2005 Ranger Z20 Performance

TOPWATER · Post by **TOPWATER** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 10:22 am

I have a 2005 Ranger Z20 with a Yamaha 225 HPDI
before I put a 10" Jack Plate on it I running max 5300 RPMS and max speed was 64.9 mpg GPS.

I was told that by putting a 10" Jack Plate that my RPMS should be at least 5800-6000 RPM's and I should get between 73-78 mph GPS. So I had it installed but now i am only getting 5000 RPMS and my top speed is 62.7 MPG GPS. The dealership tells me that they have to fine tune it but still told me that my max RPMS will only be 5500 and top speed will only be around 67 mph GPS.

I would like some feed back on what other 2005 Z20 225HP HPDI owners are gettting as performance with a 10" Jack Plate all suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

thanks,
Tim

gt5bass · Post by **gt5bass** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 10:37 am

I don't own a Z20 or a Yamaha (I run lead sled 521 barge with a Ficht 225HO that when properly tuned and loaded will do low 70's GPS'd.) Adding a jack plate can enhance your performance but is not a fix all. The Jack Plate, Motor Height, Prop, Boat Loading (weight balancing)...all these will have an affect on your boats performance and will need to be addressed to get the maximum performance.

BTW...I haven't heard of too many mid-to-upper-70's Ranger Z20's. So you may be chasing a ghost. The newer Rangers are not known for fast hulls (except maybe the Z19).

Good luck is yer need fer speed!

TOPWATER · Post by **TOPWATER** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 10:42 am

thank you for your comments. I've done is based on feed back from Yamaha, Ranger and the dealership...I wonder if they say whatever just to tickle my ears so I spend more $$$.

tight lines

tim

bigbass111 · Post by **bigbass111** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 11:13 am

Your problem is the prop not the jackplate. Your probably running a 26-27pitch 3 blade correct. If your turning 5000 on a 5750 motor you need to drop 2 pitch sizes in a 3 blade or 1 pitch size in 4 blade. Your rpms will definatly go higher and with a 225 on a Z20 will only be around 64-66 w/load 66/69 with light load. PSI is a big tool you want 16-20 psi jacked and trimmed. This PSI range with 5500 RPM's + will = your top speed.

Justin

Bill Cook · Post by **Bill Cook** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 11:48 am

I have an '05 Z20 with a 225 E-Tec and a Bob's 10" hydraulic plate. My best speed has been 71 mph. I am turning a 26" Raker. I only run in the mid 5,000's for RPMs. I have a friend with the same boat and a Merc 225 XS who runs around 73 mph and 6,000 rpms. He turns a 25" prop. The problem sounds to me like a combination of plate height and prop size. When I take the plate up too high, I gain rpm's and lose speed. I think I would run better with a 25" prop (I have one, but have not tried it yet.). You have to find the sweet spot on your plate height.

Good luck,
Bill

MIKE VAN WAGNER · Post by **MIKE VAN WAGNER** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 7:13 am

Tim

Go to Bass Boat Central and you will see on the Ranger page that most all those boats run in the mid to upper 60 to very low 70.
No one is trying to just get your money !

Mike

Ricky-S · Post by **Ricky-S** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 8:56 am

Speed is a funny thing. There are several variables that can make a boat fast or slow.

You can take two of the same boats and get different speeds. My Z20 was rigged with a 225 Merc Pro XS and depending on sea level, I would run from 68-73 mph (loaded) depending on which body of water I was on.

I am running a 10 inch Bob's Hydro plate and a custom 25 pitch Tempest prop worked by Rich Boger out of Texas. let me warn you that I paid $500 for a prop that yields about 2-3 mph over a stock prop but to me it was a good investment.

A jackplate and custom prop will always allow for the best overall performance on any bass boat. A boat is going to run 2-4 mph faster on the CA Delta verses Folsom or Oroville because of elevation.

The driver also makes a huge difference as some people have more seat time than others. Driving a boat is about feel and understanding how the prop, jackplate, weight and water conditions effect performance.

There is no question that the boys at C and C know their stuff.

I spend a lot of time trying to get every ounce of performance out of my Rangers and there are some tricks to the trade and a lot of it is about feel and not easily explained.

If you want to talk to a good prop guy try visiting this website www.bogerprops.com or www.bassboatcentral.com

Good luck!

Colebass · Post by **Colebass** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 2:04 pm

Having ridden in a few Z20's. they are not that fast. And you might need to make some fine adjustments to et the best speed out of this boat.

The adjustments could include height on the jack plate, what jack plate you purchased and prop size to name a few.

Where do you live? What dealer are you using?

JT-Madera · Post by **JT-Madera** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 2:40 pm

Remember>>>>> Ricky-S only weighs about 110lbs...so if you weigh more than that your speed will drop fast....

Just making a joke Ricky so don't get angry.....

JT

rmbumpus · Post by **rmbumpus** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 4:42 pm

I have the same Motor on a Triton. The computer shuts me down if I go over 5500 rmp.

FRANK D. LOZANO · Post by **FRANK D. LOZANO** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 7:37 pm

Hey TopWater,

All the guys are correct, rework the prop, find the sweet spot on your motor height and you can squeak out some MPH.

If you really want to go fast, this is what you do.

Send us your prop.

WELL PUT IT ON A LEGEND AND YOUâ€™LL GET 10 MPH RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX.

Ok guys, open the floodgates......

