Steering lever / arm nut Q!!!

[mlangster]

Ok, so i am hoping to get some opinions (despite being afraid of what ill hear). I had play in steering after uncle sucked an anchor line into the prop. Long story short - it was the steering arm slop on the upper swivel pin. NO GIMBAL RING SLOP(i got really lucky). I drilled in to transom housing and tightened the steering arm bolt to the recommended 60 lb ft. Went from 15 inches of play to 3 or less inches!!! AWESOME!!! I then towed it without securing the drive, and it ended up gaining a tad more slop. so.. here is my question. I want to take my plugs out and tighten the bolt a little more to eliminate all the slop. How tight can i tighten the bolt/nut on the steering arm without worrying about it breaking. Has anyone tightened more than 60lb ft? if so, what did you tighten to and what was the outcome?

My mind is simple, but i feel like that nut doesnt get too much stress, but i certainly dont want it to snap and i end up crashing the thing.

1981 wellcraft 20ft mercruiser 260 alpha one drive

 

[Bondo]

Re: Steering lever / arm nut Q!!!

Ayuh,.... You can try it,... It'll either tighten, or strip it,... Sounds like something is Worn,.... Badly,...

 

[achris]

Re: Steering lever / arm nut Q!!!

Ayuh,.... You can try it,... It'll either tighten, or strip it,... Sounds like something is Worn,.... Badly,...

Yep, usually the steering arm (splined section) and the top splines on the upper swivel shaft. Only real cure is replacement.

Chris...

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Steering lever / arm nut Q!!!

I'm with Chris, if you have the splined upper pivot shaft, and there was that much slop you could lose it all when under power and have no steering at all. IMHO it might be better to pull the shaft and steering arm for a good examination and replace both if need be. As I recall you should be able to do it without removing the lower shaft.

 

[mlangster]

Re: Steering lever / arm nut Q!!!

I appreciate the feedback. I do have the Square upper pin. i am not sold that it is too stripped, since it tightened up so well on first attempt. Also, since it wasnt a gradual loosening, there was an inciting event (the anchor line). If it does what i want when I tighten the bolt without it stripping, do i need to worry about the bolt breaking? I think i only tightened to 60lb ft, but i have seen guys on here say put it to 75-80.. might just take care of it in the next 15 lb ft...

 

[achris]

Re: Steering lever / arm nut Q!!!

I appreciate the feedback. I do have the Square upper pin. i am not sold that it is too stripped, since it tightened up so well on first attempt. Also, since it wasnt a gradual loosening, there was an inciting event (the anchor line). If it does what i want when I tighten the bolt without it stripping, do i need to worry about the bolt breaking? I think i only tightened to 60lb ft, but i have seen guys on here say put it to 75-80.. might just take care of it in the next 15 lb ft...

There were 2 pins available for that series, a square-square and a square-splined. Both have the square section on the lower part of the pin, which engages the gimbal ring. The upper part of the pin (which engages the steering arm) could be either, and without removing it, there is no way (that I know of) to tell. You MIGHT be able to look in through the access holes on the side of the housing. You might see the very top of the splined or square section. That is, unless YOU fitted the pin and know for sure which it is. I can't see too much harm going up to about 70-75, but I personally wouldn't take it any higher than that.

BTW, the fact that a line jagging on the drive was able to generate that much new slop would indicate to me that it is a splined upper section, and it's quite badly worn already.

Chris...

 

[mlangster]

Re: Steering lever / arm nut Q!!!

Thanks a lot for your reply. I guess you are right about not knowing for sure about spline v square... i thought i had seen it somehow along the way, but i guess i am assuming it is square based on shopping for them. I will go after the bolt in the spring, and since i have to take the lower end off to fix the shifting lever so if i need to pull the bell housing to swap the upper pin, i can do it then. I just dont want things to get too ugly, since i am a shade tree mechanic (i even impressed myself i was able to pull off the drilling into the transom housing) the internet and iboats has been a HUUUUUUGE help. i would love to be able to contribute at somepoint.

 

[achris]

Re: Steering lever / arm nut Q!!!

Thanks a lot for your reply. I guess you are right about not knowing for sure about spline v square... i thought i had seen it somehow along the way, but i guess i am assuming it is square based on shopping for them. I will go after the bolt in the spring, and since i have to take the lower end off to fix the shifting lever so if i need to pull the bell housing to swap the upper pin, i can do it then. I just dont want things to get too ugly, since i am a shade tree mechanic (i even impressed myself i was able to pull off the drilling into the transom housing) the internet and iboats has been a HUUUUUUGE help. i would love to be able to contribute at somepoint.

