OMC Stringer - Tru-Course Steering

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BLDFW

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Any of you OMC stringer guys ever replace the old cable steering system with an enclosed Tru-Course system?

My cable steering locked up on me the other day when I inadvertently turned to far over. I was able to get it undo stuck but would like to avoid that in the future. I see them on eBay ranging from $175.00 all the way up to $580 for a NOS version.

Is that a difficult conversion?
 

WizeOne

Commander
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Mar 23, 2008
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Re: OMC Stringer - Tru-Course Steering

Any of you OMC stringer guys ever replace the old cable steering system with an enclosed Tru-Course system?

Once again a year and model would be helpful. Also do not know what you mean by an 'enclosed' Tru-Course system, or what the opposite might mean.

Mine is a '75 era Tru-Course and except for the cable drums at each end, the cable is fully enclosed in a single double cableway housing.

Is your's different than that?
 

BLDFW

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Re: OMC Stringer - Tru-Course Steering

Once again a year and model would be helpful.
Er........
-Bill
Dallas, TX
1970 Evinrude Explorer
Powered by a:
'64 155 Buick V6 and a
'65 OMC Stringer Electric Shift outdrive
http://photobucket.com/Evinrude_Explorer
Also do not know what you mean by an 'enclosed' Tru-Course system, or what the opposite might mean.

Mine is a '75 era Tru-Course and except for the cable drums at each end, the cable is fully enclosed in a single double cableway housing.
That's the one.
Is your's different than that?
Mine is the old cable and pulley type setup with a drum at both end and two exposed cables running under the gunwale.

Thanks!
 

WizeOne

Commander
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Re: OMC Stringer - Tru-Course Steering

Sorry about that model statement, just didn't let my gaze drop far enough. That being said, boy that is one old dog. :p

Can you take a picture of where the drum attaches to the intermediate housing? That and your steering wheel drum would determine if you could use the later enclosed dual cable system. If the drums and or the method of attachment at the IH differed from the later system, it would be easy enough to get a used steering wheel assy but I don't know what you would do at the other end.
 

crazyinkc

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Re: OMC Stringer - Tru-Course Steering

You would need the Tru-Course gears in your upper unit and intermediate housing too. I was thinking about ditching my Tru-Course if it fails for the external rod type steering. Those Tru-Course cables seem to be very hard to find and pricey.
 

WizeOne

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Re: OMC Stringer - Tru-Course Steering

You would need the Tru-Course gears in your upper unit and intermediate housing too. I was thinking about ditching my Tru-Course if it fails for the external rod type steering. Those Tru-Course cables seem to be very hard to find and pricey.

Keep the cable lubricated and it won't fail!
 

BLDFW

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Re: OMC Stringer - Tru-Course Steering

Ok, I haven't been able to get to the boat to take a pic but here's a pic out of the '65 service manual. There is a similar drum behind the steering wheel.
 

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KRH1326

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 22, 2007
Messages
491
Re: OMC Stringer - Tru-Course Steering

BLDFW-

I don't know if I wrote it in my post about the prop issue, but if I didn't, her it is again:

I found an old grady white runabout with the EXACT same engine, int housing, outdrive and prop as mine. I cut the whole thing out with a sawzall - chunk of transome and hull with entire engine/drive intact.

I also cut out the dashboard to get complete identical guage sets.

On that dash is a NICE Steering wheel with what appears to me to be the system that wizeone is talking about. On the int housing is is the matching unit for that fully enclosed, over/under cable system.

When I salvaged this stuff, I just cut through the cable because I have dual station, so it wouldn't help me, I have hydrolic steering via an external cylinder.

IF THAT IS THE SYSTEM YOU WANT, if you can find the replacement cable, I could send you the steering wheel and components as well as the unit that goes to the int housing. I could send the tru course gear stuff from the upper, IF I CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO REMOVE AND SEAL THEM and still being able to use it myself, in my steering config.

I am just barely computer friendly to function in this forum, or actually to play a mean game of Left 4 Dead, but I could get wife to take a few pix of the parts and post them.

