Chatt_Jetsetter
Jet Boat Addict
- Messages
- 176
- Reaction score
- 259
- Points
- 112
- Boat Make
- Chaparral
- Year
- 2020
- Boat Model
- VRX
- Boat Length
- 20
Edit: Note, you might not have this issue at all. There is a bushing in the factory jet nozzle that determines if the nozzle points slightly down or sits more level. If the lower bracket for the Thrust Vector won't reach the hole on the bottom of the jet nozzle, you need to flip the bushing...read on:
I just put a thrust vector from @JetBoatPilot on our 2020 Vortex 203. I ran into an issue so I thought I'd mention it here. On the Vortex models the lower bracket for the Thrust Vector might not reach the lower hole on the jet nozzle. This is due to a plastic bushing that needs to be flipped around inside the jet nozzle. To make things a bit more difficult, the hole on the nozzle is hard to access because of the plate that extends just underneath the jet nozzle. The Vortex has a heat exchanger/grate that covers that whole section, and it only gives a couple inches clearance for the lower bolt on the nozzle to drop out.
First, don't use a closed end wrench when removing that lower bolt. Once you take the jet nozzle off (just remove the top bolt and bottom bolt) you'll see the bushing (it's oval shaped) in the bottom of the nozzle. It has a circular bolt hole, and a small half moon shaped hole. The circular hole of the bushing needs to be closest to the back of the boat before you re-install. The picture below shows the bottom bracket of the thrust vector not quite reaching the bolt hole, as the oval bushing is in the factory position. Just flip the bushing around so the circular hole is closest to you.
Once you have the bushing flipped around and are re-installing, getting that lower bolt back in is a real pain. It has a washer and a sleeve that get in the way of holding it in place while you try to screw it back in. It took me about 15 minutes just to get it lined up and started, and then I was able to put the wrench back on it and I was home free. You could remove that bottom plate to make life easier, but I hate removing things if I can avoid it.
Will @JetBoatPilot was very helpful when I was having installation issues and is the one that let me know about this bushing. I feel like the Vortex already had pretty good low speed steering, but the thrust vector still tightened up the low speed handling and it corrects very quickly. It does not solve the issue in Neutral where the boat will just wander if you don't have your hands on the steering wheel, but definitely any movement when the gear is in Forward or Reverse.
I just put a thrust vector from @JetBoatPilot on our 2020 Vortex 203. I ran into an issue so I thought I'd mention it here. On the Vortex models the lower bracket for the Thrust Vector might not reach the lower hole on the jet nozzle. This is due to a plastic bushing that needs to be flipped around inside the jet nozzle. To make things a bit more difficult, the hole on the nozzle is hard to access because of the plate that extends just underneath the jet nozzle. The Vortex has a heat exchanger/grate that covers that whole section, and it only gives a couple inches clearance for the lower bolt on the nozzle to drop out.
First, don't use a closed end wrench when removing that lower bolt. Once you take the jet nozzle off (just remove the top bolt and bottom bolt) you'll see the bushing (it's oval shaped) in the bottom of the nozzle. It has a circular bolt hole, and a small half moon shaped hole. The circular hole of the bushing needs to be closest to the back of the boat before you re-install. The picture below shows the bottom bracket of the thrust vector not quite reaching the bolt hole, as the oval bushing is in the factory position. Just flip the bushing around so the circular hole is closest to you.
Once you have the bushing flipped around and are re-installing, getting that lower bolt back in is a real pain. It has a washer and a sleeve that get in the way of holding it in place while you try to screw it back in. It took me about 15 minutes just to get it lined up and started, and then I was able to put the wrench back on it and I was home free. You could remove that bottom plate to make life easier, but I hate removing things if I can avoid it.
Will @JetBoatPilot was very helpful when I was having installation issues and is the one that let me know about this bushing. I feel like the Vortex already had pretty good low speed steering, but the thrust vector still tightened up the low speed handling and it corrects very quickly. It does not solve the issue in Neutral where the boat will just wander if you don't have your hands on the steering wheel, but definitely any movement when the gear is in Forward or Reverse.
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