convert splined pin to square pin?

[fieromx3]

i have been searching and trying to find the answer. can one convert from a splined steering pin to a square steering pin/lever? what all is needed?? hopefully just the upper bushing, pin and lever at the minimum. do i need the whole gimbal housing?? i have an alpha 1 gen 1, boat is an 87' and looks like my steering pin is a spline and i want to vonvert to square for peace of mind.

 

[DeepBlue2010]

What is the scope of "Peace of mind"? For example, are you worried that you will not be able to find it if you want to replace it?

 

[fieromx3]

i have heard the spline teeth strip out and will cause loss of steering and depending how fast you are going it could turn out to be a bad day lol

i have my gimbal ring off and bell housing etc for rebuilding and repainting over winter time so i figured this is a good oppurtunity. though if i convert to square steering pin i will replace the gimbal ring as well so everything is nice and tight

 

[stonyloam]

You would of course need the ring, pin and lever. There is a difference in that the sq/sq uses bushings at the top of the pin and the sq/spl uses roller bearings. See the parts breakdown here: https://www.mercruiserparts.com/sele...?doc_nbr=99964 I am not sure if they are interchangeable. If the od of the bushings and bearings is the same it should work, or if the od the bearing surfaces of the pins is the same you should be able to do it. If your splines on the top of your current pin and lever are in good shape (not distorted or twisted) they may be OK to reuse.

OK found this http://www.mercstuff.com/gimbalringparts.htm. Seems the pins are NOT interchangeable. The upper bearing surfaces are different diameters. I would suggest taking your current parts to a Mercruiser dealer and have them check them and if sound, reuse them. Good luck.

 

[Bondo]

i have an alpha 1 gen 1, boat is an 87'

Ayuh,.... The splined shafts disappeared 'bout 10 years prior to '87,...... Back in the MC-1s,....

 

[fieromx3]

thats what i was reading up as well. that gen 1 were all square, i took my borescope ad took a look in between the steering lever and gimbal and it appearead the pin was a splined. maybe the way it looked isnt actually so..

 

[San_Diego_SeaRay]

thats what i was reading up as well. that gen 1 were all square, i took my borescope ad took a look in between the steering lever and gimbal and it appearead the pin was a splined. maybe the way it looked isnt actually so..

If I were you I'd get the Serial Number off the gimbal housing and call Mercruiser Support. It's hit or miss on who you get, but sometimes when you get a good Rep they'll be able to tell you for certain what kind of pin you have. Or, regardless of who you get, they should be able to tell you for certain what year your assembly is. If Bondo is correct, you'll be able to deduce from that. In my experience wait time is usually less than 5 minutes.

 

[stonyloam]

Yeah mine is an 87 and is sq/sq so I was a little surprised when you said yours was splined. You said you had the ring off, so I thought you had the pin out. Sounds like you have the gimbal ring HOUSING off and have not taken it apart yet. Before you take it apart you want to make sure that the ring is tight on the larger square. Try to move the ring back and forth to see if there is any play between the pin and the ring. If there is any play at all, Retorque the clamping screws ( at the top of the ring) to 55 ft lb. if that removes ALL of the play then your ring should be OK. You want to make sure that stays tight by retorquing every year. Keep it tight and it should last forever.

 

[fieromx3]

no i have the bell housng off, the gimbal housing and gimbal ring are still attached to the transom. i took my borescope and went inside the boat and took a peak with the camera between the steering lever and the gimbal housing. there was just a tiny crack to see to the steering pin not a clear view but it looked like it was splined. unfortunately i did not save a picture i took of it and i sold my borescope the other day so i cant post the picture i took a picture of the serial numbers though that i have on my laptop

 

[fieromx3]

looks like yours in an '87 four winns as well and you said yours is square. mine is also a 1987 four winns 225 sundowner. alpha 1 with the 350ci 260hp thunderbolt ignition.

there wasnt any slop in the steering it was all real tight and what ws nice is the bolts were not even torqued to there spec and were on the looser side and was still tight. what i will do is just replace the seals and bushings. then the whole outdrive/gimbal will be all rebuilt and will not have to worry about anything for years to come. the boat has been very very well taken care of, passed survey without any problems and all is solid. engine ran fantastic just needs a couple small things fixed.

 

[stonyloam]

if you are talking about replacing the bushings and seals on the pin... Well that is not so easy. You can't remove the upper swivel pin unless you remove the steering arm, and you can't remove the arm unless you remove the clamping bolt that holds it on, and you can't remove that bolt unless you DRILL TWO 1 1/2 HOLES IN THE GIMBAL HOUSING. WAY more trouble than it is worth LOL. My suggestion grease them well and don't worry about it.

 

[Bondo]

and you can't remove that bolt unless you DRILL TWO 1 1/2 HOLES IN THE GIMBAL HOUSING. WAY more trouble than it is worth LOL.

Ayuh,.... Or pull the motor outa the way,.....

 

[San_Diego_SeaRay]

no i have the bell housng off, the gimbal housing and gimbal ring are still attached to the transom. i took my borescope and went inside the boat and took a peak with the camera between the steering lever and the gimbal housing. there was just a tiny crack to see to the steering pin not a clear view but it looked like it was splined. unfortunately i did not save a picture i took of it and i sold my borescope the other day so i cant post the picture i took a picture of the serial numbers though that i have on my laptop

Hmmm...I just happen to have taken my gimbal housing apart today and realized my upper steering pin was square.....and splined. Square where it meets the gimbal ring but splined in the steering housing (Just like mentioned above). Maybe the OP was talking about the square/splined pin as opposed to the newer square/square pins? (My transom assembly was built around the mid 80s)

(To my understanding, older versions such as those in the 70s had splines on both ends and the gimbal ring was of course splined as well....)

 

[fieromx3]

yes the gimbal ring will all be square but the difference is the splined part on the steering lever