What helm steering systems are you running? (20' Seafari)

[Capt Terry]

Originally Posted by JUST JOHN

Did the extra foot you mentioned adding to the cable length coincided with the move from rack to rotary?

Can’t remember, may have been 15 years ago. Am sure I ordered the 15’ the last time to duplicate what I had removed. PM me your email and I will send some pics of the aft strbrd corner.

[JUST JOHN]

Looking for advise here...

So in removing my old failed steering system, I hit a big problem. The steering cable rod nut won’t clear the hole drilled in the transom splashwell, and the rod hits before it can be removed. It’s only significant possible movement is axial because the other end hasn’t yet cleared the corresponding male bore in the engine tilt tube. In getting the old cable off, I sliced the nut clam-shell-style, but obviously I’ll experience the same clearance issue (in reverse) installing the new cable...

In the instructions it has the following disclaimer: "if necessary, remove the engine from the boat". I think either the engine needs to be loosened for clearance, or I need to dremel the thru hole larger, which I’m not thrilled about, at all. I haven’t tried installing the new cable yet as I ran out of daylight and patience, but fingers crossed for a miracle.

Also, any tricks for clearing out the old grease from the tilt tube bore that the cable cylinder rod rides in? I’m thinking like a rod used to clean a trombone slide, which I have, but that will be too long also... or rod brush and degreaser.

[erebus]

bumped into this issue many times at the boatyard.
It seems counter-intuitive and you brain will want to fight it, but unbolting the engine from the boat really is the best solution.

Dont need to remove it completely just unbolt it enough where you can jockey it around and get the old steering out and the new steering in.