Looking for ideas - converting to hydraulic steering
Submitted by randall df223 on Tue, 2016-03-29 19:26
Sometime in the future i am going to convert from cable / rod steering to hydraulic steering (if its not cost prohibitive). If i win lotto it could be this year, but more likely next year.
When i have looked in the past at off the shelf hydraulic kits, its become apparent that i dont have enough clearance between the tilt pivot point and the deck to install an off the shelf product. I just have a flat aft deck without any outboard "well" or recess.
I run a 75hp honda on a plate ali goldstar.
Has anyone had a similiar issue and how did you overcome it?
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Fish! HARD!
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Did you see the Teleflex NFB thread a while back?
fishwrecked.com/forum/teleflex-no-feedback-helm an alternative to hydraulic,much cheaper and will fit straight to your existing cable setup.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Cheers for that. Will read
Cheers for that. Will read and investigate further.
Fish! HARD!
holth
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 09/10/06
Yeah on smaller motors l
Yeah on smaller motors l personally dont think theres much benifit to go hydrolic. The NFB system for cost is the way to go.
Krusty
Posts: 714
Date Joined: 27/11/15
I installed the NFB on my
I installed the NFB on my f115 a few weeks ago and couldn't be happier.
Definitely worth a try before spending all your hard earned on hydraulic for that sized motor.
My fishing spots are so secret........... even the fish don't know where they are !!
Grumpysmurf
Posts: 97
Date Joined: 26/02/09
What is you motivator to
What is you motivator to change your steering at all?
I changed my 150hp Mercury due to extremely heavy steering which required double handed grip. There are models which is designed to fit into very small well space.
Haines Signature 610C with Mercury 150 EFI
DTrain
Posts: 486
Date Joined: 10/02/12
Have you looked at the
Have you looked at the sidemount options like these:
http://www.hydrive.com.au/products/other-options/hydrive-hydraulic-steering/side-mount-cylinders/78?TreeId=20
They move the cylinder to the side of the outboard instead of being in front of it and the rod goes through the tilt tube the same as a cable setup would.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
That is an option that would
That is an option that would work space wise.
Fish! HARD!
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Question.Does the steering
Question.
Does the steering rod or hydraulic ram, either side mount or front mount still come in contact with the tilt tube (is that what its called?) Or is it free from any contact other than in the hydraulic ram? The reason i ask is my push pull cable steering is starting to stick again before it gets to full lock (in the closed position). Last time i had the steering replaced the guys at dinghy world said inside the tube was quite pitted.
If going hydraulic or the other (clutched) option isnt going to eradicate this problem i dont want to spend all that money.
Fish! HARD!
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
You have just picked the no 1 problem (IMO)with cable steering
I've seen perfectly good cables replaced when the problem was the inside of the tilt pivot tube being corroded up. Why manufacturers insist on doing these in what appears to be mild steel just defeats me. Only fix I've ever seen was to remove the cable completely and just clean out the gunk and put plenty of grease into it. Some types of hydraulic steering will have the same problem as cable as they utilise the tilt tube in the same manner.
holth
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 09/10/06
Give the tilt tube a good
Give the tilt tube a good clean mate. I did mine on my old motor before fitting the new steering. Take cable out. Get all grease out and clean well with degreaser. Theres a small oring at the end. Mite need a new one. Get some emery paper in there and try remove some of the rust build up. Dont use grease. Get some moly lube. Its a white lithuim based grease and use that when packing. Dont forget to put oring back in.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
So how do i get a seized rod
So how do i get a seized rod out? I have disconnected the cable from the helm. But i only got the steering rod two thirds into the tilt tube (ie there is still about one third still exposed) and its not going any further in that direction, or coming back out.
Fish! HARD!
holth
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 09/10/06
Once the nut on steering
Once the nut on steering cable is undone that screws onto the tilt tube at motor end the whole steering cable should just pull out. The grease in the tilt tube must gone rock hard. Im surprised you could steer the boat if its like this.
