sms986
Petty Officer 1st Class
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2017
- Messages
- 334
I'm looking for suggestions and/or tried and true methods for extending the steering radius.
I have a mechanical steering system on my duracraft flat bottom. I installed the steering, with other controls, because with the 40hp Evinrude big twin (1963) on the back, I need to be positioned further forward when driving to keep the bow down. Everything went well except for the steering setup. I made a temporary linkage arm from the steering cable end to where the steering mechanism goes on the motor (where my finger is pointing in the picture) and immediately noticed the steering was very tight. Took it on the water to test out and the performance was pathetic. I had to drop the tiller arm just to get back to the dock. Essentially, the current setup only allows the motor to turn about 30% in either direction. I need a longer lock to lock travel distance to make this work, but I couldn't find a longer cable for Jon boat cost. So, I'm trying to figure out how to make a little mechanism for increasing the steering radius of the motor while using the same cable I currently have on here. In theory, attaching the linkage to a point closer to the motor's axis of rotation should work, but there is so much in the way that it is virtually impossible to do this. Any other suggestions? Thanks!
Also, I apologise for not having a complete setup picture on here. I was frustrated last night and it was late so I just put the motor away and went to bed.
I have a mechanical steering system on my duracraft flat bottom. I installed the steering, with other controls, because with the 40hp Evinrude big twin (1963) on the back, I need to be positioned further forward when driving to keep the bow down. Everything went well except for the steering setup. I made a temporary linkage arm from the steering cable end to where the steering mechanism goes on the motor (where my finger is pointing in the picture) and immediately noticed the steering was very tight. Took it on the water to test out and the performance was pathetic. I had to drop the tiller arm just to get back to the dock. Essentially, the current setup only allows the motor to turn about 30% in either direction. I need a longer lock to lock travel distance to make this work, but I couldn't find a longer cable for Jon boat cost. So, I'm trying to figure out how to make a little mechanism for increasing the steering radius of the motor while using the same cable I currently have on here. In theory, attaching the linkage to a point closer to the motor's axis of rotation should work, but there is so much in the way that it is virtually impossible to do this. Any other suggestions? Thanks!
Also, I apologise for not having a complete setup picture on here. I was frustrated last night and it was late so I just put the motor away and went to bed.