Frank

MrSkeeter · Post by **MrSkeeter** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 6:44 am

TopWater,

The thing that the jackplate will do for you is to allow you to fine-tune (adjust) the motor height. But ratcheting it up or down, you can get more RPMs out of your motor.

It sounds to me like your motor is perhaps too low if you're not getting the RPM's that you should. If the motor is too low, it adds that much more drag and you are lugging it ... not the best thing to do on your motor.

Read your manual and see what the min water pressure you should have for your motor. Then start my measuring your motor height. Put a straight edge to the bottom of your pad to the motor. Measure that point to the center point of your shaft. Note that number. Now raise your motor by a 1/4" ... run your motor and note the RPM AND water pressure. Repeat till your water pressure begins to drop. Then LOWER the motor by a 1/4" and your at the sweat spot of your motor height and should give you the best speed for your boat/prop setup.

Also the prop that you use will affect your boats performance. The prop is like the tires cars on your ... if you want speed, you'd be driving slicks on a track. If you want handling in the rain, you want to drive something else. This is very similar to the prop ... different props have different handling/speed characteristics. Some offer more bow lift (like the Tempest) and others get your transum out more (Trophy's) ...

Once you have your motor/RPM's straighten out, then you can play with the prop. You may have to adjust the motor height again with the different prop to get the best performance out of that setup.

BTW, in reading the BBC Ranger owners page, there no Z20's listed with HDPI motor. But others are running a 26" Raker or a 25" Tempest. Don't know what you're running on your HDPI, but perhaps try a 25" tempest or a 25" Yamaha M-25 ... you'll have to play with the pitch a bit to see which one works for you.

Hope this helps ... good luck!

Hipster · Post by **Hipster** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 4:34 pm

Terry Smith · Post by **Terry Smith** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 9:25 am

Hey Frank if you would realy like to go faster and A better ride try A BassCat Cougar or Puma HE HE HE

I had to jump into the tread sorry Topwater

Guy Kelley · Post by **Guy Kelley** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 8:09 pm

Don't know about the other guys, but speed is a relative thing, how fast do you want to get there vs how fast can you safely operate your boat in various conditions and situations relative to your ability to operate your boat

As a AM in lots of different situations and conditions with many types of boats and drivers, there have been times when there was no safe speed period. It was get me out of here

Due to the lack of common good sense an skill on the boat drivers part.

And there have been times when I was on Clear Lake in a Z21 going WOT with the guy talking on a cell phone, I felt like we were on a Sunday drive. cause he new what the heck he was doing.

To go more than 5 mph than what you can already do and what the boat is designed to do is highly specialized and expensive. but keep it up C & C will be happy to take more of your money.

I can get 64, gps out my Ranger 394 with a 200hp Merc efi on Clear Lake fully loaded with a 24 pitch tempest prop and a 6" jack plate Same on the Delta and Shasta. Then I go back to 50 to 55 for the gas mileage and to keep the engine happy

that's its sweet spot about 4500 rpm at she just hummms

macinckirk · Post by **macinckirk** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:10 am

TOPWATER wrote:I have a 2005 Ranger Z20 with a Yamaha 225 HPDI
before I put a 10" Jack Plate on it I running max 5300 RPMS and max speed was 64.9 mpg GPS.

I was told that by putting a 10" Jack Plate that my RPMS should be at least 5800-6000 RPM's and I should get between 73-78 mph GPS. So I had it installed but now i am only getting 5000 RPMS and my top speed is 62.7 MPG GPS. The dealership tells me that they have to fine tune it but still told me that my max RPMS will only be 5500 and top speed will only be around 67 mph GPS.

I would like some feed back on what other 2005 Z20 225HP HPDI owners are gettting as performance with a 10" Jack Plate all suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

thanks,
Tim

Tim the 1st thing anyone that you ask about this is going to ask you what is your prop to pad height??

Then there going to ask what prop are you running??? I would think you are running a 27M if its the prop that came on the yammie

To me it sounds like your going to need to get you pad to prop height in the3" - 3.5" range to start and then start going UP maybe down on your JP by 1/4" at a time till you start gaining RPM's but not lossing speed at WOT and trimed out,

When you start see your RPM's going up but the speed starts going down then your pass the sweet spot for that Prop and you need to come down 1/4- 1/2" on the JP and you should be there

Your going to see your best speed when you R Tail is just about at the hieght of the top of your motor when trim out. Also when you start lossing water PSI you Know your going in the right Dir. with the JP. DO NOT GO UNDER 13-15PSI running WOT with the Yammie when Trimed out. If your under 13-15 psi then you will need to rasie the JP up the 1/4 - 1/2"

I would also say Your GOING to need to Go down to a 25M prop or something like a TXP Prop also, but I do know for sure that I WOULD HAVE THAT PROP YOU HAVE B&B by Mark Croxton in Indaina and that will also help get you 2-3 mph for about $225.00 or so

and if you do buy a diff prop I would Send it to Mark right away and have it B&B No prop is right when it comes right out of the box

If I was you I would get some real info/#'s of water psi @ wot, rpm's @ with gps speed at wot, Prop height to Pad and go onto the BBC froum and ask then to help you set this up

For Setup
http://bbcboards.zeroforum.com/zeroforum?id=11

For Prop Info
http://bbcboards.zeroforum.com/zeroforum?id=14

you may have to spend a day playing around with what you have and then if you get your prop B&B a few more hrs and if you go down a few picths on the prop then you will have to start over with the JP but it will be Well worth it in the end!!

Just remenber there is no Quick Fix to getting speed out of a boat you have to PUT the TIME and Money IN to have a Fast Ride