Get a hammer and give it a hit on the end of steering rod to free it up. You may need to knock it all the way through with a smaller diameter rod
Throw some pics up.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Yeah i have some ideas from
Yeah i have some ideas from FB. i have taken the grease nipples out and sprayed some innox in there. Ill try to heat it with a heat gun to loosen the grease, knock it out with someone pulling on it all at the same time.
Fish! HARD!
holth
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 09/10/06
Dont worry about the grease
Dont worry about the grease nipples, they dont go all way through into steering cable. They grease the outer lining of the tilt tube.
Go easy on the heat
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Got the job done today. Had
Got the job done today. Had to take a day off work to do it
All fixed.
With a bit of persuasion the steering rod came out of the tilt tube and i hit it with the de-greaser. I then found an old fibreglass rod (from a dockers flag of mine) and cut a split in one end. Got some emery paper and slid it into the slit and wrapped it around the rod tip. Put the other end in the drill and gave the inside of the tube a good sanding.
I used some fine wet and dry on the steering rod and checked it in the tube. Moved freely all the way in and out.
Cleaned up the outer end where the o ring was meant to be.
Smeared it with marine lithium grease and refitted it with a new o ring.
Bought a new helm (ouch. Credit card hurting). The old one had snapped a cog bearing so this was necessary.
Fitted the new helm and she is good as new and better than before.
Fish! HARD!
holth
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 09/10/06
Good to hear randell. Yeah
Good to hear randell. Yeah the lithum based grease is the go. Doesnt go hard.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Mechanic at all boats said i
Mechanic at all boats said i really should pull it apart and clean it out and regrease it every six months or so if i want it to last more than 2 - 3 years. Just add it to list of maintenance!
Fish! HARD!
holth
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 09/10/06
Yeah wouldnt hurt for piece
Yeah wouldnt hurt for piece of mind. Certainly easier and cheaper than replacing the tilt tube. When not in use give it a few turns now and then to keep it all lubed.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Already do that. Thats how
Already do that. Thats how i discovered it tightening up again.
Fish! HARD!
Krusty
Posts: 714
Date Joined: 27/11/15
Did you end up getting a NFB
Did you end up getting a NFB helm since you had to buy one anyway ?
My fishing spots are so secret........... even the fish don't know where they are !!
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
No i went for a straight
No i went for a straight replacement as i was time poor and i wanted one that would bolt straight back on without needing any mods or re-drilling. Its actually nicely quite stiff anyway but a assume that will loosen up with a bit of use.
Fish! HARD!
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Time poor because we leave
Time poor because we leave for monkey mia on friday for a two week fishing holiday.
Fish! HARD!
Krusty
Posts: 714
Date Joined: 27/11/15
Fair enough and at least
Fair enough and at least it's ready for the water again
When I changed mine over though it was a super easy swap with no drilling or mods of any sort. Just remove the old and in with the new, same bolt holes, bracket and cover.
Anyway, food for thought if you do ever decide to try the NFB helm.
My fishing spots are so secret........... even the fish don't know where they are !!
Deleted
Posts: 6265
Date Joined: 26/04/14
where did you buy yours
where did you buy yours from?
Krusty
Posts: 714
Date Joined: 27/11/15
Midway Marine, Rockingham.I
Midway Marine, Rockingham.
I have found them to be quite reasonable with the few things I have picked up from there.
My fishing spots are so secret........... even the fish don't know where they are !!
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
I think the most pressing
I think the most pressing issue with mine is the deterioration of the tilt tube, particularly the outer end where the o ring is housed. I have managed to clean it up and get it re-fitted with the o ring in place, but i am not confident the o ring will stay there too long. Need to keep an eye on it.
Fish! HARD!
holth
Posts: 812
Date Joined: 09/10/06
I think you should be good
I think you should be good with the new oring mate. My old mercurys tube was bad and the new oring held in place for the next 2 years of use till the motor died.