift it a bit and it locks, the bucket doesn't cover the jet. It pretty much lines up with the top of the jet. I was hoping that it did cover the jet a bit as that would make it obvious why I'm having driveability issues. Doesn't appear to have cable adjustment at the bucket.

 

[JPass]

Doesn't appear to have cable adjustment at the bucket.

3rd pic in post 20 shows threads where the cotter pin locks down the reverse cable. I believe this will afford you some adjustment if you need it.

 

[Asecilop]

I have an 07 challenger 180. Mine did same thing as FarmerSid's. I was able to adjust it under the throttle /directional shifter levers in drivers area. I removed the cover and shift unit. Underneath I found the cable attached to lever and then made adjustment (the connection allowed for using a wrench to tighten or loosen the cable a bit)