what to look for in used 170 bass

[NCangler]

I would make sure that the lift it has been on has the same bunk configuration as the factory specified trailer bunks. The Triumph hull must be supported when out of the water per the factory bunk specifications. Good luck with the purchase.

[Troll]

Orteneau,

The suggestion that the lift which has held this 170 bass conform to the bunk specifications of the trailer is very good advise. You need to personally compare the two side by side. If the transom was not properly supported by the lift, there will be warping of the rear of the bottom of the hull and the boat will never perform correctly. The hot summers in Florida will probably make the warping problem worse.

If you do purchase this boat, be sure and have the wheel bearings re-packed on the trailer. Also check the tires for checking. Tires have a built in UV shield. Since it is built in, the tire has to be run to keep the UV shield active. This is why a trailer tire that is not run will get check marks much faster than a tire on a car or other behicle that is run frequently.

In central California I fish Shaver the most with Pine Flat second and Milerton third, although I have taken it to other lakes within 100 miles or so.

Troll

[orteneau]

I took the boat for a water test today with a couple of friends.

The pros: I really liked the way it handled with the 50hp motor. We even had 4 guys on the boat at first. I wanted to see how it would perform with a bunch of people on board. It took a little while to plane but it made it. When we had two people it planed quickly. I really like how open the deck plan is.

The cons (concerns): The idle may be a little low. (this is what the owner thinks) It was stalling when we put the boat into reverse when we were docking. Upon restarting it took a little bit to stay running. Also on the first few accelerations the engine seemed to bog down before kicking in. Their explanation is that it has been sitting. When I spoke to the mechanic that did the 100hr service, he said everything looked great and the compression was good. I'm going to talk with him to validate some of the engine quircks. The engine did seem to run better when it was running for a little bit.

When just the owner and I went out, he was driving, he said that when you let go of the steering wheel while moving along, it will veer to the right. I was sitting beside him and I figured that the weight should have been somewhat evenly distributed. There was no feedback from the steering wheel that suggested it was pulling, it just did when you let go. Is this a common occurance with a side console? The skeg on the lower unit has been damaged. It is slightly out of true, I'm not sure how much this is actually would effect the veering. Also, the owner, made note of a zinc anode that has a bit of a 'keel'. This was slightly not in alignment. He said this can be turned to straighten the boat. Is this something that is true?

I didn't get to test the trolling motor, it was at the mom's house. Went to see it later. It is a 46lb Motorguide with a foot control.

All in all, I like the boat, it looks a little rough from sitting out all the time, but it can handle it. My main concern is the motor and the steering. They are asking $4900. I want to talk with the mechanic and hope to hear from some of you all again. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Any ideas on the worth would also be welcome.

Thanks again, Jerry

[jack7265]

The engine trim tab will affect your steering. A tab that is worn or incorrectly adjusted will give you problems, but an engine trim tab is not that expensive and is easily adjusted. That should take care of the steering problem.

I had a Minn Kota Power Drive 50# thrust on the Triumph 150CC that I had, and it was more than sufficient. A 46# thrust on the 170 should be alright.

A 50 HP engine on a 170 will work, but in my opinion, you should have at least a 70 HP two stroke, or better yet, a 75 HP four stroke. I had a 50 HP on my 150CC, which worked okay, but it had problems getting on plane with two people sitting on the console seat. It may be possible that if I had changed the 15" pitch to a 13" pitch, it would have solved the problem. But instead, I put a 70 HP two stroke on it, which is above the 60 HP rating for the boat, but it gave me the performance that I was looking for.

Pricewise, the asking price of 4,900 is not too bad, but I would try to get it at 4,500. Then again, you need to take into account the costs necessary to get the boat in safe running condition.

You will not be disappointed with a Triumph Boat. I have a 2003 Triumph 190 Bay, and had to make a few modifications to get the boat where I wanted it, but from what I've read in some of the threads on this web site, probably a few of the modifications that I made wouldn't have been necessary with a newer model.

Good luck.

[fridaysoff]

Jerry,
I would be concerned with the bent skeg??? What did he hit with it? The motor running rough could be old gas or it could have some water in it. I hope it has a separate fuel/water separator filter on it. The zinc anode can be turned to take the pull out of the torque that the engine puts on the steering unless the steering pulls because of the skeg damage. I would check the oil in the lower unit to make sure it is good and not milky white which means water has gotten past the seals. Not Good!! Good luck with your decision.
John D.

[orteneau]

I'm not sure what he hit with it to damage the skeg.

The engine did just have the 100hr service with oil change, water pump, new plugs. Would the oil change color after a short run? Would the compression check show leaking seals? The gas was exchanged with new gas at the service about a month ago.

[jack7265]

I missed the part about the bent skeg. I don't think an engine trim tab would compensate for the effects of a bent skeg. Like fridaysoff mentioned, a boat sitting up that long could have problems with bad gas or possibly some built up deposits in the passage ways. It's possible running the engine with some gas treatment would take car of the engine performance. When I first got my 190 Bay, the engine seemed to bog down occasionally when at full throttle, but after running it a few hours it cleared up.

[jack7265]

As long as the engine oil is only slightly darker than new oil, it should be alright. For checking the lower unit oil, I would pull the bottom drain plug and make sure that you didn't have any water or milky looking color to it.

As long as the compression is close in all cylinders, the cylinder rings should be okay. I'm not sure what the compression is for a Honda 50 four stroke, but for a Yamaha 50 four stroke, the compression is 139.2 psi.

Even though the gas was changed, you could still have some built up varnish deposits if the engine hadn't been run for a while.

[orteneau]

I've done some (very) basic research and realize that the compression check is not even near the lower unit oil and possible damage to the seals with the skeg damage. I will look into the damage and oil condition. I'm new to this but things are getting clearer every post. Thanks

[Troll]

Could the pull to the right be from a warped hull? I know that the boat was in a sling and if there is a bowing of the rear of the hull where the transom connects, this could cause lots of different problems. Take a good look at this part of the hull while it is out of the water.

As far as price, I paid $11,000 for a new 2002 170 bass in November of 2002 (The 2003 models had just come out). That was 5 years ago and I got a Suzuki 4S 70 Hp motor as opposed to a 50 hp. I know that used Triumphs are hard to find, but this one may have some serious problems and if you have to replace the lower end of the motor you will be out several thousand dollars. If your hull is bowed, there is no repair short of a new hull. I would offer a low ball price before I took the chances on the boat you are looking at.

Troll