Just by asking the questions, and all the replies, you're contributing. By allowing this thread to sit in the archives for others searching for the same answers in the future... :thumb:

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Steering lever / arm nut Q!!!

The "book" says it could be either https://www.mercruiserparts.com/Sho...bdesc=GIMBAL+RING+ASSEMBLY+AND+STEERING+LEVER . There should be a threaded hole in the bottom of the pin where you can screw in a bolt should you need to pull the pin to repair. When I did mine just drilled a hole through a board, then bolt through and up into pin, held one end and used a hammer to drive the board down, pulling the pin. You need to remove the large nut and clamping screw and the clamping screws on the ring. The manual calls for a slide hammer, but there is no room unless you pull the bottom pin, and that can be very difficult. If it is a bad spline you should be able to replace with a square. Good luck.

 

[JustJason]

Re: Steering lever / arm nut Q!!!

It's not the pin that wears. (they can rust out, but they will not wear out). The pin is hardened steel, the gimbal ring and steering lever are aluminum. If you take the 2 and rub them together the hardened steel is going to win that match every time. So you either have a loose steering lever, or a worn out gimbal ring. Likely a combination of the both. These are critical parts, and when your at speed, if the gimbal ring or steering lever fails, the drive is going to swing hard to the left, and there isn't anything you are going to be able to do about it. Again if your at speed when this happens, it is enough to flip the boat. Falling out of a boat at 40 mph sucks on it own. But falling out and having the boat flip over you (while that propeller is still spinning) is deadly. The best advice here is you have to bite the bullet and replace the gimbal ring and steering lever.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Steering lever / arm nut Q!!!

Yeah Jason, that is what worries me, that the splines in the steering lever are almost gone, and will hold for a while after tightening, but could well let go entirely under pressure from a hard turn.

 

[JustJason]

Re: Steering lever / arm nut Q!!!

It's like trying to drive a car with a bad tie rod. It's not a good/safe idea to do so. It will eventually break, it's only a matter of when, not if.

 

[mlangster]

Re: Steering lever / arm nut Q!!!

Thanks for the replacement tips! seems really easy once i get the bell housing out, but i get concerned about breaking something when pulling the bell housing out(me cave man). Also i fear not being able to get the nut off the top of the pin, Im suure its a lot of "put wrench on nut and turn the gimbal ring - repeat" action. this has been a very fast learning curve thus far, why stop?

Side note, I am CERTAIN there is no gimbal ring slop because i can see the pin and gimbal ring interface and they move 100% in sync with no slop or discrepancy in moving. i could manually manipulate the prop and the pin ALWAYS moved with the gimbal ring. I did tighten the clamp screws for maintenance, but didnt change anything. Thats how i knew that drilling the holes in the transom housing and tightening the clamp bolt would work, because by process of elimination(the upper pin/gimbal ring were solid, there was no play at the steering linkage/arm thereby leaving one other variable left = pin/arm)


ok, just a figurative.... IF its the square/square pin, would that be a better situation to just tighten.. seems like better physics on my side. this was a project boat, and i dont want to throw money into it because i will most likely sell after this summer. but if it will run me 50 ish bucks for a nice used tight pin/arm.... i might as well..

and by the way.. "These are critical parts, and when your at speed, if the gimbal ring or steering lever fails, the drive is going to swing hard to the left, and there isn't anything you are going to be able to do about it. Again if your at speed when this happens, it is enough to flip the boat. Falling out of a boat at 40 mph sucks on it own. But falling out and having the boat flip over you (while that propeller is still spinning) is deadly." is precisely the horrific(and particulalrly detailed) situation that i have in the back of my head. If i was oblivious, i would just chalk the minute slop currently on the boat to the "deep V play" everyone talks about. I have a long career and a smokin wife to worry about!!

Again, i thank all of you for your time/opinions/wisdom. It means a lot to a newb boat mechanic!

 

[JustJason]

Re: Steering lever / arm nut Q!!!

I have a long career and a smokin wife to worry about!!

If that's the case. Pics of the wife will be required to continue. For science of course =)

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Steering lever / arm nut Q!!!

If it is a sq/sq may be OK, sq/sp I suspect your splines in the lever are in poor shape. If you have kept the ring tight on the shaft it is probably OK, being loose is what wares them out. I would suggest pulling the shaft and looking at it and the lever. You loosen the big nut by driving it with a cold chisel on the corner. Yeah not easy, you replace the nut with one that is already notched. If it is splined you can probably pick up a used shaft and lever on e-bay, if sq and worn, a good used lever should do it. Better safe than sorry. Good luck.