Going from cable to rack steering

[Jruddy71]

Hi there, Was fortunate enough to inherit a 14ft Starcraft with a 35hp Johnson when my newly retired dad bought his brand new Tracker Targa. However, the floor and casting deck he had built were rotted. I ripped everything out, painted the ugly green inside of the boat (the banana yellow outside will have to come later - yikes!) and replaced the floor so far, and decided it's better to upgrade the old, frayed, worn-out-pulley, left-me-without-steering-a-few-times cable steering system. I was searching around and found "The Rack" from Teleflex. My question is, how would the rod attach to my motor? Is this even a viable replacement? If not, what would you guys recommend? Thank you for any input!

 

[Milemaker13]

I am sort of in the same boat, lol. I am adding a steering console to my fishing boat. I have an older eninrude and have questions about attaching my steering cable, both to the motor and the transome. I think what I need is a "transome mount" bracket to hang onto the cable.

Can anyone xplain better what a "tlt tube" set up is? I think that the motor has to be set up for that system, right? So my older motor is probably not a candidate for that.

 

[bonz_d]

Jruddy71 what year is that Evinrude? If 1974 or newer it should have a tilt tube as long as it's not a tiller steer.

Milemaker13, you are correct in that you may need a transom clamp. But it can be done quite easily and the parts are not too hard to find.

 

[Fleetwin]

I doubt your 35 has a tilt tube if it had cable steering.

Start here for the parts you need to adapt a new steering system to your engine.

http://www.iboats.com/Steering-Acces...-view_id.47748

 

[GA_Boater]

These are the best pictures I've found showing the three different steering set ups, hope it helps;


Tilt tube

Transom support mount

Splashwell mount

 

[Jruddy71]

My motor is a 1980 35 Johnson - it indeed does have a tilt tube. How does that change how I will set up the new steering? I'm not sure I understand how the thru-the-tilt-tube setup goes, or what additional hardware I may need. Thank you for the responses so far.

 

[Milemaker13]

My motor is an older 25 hp 'rude. Mid seventies if I remember correctly.

I cannot believe the cost of the transom bracket! I work in a fabrication environment, so I can make whatever I need. What I see is a ball joint on these brackets... Can I do A simpler double joint clamp? The cable needs to be able to swivel while driving, and able to rotate when tilting the motor up... is that correct?

How long should the bracket be? For example, when the motor is straight ahead, should the cable be parallel to the transom?

Can you explain the pipe I see in the ads for the transom brackets? Can I make that from SS tubing? Is there a standard size, length and thread?

 

[Milemaker13]

My motor is an older 25 hp 'rude. Mid seventies if I remember correctly.

I cannot believe the cost of the transom bracket! I work in a fabrication environment, so I can make whatever I need. What I see is a ball joint on these brackets... Can I do A simpler double joint clamp? The cable needs to be able to swivel while driving, and able to rotate when tilting the motor up... is that correct?

How long should the bracket be? For example, when the motor is straight ahead, should the cable be parallel to the transom?

Can you explain the pipe I see in the ads for the transom brackets? Can I make that from SS tubing? Is there a standard size, length and thread? xx

 

[Fleetwin]

My motor is an older 25 hp 'rude. Mid seventies if I remember correctly.
I cannot believe the cost of the transom bracket! I work in a fabrication environment, so I can make whatever I need. What I see is a ball joint on these brackets... Can I do A simpler double joint clamp? The cable needs to be able to swivel while driving, and able to rotate when tilting the motor up... is that correct?
How long should the bracket be? For example, when the motor is straight ahead, should the cable be parallel to the transom?
Can you explain the pipe I see in the ads for the transom brackets? Can I make that from SS tubing? Is there a standard size, length and thread? xx

Yes, the cable end needs to swivel without binding trhe cable. THe cable should be as parallel to the transome as possible.

The "pipe" just replicatets a tilt tube. SS woulld be agood material choice. Go and look a a newer outboard, you'll get the idea of function.

 

[bonz_d]

My motor is a 1980 35 Johnson - it indeed does have a tilt tube. How does that change how I will set up the new steering? I'm not sure I understand how the thru-the-tilt-tube setup goes, or what additional hardware I may need. Thank you for the responses so far.

New steering helm, either rotory or rack and pinion, Steering wheel and the correct legth steering cable and lastly a link rod.

The end of the cable goes thru the tilt tube and is then fastened by the nut on the end of the cable. The end that sticks out of the tilt tube will have a hole in it. That is where the link rod connects while the other end connects to the engine.
The link rod can be found used on ebay most reasonablly.

 

[YoungMind]

Hi there, Was fortunate enough to inherit a 14ft Starcraft with a 35hp Johnson when my newly retired dad bought his brand new Tracker Targa. However, the floor and casting deck he had built were rotted. I ripped everything out, painted the ugly green inside of the boat (the banana yellow outside will have to come later - yikes!) and replaced the floor so far, and decided it's better to upgrade the old, frayed, worn-out-pulley, left-me-without-steering-a-few-times cable steering system. I was searching around and found "The Rack" from Teleflex. My question is, how would the rod attach to my motor? Is this even a viable replacement? If not, what would you guys recommend? Thank you for any input!

Make sure you have room for the "Rack" also. Seen people get the Rack system then find out the rack bar is too long to fit under their console. You can get the rotary system - Safe-T QCII system.

Page 4 on that link explains how to install cables.

EDIT:Link didn't show up.

http://www.seastarsolutions.com/wp-...61XX-SSC62XX-SSC72XX-Rev.1-IS-SSC61-62-72.pdf

 

[YoungMind]

My motor is an older 25 hp 'rude. Mid seventies if I remember correctly.

I cannot believe the cost of the transom bracket! I work in a fabrication environment, so I can make whatever I need. What I see is a ball joint on these brackets... Can I do A simpler double joint clamp? The cable needs to be able to swivel while driving, and able to rotate when tilting the motor up... is that correct?

How long should the bracket be? For example, when the motor is straight ahead, should the cable be parallel to the transom?

Can you explain the pipe I see in the ads for the transom brackets? Can I make that from SS tubing? Is there a standard size, length and thread?

Here is a close breakdown of the transom bracket.

http://www.seastarsolutions.com/wp-...Mount-Kit-SA27255P-SA27256P-Rev.1-IS-7405.pdf

 

[Jruddy71]

Anyone know approx. how long the rack is, on either side of the wheel? Thanks again for all the help so far!

 

[Fleetwin]

Anyone know approx. how long the rack is, on either side of the wheel? Thanks again for all the help so far!

Figure a good 10" plus 8" for the cable radius.

You're looking at a minimum of 28" to the outside of the gunnel.

Realize, only 14", or so, is needed on the outside. 8" on the inside.