Steering loss on '82 Johnson 70, I don't know where to start....

laurentide

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jul 24, 2011
Messages
1,869
My 16' runabout lost steering on the lake today (fortunately not too far out, and I could manually move the engine at idle speed to get back in). I have no idea what happened, but what I did notice was directly under the helm a 12" or so plastic tube had its end broken off, and was also coming completely out of the steerage housing. The tube held a very greasy spring. If I held the tube in manually I could get steering, but only to starboard...port steering was non-existent.

So my question is: is this tube my problem, or merely the symptom of another problem within the steering? I've never dealt with steering assemblies or cables, so I'm pretty much in the dark here. It's an older boat with one cable to the engine. Thanks in advance if anyone knows what the heck I'm talking about.
 

laurentide

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jul 24, 2011
Messages
1,869
Re: Steering loss on '82 Johnson 70, I don't know where to start....

I probably should have done more research before posting the above, but I now believe this is called a "spent travel tube" as part of an older teleflex system. So, if one of these fails, would you be without steering? I'm hoping so 'cause it's a $9 part.
 

boobie

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Messages
20,826
Re: Steering loss on '82 Johnson 70, I don't know where to start....

You may want to post this in the boat repair section of this forum. You'll get better answers.
 
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