How does a No Feedback Steering feel ?

SkiDad

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I have a 30 year old outboard with original steering - the steering has about 2 inches of play in it when driving. It's a Rotary helm - I think Teleflex Safe-T. I think play is in the cable vs the helm as it the play mostly goes away if I grab the cable end in the helm.

anyhow I can just swap cables and probably get 90% of the play to go away. i don't really have any major torque issues - my trim tab took care of that. But I think i like the idea of not having the steering wheel move on me. Might be safer at high speeds.

We ski all the time and I wondered would the NFB steering feel weird when making adjustments - does it add any additional play ? Does it get annoying ? I don't want to regret my decision.

thank you kindly !!
 
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64osby

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I was able to trade over to a Teleflex NFB steering system a few years ago. Thanks again iboats and Teleflex.

If you read down to the bottom of the page link you will see my review of the Teleflex Xtreme NFB system. In summery I'm very pleased with the NFB. No more prop steer, boat stays on track that I set, smooth. The only down side for me was the stop to stop turns increased to over 5 turns. This makes slow speed steering a little bit harder because more wheel movement is needed.

http://forums.iboats.com/forum/boat...-steering-replacement-73-starcraft-mariner-21

This is my opinion, others have found they don't like NFB systems.;)

If the water wasn't hard I'd invite you for a test drive.:joyous:
 

GA_Boater

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64 - Would you say like buttah? :joyous: Except the 5 turns lock to lock. :grumpy:
 

smokeonthewater

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A NFB helm feels exactly like any other helm except that it only moves when you move it... At any time you stop turning it, it stays right there and doesn't move....

IMHO best thing since sliced bread.
 

Chris1956

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Smoke has said it succinctly. The NFB steering does nothing to combat torque in the steering, except to "lock" the wheel in the spot you leave it. If the boat pulls to starboard, adding a NFB will not fix that, it will just be less tiring to drive because you do not need to hold the wheel against the torque all the time. You will still need to turn the wheel against the torque, when turning to port.

A far better choice is to fix the torque issue....
 

SkiDad

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I guess I'll give one a go - worse case I guess I can buy the regular style helm and swap it if I don't like it.
 

smokeonthewater

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You won't 'like' it you're gonna LOVE it...
My advice comes with a 100% money back guarantee lol
 

Chris1956

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Smoke, Sorry, I am not a fan of NFB helms. If you have torque steer, they don't fix it. If you do not have torque steer, a regular helm is easier to turn.

It is much better to fix the torque issue...
 

SkiDad

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Howdy guys, i don't have a torque issue on my boat - i just have play in the steering. I know a lot of folk say change the helm too so that got me thinking which would be better.

Why would a NFB setup be harder to turn ?
 

64osby

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^^^ There is, for lack of a better term, a clutch that holds the wheel. To turn you need to move the wheel to release the clutch. The force to release the wheel will add resistance when first turning the wheel. Some don't like this "pressure" and prefer a a standard steering set up.

I really like our NFB. But I also upgraded from a 40 year old system that was worn out.
 

smokeonthewater

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I put one on my dad's bass boat... He didn't have any bad torque issue...

At low speed the steering would pull very slightly to one side and at high speed slightly to the other side... One finger could hold it but you couldn't let go.... With the NFB we have never noticed any increased effort turning it.... MAYBE that's because he didn't have a torque issue... Just guessing here but I could imagine that if there was a lot of steering torque then maybe steering could feel weird.
 

Blind Date

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With the NFB we have never noticed any increased effort turning it..

Agree - put a Teleflex NFB in my '83 CVX16 and never noticed that either. Honestly unless your trying to get by as cheap as possible I don't know why you would go any other route. I also never noticed the boat being harder to steer at displacement speeds either due to it requiring more turns from lock to lock. That boat had a 115 HP OB and it was completely effortless to steer w/that NFB system. Some of the best money I spent on that boat.

 
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Fed

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I tried NFB (hydraulic) once & hated it, can you imagine driving a car with NFB? HaHaHa!

It struck me that with the wheel staying where you left it then every minute adjustment had to be corrected because the boat continued on the newly adjusted coarse. It's just weird.

I have heard stories that mechanical NFB suffers from stiction which if true would also add to the woes.

Someone did once make a good case for NFB when towing water toys.
 

Blind Date

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It struck me that with the wheel staying where you left it then every minute adjustment had to be corrected because the boat continued on the newly adjusted coarse. It's just weird.

I would compare how my CVX16 drove with the NFB helm installed to being pretty much like every sterndrive I've ever owned with power steering. Maybe that's why it felt perfectly normal to me. Ever drive a boat with hydraulic steering?
 
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b.gagnon

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I would say that it has a tight jerky feel to it (compared to hydraulic)... Big upgrade over standard cable. I now have hydraulic and could not imagine owning a boat without it!
NFB is a great upgrade...
 

SkiDad

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do you think the 4.2 turn would be easier to overcome the clutch when changing headings vs the 3.0 turn ?
 

64osby

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I don't think there is much if any difference. The effort to "overcome" is so minimal that it doesn't matter. It is just a different feel to have to move the wheel from a set position. With my old system the wheel had to be held to maintain a course. With a NFB you have to move it to change course.
 

w2much

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My 2 cents also. 21 foot center console with a 150 Evinrude came with standard helm. 20 ,30 miles offshore even the slightest torque would tire out my hand and arm. Was in envy of my buddies boat with hydraulic system. I installed the NFB system and love it. The cons mentioned above are to me minimal. Besides the cover for the boat best upgrade I have done. Also was able to readjust the trim tab so as to reduce friction there.
 
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