Mercruiser Power assist retrofit question

[Panoguy]

[FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Hi: [/FONT]

[FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif](The back-story):[/FONT]
[FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]So, my (2.0 4-cyl) Sea Ray originally had manual steering. During the course of my complete rebuild, I beefed-up the stringers & upgraded my power to a 5.7L V8.[/FONT]

[FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]I bought and pulled a Mercruiser V8 from another thrashed Sea Ray, to use heads/tin/etc. on a short-block that I built-up.

Problem is, the thing steers like a tank with the manual (non-power) steering, so I'm trying to install the Mercruiser (old-style, but perfectly functional) power steering actuator/pump/hoses/etc., that came with my purchased/pulled V8.[/FONT]

[FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]My Sea Ray has a Morse rack-&-pinion, mechanical cable system... the actuator fits perfectly onto the transom plate, but the problem is, for some reason, with the original cable, the distance (@ the transom end) between the cable sheath, to where you put the clevis pin in on the end came-up short - by about 5 inches.[/FONT]

[FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]The installed cable is 35 years old, so I decided that I should probably replace it all anyways, with a Seastar "The Rack" SS141xx Back Mount Rack Steering System (& get a new steering wheel in the process!). I have performed the measurements that Searstar recommends, but...[/FONT]

[FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]FINALLY - my worry; will the transom end of the cable be long-enough to reach the (farther-away than manual steering) receiver on the power steering actuator, or will I somehow have the same old problem, but with a new cable??

Did Morse make a special cable to accommodate manual steering in-the-day?

Thanks for wading thru this novel!![/FONT]

 

[alldodge]

Assuming the new rack fits your wheel, you measure from the wheel to the PS actuator. The cable would attach directly to the actuator. So if you measured correctly it should fit, if you used the old cable to measure the new, then this might be the issue

 

[Panoguy]

Thanks, AllDodge - I didn't use the old cable, assumed a "new installation". Hopefully life will be good!

 

[Scott Danforth]

the old cable will have the length on it. use that as a guide to order a longer one as needed.

 

[Panoguy]

It's strange, Scott Danforth , when trying to fit the original cable to the actuator, it seemed that the outside sheath of the cable was now too long, and the end too short by the same amount.

I'd be golden if I could remove some of the outer cable to make-up for the length of the inner cable. Go figure.

 

[Scott Danforth]

you do realize the inner cable moves within the outer sheath. turn the wheel, thus moving the rack.

 

[Panoguy]

you do realize the inner cable moves within the outer sheath. turn the wheel, thus moving the rack.

Yep - but the location of the place where you screw-in the outer sheath @ the actuator is offset to the Starboard (so, closer to the gunwale) & the hole for the clevis pin is offset to port, farther-away than the original, when compared to with just the square threaded block used for manual steering. So, with the old cable, when it's hooked-up to the wheel (rack-end) properly, and onto the actuator (pin-end), the net result is the outer sheath is too long, and the inner cable too short, by about the distance of the offsets, for some reason.

It almost seems like the old cable is made specifically for manual steering only (at least, that's what I hope!)... I'll know tomorrow, when I get my new cable.

Thanks once-again for your help, Scott Danforth

 

[Bondo]

It almost seems like the old cable is made specifically for manual steering only (at least, that's what I hope!)...

Ayuh,....... I donno what you've got goin' on, but I believe the cables don't care whether it's P/S or manual,......

 

[Panoguy]

Well, got my new rack/pinion/helm last night, so I took today off from work and installed it... power steering now works like a charm! The original cable (35 years old) was just plain old wonky, and just too long for the PS actuator.

I'm a happy guy!!