Steering issue

[cldboater]

Onld tri hull 1976 mark twain boat . Added a 1976 650 mercury outboard. Just re did the inside. Replaced steering system with a rack n pinion system from teleflex.

Using through pivot steering

My question is that i can only get hard over if steering to the right. I cannot get hard over to the left ..

What is the correct length steering arm for this 650

if i disconnect the linkage, the motor turns freely

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Steering issue

You can probably answer your own question. Center the engine. Rotate the steering cable lock to lock and then center also..for one thing this shows you the range of the cables movement. You now have your dimension. If there are 2 holes in the engine's mounting bracket you have to decide which you want. The one farthes away from the engine gives you the most engine movement.

Mark

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Steering issue

do you have a hard bend in the steering cable, has to be soft curving bends.

 

[pman7]

Re: Steering issue

I recently had to modify (cut and weld back together) a steering linkage bar to get my 71, 50hp to steer like I wanted.

With the linkage bar removed I turned the motor clockwise as far as it would turn and turned the steering wheel to retract the steering cable to it's limit. Then I measured the distance between the hole on the motor and the hole at the end of the cable. It was 11.5". I then turned the motor counter clockwise to it's stop and turned the steering wheel to extend the cable fully and the hole to hole center was 12".

I also needed a slight sideways bend in my steering linkage bar to avoid a bind with the cowling on the first measurement. I spit the difference in the two measurements to 11.75", welded my linkage bar together at this measurment, spray painted it shiney black and now my motor will steer freely to both extremes of my motor's capability.


Without doing this I would maybe have had to comprimise my steering limits. I did all this because after inquiring on the lengths of about 4 different steering linkage bars, the longest I could find was about 10.75" Maybe an 11.75 crooked linkage bar is out there but I couldn't find one.