Straight inboard: no right rudder....turns left but not right

[1980Coronado]

Ok.....need some collective repair/parts knowledge here. Have been trying to diagnose a steering issue since last season but haven't been able to figure it out. The boat has been difficult to turn right since I bought it in 2010. The cable is free and easy to turn both directions at idle. When up on plane its hard to turn right. I have always believed its not the cable.

I put the boat in yesterday and had rudder both directions at the ramp. After a short run to the house I noticed I could only turn left. Full right rudder is now straight. It is a rack and pinion helm on a 1980 21' Century Coronado. I did not feel anything slip or anything else....I believe its the Rack and Pinion thats broken somehow....and its related to the hard steering issue.

Can I replace just the rack and pinion and reuse the cable? Will a new rack and pinion interface with my cable? Any suggestions on what to buy.

 

[1980Coronado]

Re: Straight inboard: no right rudder....turns left but not right

Guess Ive stupmed everyone......K....Ill just figure it out as I go.

 

[1980Coronado]

Re: Straight inboard: no right rudder....turns left but not right

Without being able to see it or lay hands on it guessing what is wrong is tough. If the rack and pinion are gone try this, http://www.iboats.com/Boat-Rack-Pin...6821050--session_id.036361521--view_id.217126

From what I can tell, it looks like you have to replace the entire "gear box" and cable. Are the steering connections the same for an Outboard, Inboard, and I/O? I can't tell anything from the cryptic descriptions about the application. It also looks like we will have to pull the old one out and measure it before we can buy a replacement.

I know I can do this myself, but I'm not feelin it! I'm probably just going to call a mechanic out to fix it on the lift. Problem is, the boat is an hour from home and I don't like not being there when someone is working on my stuff!

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Straight inboard: no right rudder....turns left but not right

Examine the current cable and the length might be printed on it.

Take the entire system apart and make sure the main gear is in good shape too. You might have to bite the bullet and replace the entire system.

 

[1980Coronado]

Re: Straight inboard: no right rudder....turns left but not right

Like I said, I and others can't do remote repairs. If you don't feel comfortable with the work then a mechanic is your best bet.

More of a time issue than an ability/comfort thing. I know I'm capable, just haven't ever done it. With the limited information/lack of detail on the website regarding parts it's impossible to figure out what parts I need for my application. Thought maybe someone here might have experience with the inboard steering connection etc.

left a voice mail for a mechanic that makes "house calls". We'll see what he has to say about it.

 

[1980Coronado]

Re: Straight inboard: no right rudder....turns left but not right

Examine the current cable and the length might be printed on it.

Take the entire system apart and make sure the main gear is in good shape too. You might have to bite the bullet and replace the entire system.

It's a real bugger to get to.....had to remove the rudder before last season to replace the drive shaft....previous owner bent it and I had a bad vibration. Never really looked at the cable connection when I had it apart.....it's probably the reason I don't wanna take it apart again.....it's a b eye ich to get back together!

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Straight inboard: no right rudder....turns left but not right

Agree The toughest part is routing the new cable. The old one can be cut into pieces to remove it with a sawsall or angle grinder.

 

[1980Coronado]

Re: Straight inboard: no right rudder....turns left but not right

Agree The toughest part is routing the new cable. The old one can be cut into pieces to remove it with a sawsall or angle grinder.

I wish I could remember what the cable end at the rudder looked like. There is a bracket that goes over the rudder shaft but I don't remember how the cable is connected to that bracket. Do you happen to know if there are different cable ends for Inboards, vs Outboards and I/O's, or are they all common?

Routing the new cable will be fairly easy since it goes straight down the center-line of the boat under the engine. The way the boat is designed you can easily access the center-line area in multiple spots from the dash board all the way to the back. It's the connection at the rudder that is hard to access. You have to lay across the frame work of the back bench seat and work blind. If you have short arms you'd have to remove the bench seat completely to be able to reach it. I was able to reach it without taking the seat frame work out but you end up with bruises on your ribs from laying chest down on the wood frame. Then reaching under the 50 gal fuel tank you can get a wrench on the rudder bracket bolts and with a few choice words it goes back together.

 

[shrew]

Re: Straight inboard: no right rudder....turns left but not right

It's a real bugger to get to.....had to remove the rudder before last season to replace the drive shaft....previous owner bent it and I had a bad vibration. Never really looked at the cable connection when I had it apart.....it's probably the reason I don't wanna take it apart again.....it's a b eye ich to get back together!

Was the steering working properly prior to dissasembly/reassembly? It doesn't make sense that it works at the ramp, but not while underway. Is it simply harder, or does it simply stop turning all together?

 

[QC]

Re: Straight inboard: no right rudder....turns left but not right

Yeah ^^^^ Does it work on the trailer? Can you literally see it move both directions off of center? And then when underway, on plane, it stops turning to starboard? This is odd no matter what the culprit is. It could be a loose tiller arm too, but why would it then fix itself?