The only thing I am not sure of is how Big Blue parts would work in Dallas! HA HA HA
 
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BLDFW

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 1, 2008
Messages
121
Re: OMC Stringer - Tru-Course Steering

BLDFW-

I don't know if I wrote it in my post about the prop issue, but if I didn't, her it is again:

I found an old grady white runabout with the EXACT same engine, int housing, outdrive and prop as mine. I cut the whole thing out with a sawzall - chunk of transome and hull with entire engine/drive intact.

I also cut out the dashboard to get complete identical guage sets.

On that dash is a NICE Steering wheel with what appears to me to be the system that wizeone is talking about. On the int housing is is the matching unit for that fully enclosed, over/under cable system.

When I salvaged this stuff, I just cut through the cable because I have dual station, so it wouldn't help me, I have hydrolic steering via an external cylinder.

IF THAT IS THE SYSTEM YOU WANT, if you can find the replacement cable, I could send you the steering wheel and components as well as the unit that goes to the int housing. I could send the tru course gear stuff from the upper, IF I CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO REMOVE AND SEAL THEM and still being able to use it myself, in my steering config.

I am just barely computer friendly to function in this forum, or actually to play a mean game of Left 4 Dead, but I could get wife to take a few pix of the parts and post them.

The only thing I am not sure of is how Big Blue parts would work in Dallas! HA HA HA

Hey, I appreciate the offer and think it would be a definite possibility!

I only started to consider it for my own boat as my wheel locked up the other day and it reminded me of some posts on another group about that problem. While my boat is a '70 vintage, I discovered the V6 is a '64 and the upper outdrive unit a '65 and who knows if the lower unit is the original to the upper or if it's something else. I know the cables alone (so far) run around 175.00 and up depending on size so I'd have to be careful to find the right parts.

If you could send some pics of your components, that would be great and would enable me to figure out if it will work on my setup.

Thanks!!
 

WizeOne

Commander
Joined
Mar 23, 2008
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2,097
Re: OMC Stringer - Tru-Course Steering

Ok, I haven't been able to get to the boat to take a pic but here's a pic out of the '65 service manual. There is a similar drum behind the steering wheel.

From the picture, it appears that the recess in the side of the intermediate housing and the early cable drum is wider on the early models, compared to same in the later model electric shift (and beyond) intermediate housing.

The extra width could always be taken up with bushing spacers. At arms length the critical factor would be the diameters of the respective drums. The later trucourse drum simply locks on to the steering shaft with a set screw. If the recess is deep enough to accept the latter drum and your steering shaft is the same diameter, I'd think you would be good to go to switch over.
 

KRH1326

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 22, 2007
Messages
491
Re: OMC Stringer - Tru-Course Steering

OK Wife went to work, so I had to try to take pix. Don't know how to use the damn flash, so I tried to light up as best I could.
PICT0114.html

PICT0115.html

PICT0116.html

PICT0117.html

PICT0118.html


Holy Moley, this insert picture stuff is tough.
Anyway, the steering wheel is chrome and in the black part of the base is "OMC cessories" There is a number on the OMC cable 979915 B or 8T00 1394P
 

BLDFW

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 1, 2008
Messages
121
Re: OMC Stringer - Tru-Course Steering

I'm going to have another person take a look at those pics. I didn't realize the cable ends were that big as the pics on eBay for the cables there are a bit misleading on the size. He has that type steering wheel on his boat. I'd like to keep my original one on mine so I will see what he says.

I'll followup as soon as I can connect up with him.
 

rcmedic

Cadet
Joined
Jun 22, 2008
Messages
24
I have a 1971 Combo Cruiser that I am in the process of restoring. Restomod is more accurate but I am needing a manual or any other documentation that might be available for the OMC Tru-Course steering system if one is available. Can anyone point me in the right direction please? You can see the project at http://www.rcmedic.com/ComboCruiser/
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Hello Brad,

Please read the forum rules regarding posting to threads more than 3 months old. This thread is over 9 years old, so I am going to closed it.

Chris
iboats Mod team.
 
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