aligning the steering wheel

[laccanookie]

Hi, i have an 84 commander and an 84 yamaha 70 horse center console style of boat.I recently bought a new steering wheel i went to put it on and it dosent center and there just arent enough slots for the woodruff key to line it up and make it center.So I unhooked the cable at the steering box and at the motor not completely but enough for the motor to move now Im not sure what to do.Im not a mechanic but Ill tear anything apart. If someone could run me through the process of fixing this it would be deeply appreciated. Im a better fisherman then mechanic

 

[Chris1956]

Re: aligning the steering wheel

OTR - If you have a single cable rack and pinon type steering, you can usually center the steering wheel pretty well. First set the motor straight ahead, next unbolt the rack from the pinon, then center the steering wheel and reattach the rack to the pinon.<br /><br />In case you are not familar with the rack and pinon steering system: The rack is an 18" long bar of cast aluminum with saw-shaped teeth. it rides in a casing or track under the dash board. The pinon is a round, toothed gear attached the the steering wheel shaft. The rack will unbolt from the pinon with two 9/16" or 5/8" bolts. When the rack is unbolted, grease the pinon, center the steering wheel and rebolt the rack.