adjusting the steering

[TitanTn]

I rebuilt my steering port and adjusted my steering when I reassembled everything. Last year my boat turned a lot sharper to the right than the left. So I adjusted it so the rudder is straight, and I have the same amount of turns from lock to lock. The only problem is the steering wheel is upside down. What's the solution for this?

[TitanTn]

The center cap can be changed around but the design of the wheel and the "spokes" are still upside down.

[Jetlink]

Does your wheel look like mine? Mine is only a little off center and I have thought about getting it closer. Wonder if the "bolt pattern" would allow for that adjustment.

8761

[TitanTn]

Here's my dash. It's similar to yours. The bolt pattern is not adjustable. I pulled the steering wheel last winter and there's a keyway that only allows it to go on one way.

http://unumemarketing.com/boat/dash.jpg

[jet]

Guys I think there is a big nut under your center round piece and you can pull the wheel off straighten the rutter and then push it back on in the position you like. I think. I havnt taken mine off yet. Anybody??

[TitanTn]

Guys I think there is a big nut under your center round piece and you can pull the wheel off straighten the rutter and then push it back on in the position you like. I think. I havnt taken mine off yet. Anybody??

There is a big nut under the cap of the wheel, but you can't put the wheel anywhere you want it. There is a keyway that dictates where the wheel sits on the hub. The adjustment has to come back by the rudder or perhaps there is something you can do with the part behind the dash that I'm not aware of.

[cadunkle]

I believe this should be like a car... You want to get the steering box centered for when the rudder is straight. The wheel should be straight when the gearbox (helm end of cable) is centered. If not, you'll be able to turn the rudder farther one way than the other, so not as sharp turning one way but sharper the other way.

[TitanTn]

I believe this should be like a car... You want to get the steering box centered for when the rudder is straight. The wheel should be straight when the gearbox (helm end of cable) is centered. If not, you'll be able to turn the rudder farther one way than the other, so not as sharp turning one way but sharper the other way.

Yep, that's essentially what I did and now my steering wheel is upside down. I'm going to see what happens at the lake soon, but I'm anticipating that it'll have the same turning radius in both direction. But my steering wheel is upside down! Maybe I'll be surprised and the radius won't be the same.

[sybrmike]

Don't forget the other area for adjustment is where the clamp block attaches to the steering tube on the rudder end of the cable. Turn your wheel lock-to-lock to find the center of travel, then rotate the shortest direction to get the shaft keyway where you need it and lock it down in that position. Then loosen the clamp block & allow the steering tube to move fore & aft as you manually center the rudder. That'll get you a straight wheel and straight rudder, but you may end up with too much differential travel in either direction depending on how far you have to rotate the hub to center the keyway.

If so, you can pull the cable out of the helm (I'm assuming rotary?) and note the orientation of the hub when the cable is free, rotate the hub the desired amount to correct, and reinsert the cable. Could be a trial & error process, but another method. Drape some rags in the area - the helm end is a greasy mess.

Good luck.

[TitanTn]

Don't forget the other area for adjustment is where the clamp block attaches to the steering tube on the rudder end of the cable. Turn your wheel lock-to-lock to find the center of travel, then rotate the shortest direction to get the shaft keyway where you need it and lock it down in that position. Then loosen the clamp block & allow the steering tube to move fore & aft as you manually center the rudder. That'll get you a straight wheel and straight rudder, but you may end up with too much differential travel in either direction depending on how far you have to rotate the hub to center the keyway.

I feel like you're saying something real important here, but I'm not catching on to exactly what you're saying. I had the cable disconnected at the rudder. Turned the wheel lock to lock to find the center, adjusted the jam nuts on what I think you're calling the clamp block, and voila. I think the steering is the same, side to side, but the wheel is upside down. Here's the adjustment part that I think you're calling the clamp block.

http://unumemarketing.com/boat/steering_adjustment.jpg

[sybrmike]

Yep, if you loosen the jamb nuts on that steering (clamp) block, the steering tube will slide fore or aft while you hold the rudder straight and turn the wheel 180 degrees. Looks like you're near the end of your adjustment, so turn the wheel the direction that moves the steering tube aft in the steering block to better center the threaded section. Then lock down the jamb nuts in the new position. This will give you a straight rudder with the steering wheel right side up. Unfortunately, this method will also give you 1/2 turn difference (or is it 1/4 if you split the difference?) in rudder throw from one direction to the other. Probably not that big a deal.

Otherwise you'll have to pull the cable from the helm & re-thread as previously stated to get the keyway just right.

[TitanTn]

I think I'm with you, and I think that's essentially what I did before. I was trying to go strictly for the same number of turns from lock to lock, but I might need to sacrifice a half turn to get the wheel right. I'm going to give it another whirl this weekend. Thanks for helping me talk this out.

[TitanTn]

Update: I've got it adjusted much better. The trick was removing the cable housing behind the steering wheel. I was originally adjusting the clamp block as you described, but just couldn't get it adjusted right with equal amounts of turn, and the wheel straight. By getting the clamp block more in the middle, and then pulling the cable housing off and turning the wheel straight, everything is looking much better. Thanks for the tip on adjusting it at the helm.

[sybrmike]

No problem - glad it worked out for you.

[jet]

Im fixing to do this fix, can you explain a lil better on how you did it?? Im not following?

[TitanTn]

To better answer your question, what are you trying to fix?

[korey]

Hello all,
I've got a few strange things going on with the salt that I think pertain to this old thread. My problem is two-fold:
1) there is more slop in the steering than there should be
2) there is a "tight spot" in the travel right in the center

These combine to make a pretty "darty" driving boat - rudder is stiff near the center, then free on either side of center, with a little cable slop to allow it to bias all the way to the other side of that slop, making small steering inputs near the center of travel impossible!

I think what i have found is wear in the "Clamp Block" (pictured above), plus a bent rudder. I had the rudder out this spring for fresh seals and did some straightening of the previous bend, then I went and hit another rock..

My question is: has anyone replaced this clamp block? SKIDIM has this part that looks like a suitable replacement:
http://www.skidim.com/CLAMP-BLOCK-KIT/productinfo/6301335/

[korey]

Well... There's your problem...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZEuiVKZ3jE

[cadunkle]

That'll do it. Might want to bolt that down to something.