Play In steering

[bdirect]

24 foot cuddy 350 mercruiser Bravo 1 outdrive.Power steering<br />Just developed play in steering. Have moved the outdrive back and forth.It is tight. They play actually feels like it is at the helm steering. Slop is maybe 1-2 inches either way. The reason this concerns me is that it wasn't there and now it is! Are there any adjustments at the helm to tightnen this?

 

[rwidman]

Re: Play In steering

A couple inches play in the steering is normal for an I/O. I can't explain how you didn't have any to begin with. I don't believe there is an "adjustment" but you might want to check and see if anything has come loose just for safety sake.

 

[trog100]

Re: Play In steering

mine has about two inches at the wheel.. i thought it was in the steering rack but after closer inspection today it seems its all in the pin that links the cable to the drive steering arm.. a very small amount of play in the pin or any part of the linkage ends up as quite a lot at the wheel..<br /><br />trog100

 

[bdirect]

Re: Play In steering

Just finished checking pin and steering rack and there is almost no play in it. What is realy bothering me about this is that it came on very suddenly. I am concerned that the bezel or cable is starting to strip and slip at the helm. I have been on a lot of boats that have had play some more than others. I fish very hard and sometimes chase football tuna. I have been known to throw this boat over into tight turns at 35-40 knts so believe me I don't need something snapping at the helm.

 

[bdirect]

Re: Play In steering

Okay update to comment above. I have gone back and re-checked play in outdrive."It is tight" Play in pin and play in rack "They are both tight"<br />Looked and listened more closely at helm.. When i move the steering wheel the play is without question right there. It moves 2 inches either way before tension strats to be applied. I have never looked inside a bezel so what can be wering out inside of there?

 

[trog100]

Re: Play In steering

mine might differ from yours.. its a simple rack and pinion system.. a cog straight on the end of a shaft which meshes with teeth along a rack which moves from side to side as the wheel is turned.. the rack is connected to the cable going to the drive..<br /><br />with such a system its hard to imagine noticable play developing at the rack end.. <br /><br />other types of steering systems such as worm drives (not sure if boats have these) where a pin runs in a groove on the steering shaft can develope a lot of play at the wheel.. the sides of the pin wear and cause play.. 3 or 4 inches at the wheel was quite normal with such systems..<br /><br />one thing u can check.. is the free play worse right at the cenre of the wheels movement.. any wear in the steering box/wrack is always worse in the middle and less at each end of the travel.. this used to make adjustment if it was possible a problem.. take the play out in th middle and things used to bind at either emd..<br /><br />but if its a rack and pinion system i find it hard to imagine 3 or 4 inches of free play dveloping at the rack end.. u would be talking about teeth missing or teeth slipping on the rack to get that much lost movement.. <br /><br />if u really are dead certain its in the helm end i would advise taking the mechanism out to inspect it.. mine is easy to get at apart from the fact its right behind the dash and covered by a million wires going to the guges and such.. he he.. i was rather pleased to find the play in my system was in the pin end cos taking that rack and possibly cabling out wasnt something i fancied doing..<br /><br />best of luck.. <br /><br />trog100<br /><br />ps.. as for the pin idea which connects the cable to the drive.. its shame proper ball joints arnt used.. if i can find the parts i might try and convert mine to a ball joint connection..

 

[bdirect]

Re: Play In steering

Trog<br /><br />I can very easily get to the back over the steering at helm. My gauges are up above a nd forward of the steering wheel so I have a very clean shot at it. What i do not know is if I can just open up the back plate and inspect?

 

[trog100]

Re: Play In steering

cant really help u with that one bdirect.. mine looks like a cheapish tin pressing that might even come as an all in one unit complete with cable.. i would imagine that on the side i cant see is a spline arrangement that the steering shaft clamps to.. <br /><br />have go at it and let me know how u get on.. <br /><br />trog