 

[1980Coronado]

Re: Straight inboard: no right rudder....turns left but not right

When I bought the boat in 2010 the steering was a bit stiff at speed turning to the right. I noticed it on the test drive along with the vibration. I had the strut bearing replaced as a condition of sale...it ended up being a bent drive shaft. I took it apart after the 2010 season to put a new drive shaft in it. It was used the entire 2011 season w/o issue....except it was still hard to turn right when running on plane. When I put it in at the ramp to begin this season I had to turn right to leave the ramp....all was well. I idled out and then took off towards the house and when I tried to turn right to go in to shore, it leaned that way a little but as I increased to full right rudder nothing happened. I limped it to the lift with left turns and that's where it sits. The repair I did in October of 2010 shouldn't be related to this issue at all. The best bet would be that either the cable retainer/lock came loose and the cable is feeding out the end of the rack, or something failed inside the rack itself. Either way for $150-$250 worth of parts its worth replacing the system to see if that solves the problem. The cable itself moves freely at idle so I've always suspected the rack and pinion at the steering wheel as being the culprit......it was never really bad enough to tear it apart...and I wasn't really sure that there was anything wrong and that it wasn't just the nature of the beast. Being my first inboard, I always wondered if that was just the way it was due to the way the water hits the rudder coming off the prop?

 

[1980Coronado]

Re: Straight inboard: no right rudder....turns left but not right

Yeah ^^^^ Does it work on the trailer? Can you literally see it move both directions off of center? And then when underway, on plane, it stops turning to starboard? This is odd no matter what the culprit is. It could be a loose tiller arm too, but why would it then fix itself?

It didn't fix itself.....it happened on the way to the house and I parked it. After I got it up on the lift I turned the wheel all the way to the right and the rudder was straight....turn to the left and the rudder moved left. I haven't looked up under the dash yet to see if the cable is feeding out of the rack when turning right...which would tend to push the cable out of the box. I'm sure it's something simple. Knowing that the rudder bracket is double bolted with one bolt acting as a key on the rudder shaft, I seriously doubt it's on that end of the cable...possible yes but not as likely as there begin a mechanical failure in the rack or where the cable enters/fastens to the box.

 

[QC]

Re: Straight inboard: no right rudder....turns left but not right

So when you turn her to port now does the rudder go double the distance? Almost perpendicular to direction of travel? That would indicate that something is jumping or slipping as opposed to something stretching against something bound up.

 

[1980Coronado]

Re: Straight inboard: no right rudder....turns left but not right

So when you turn her to port now does the rudder go double the distance? Almost perpendicular to direction of travel? That would indicate that something is jumping or slipping as opposed to something stretching against something bound up.

I think the rudder was traveling farther to the left than normal, but I didn't spend a lot of time messing with it. If my memory serves me, the rudder normally goes about 45 deg in both directions for a total of 90 deg of movement. It might have gone past 45 to the left but I don't think it was 90. We were in a hurry to get home and I was a little ticked off at the time. The wheel still rotates as smooth as ever in both directions. It doesn't feel like anything is bound up. I need to look under the dash when get back up there to see if the cable is coming out the end of the rack. That would explain it.....either way...it's probably the original which makes it 32 years old! Time to replace it and see if it fixes the hard steering issue too! Hate starting the season off this way! Really glad it didn't happen on a busy weekend...could have been bad!

 

[QC]

Re: Straight inboard: no right rudder....turns left but not right

Yes, should be close to 45 both ways = 90 total. Agree. That's what I was getting at.

 

[1980Coronado]

Re: Straight inboard: no right rudder....turns left but not right

Yes, should be close to 45 both ways = 90 total. Agree. That's what I was getting at.

Do you happen to know if the cable connection at the rudder for the inboard is the same as the other types? I don't see anything specifically saying the replacement rack and pinion steering kits work for an inboard style rudder. Many of them specifically talk about certain HP and speed ratings for outboards. I'm trying to figure out if the stuff I see at i-boats will work for me and there aren't any clear details showing the cable ends...I still need to find the length...so I guess it'll be more clear when we get it out of the boat......having trouble getting the mechanic to call me back...probably too busy to answer the phone this time of year.

 

[QC]

Re: Straight inboard: no right rudder....turns left but not right

I only have experience with a boat I am building. My general belief is that anything designed for an OB will be plenty strong for a simple rudder system. What is on the tiller end of your rudder will determine how it connects though. I don't know what's there.

 

[1980Coronado]

Re: Straight inboard: no right rudder....turns left but not right

A Mechanic was supposed to go look at it yesterday. Hope to hear something back today about the cause of the problem.

 

[salty87]

Re: Straight inboard: no right rudder....turns left but not right

no idea what rack/pinion system you have but i'd be surprised if you don't have to replace all of it. i have an inboard from 87 and when i replaced my cable, the entire helm had to be replaced.

it is possible that your cable and rudder are not 'aligned' properly. your left is wayyyyy left and right only gets you back to slightly past straight. seems weird you have right at idle though.

either way, call a parts house the specializes in inboards. they very well may be familiar with the equipment used on your boat...provided you can find a make/model for you helm. they will know what systems are available on the market today. if you do a search for discount inboard you'll find a great source. i'd send you to iboats but i don't think they have the knowledge you're looking for.

 

[1980Coronado]

Re: Straight inboard: no right rudder....turns left but not right

I know www.skidim.com I bought my new drive shaft from them...good idea...might give them a call....good people and great customer service!

You're a little confused...I can't turn right at all now. When I bought the boat in 2010 I noticed on the test drive that the wheel was very stiff when turning to the right, but only when up on plane. Due to that problem I was considering replacing the steering system/cable but put it off again this year. When I put the boat in last weekend it was working initially at the ramp, but something happened on the way to the house and I lost steering to the right completely. The steering wheel was moving normally, but the rudder wasn't responding.