another steering question, R&P

[ziggy]

i'm gonna need to do something with my steering too. it aint broke, yet. i do feel the gears while turning though (the gears in the r&p i think). got me a det-mar rack & pinion system. think it's a det-mar 500, though i'd have to go look again to be sure of that statement.
wondering if i got this right. generally speakin. is the cable attached to the rack and non removable? any chance i can remove the rack for serviceing or just R& R the R&P assy. w/o doing the cable? seems like i just feel the gears meshin to much. i see an adj. screw on the back of the pionion gear shaft. though i only feel it's for adjusting the tension of how hard ya have to turn the wheel. seems like i need to adj the depth of gear mesh or lub it up maybe. this det-mar 500, if that's what it is. has a round tube to house the rack (as oppessed to a square tube) with a nut at ea. end. i assume to dissassemble it. i've not seen 'any' det-mar 500 rack and pionion steering systems anywheres on the www. least nothing that looks like what i got...anybody got any insight for me. ya know, like R&R the whole thing and be done with it. sounds pretty easy to do. don't look to easy to do though. guess i'd rather fix it before R&Rin but certainly want to do it richious as it is the steereing....
i've also not checked the drive end. i do have a little free play in the steerin wheel too. can move it back and forth a bit w/o any reaction from the drive. maybe i need to be checkin back there.......i still suspect the r&p though. mostly cause i can feel what i think is the pionion gear engageing the rack thru the full range of the wheel.........

 

[Bondo]

Re: another steering question, R&P

Well Ziggy,.......

I'd have to Guess that Teli-Flex has Bought Out Det-Mar, or whom ever built your steering,....
As They've Bought Up All the Competition......

And,.....
With the Price of Complete Helms,+ Cables,.......

I'll Never take 1 Apart again........

The 1s I Have taken apart,....
The "Rack" is a Solid piece, With the Cable,....Not Removeable.....

I'd sooner Think that the Bushings in/ on the the Pinnion Shaft are just Worn Out........
Another Good Reason to Just Replace the Whole Thing..........

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: another steering question, R&P

this just saved me time

http://forums.iboats.com/bbBoard.cgi?a=viewthread;fid=1;gtid=1232732

 

[DJ]

Re: another steering question, R&P

And,.....
With the Price of Complete Helms,+ Cables,.......

I'll Never take 1 Apart again........

Ditto.

There are several things on a boat that you DO NOT want to go cheap on.

1. Fuel storage/hoses.

2. Steering.

3. Electrical.

 

[ziggy]

Re: another steering question, R&P

I'd sooner Think that the Bushings in/ on the the Pinnion Shaft are just Worn Out........

in the blow up of pics i've seen of R&P steering. that's what i think is at issue here too, the pinion gear bush. prior to takin it apart that is, it feels more like sepeartion of the rack and pinion gear and thats why i feel the gears as i turn. thanks for confirmin that the cable and the rack are one too. that was something that i was wonderin about. i did find one R&P from det-mar on the www. though not the one i have. teleflex buyin em up would explain that i reckon. darn big companys, they are gonna own the world before to long. then we'll all be at their mercy.....hum, already are at their mercy would probably be more correct......grrrr.

thanks td, i've been followin that one too. was gonna highjack his thread but thought better before i did.

thanks dwj. sounds like you and bondo are together on R&Rin that baby. and i'm hip. steerings a mighty crittical item to be sure. along with the others that you mentioned.
sounds like i'll be lookin for a proper R&P set up to me...i suppose from teleflex, ay? (sarcasim)

my todolist for the aristocraft is gettin longer......

thanks folks, happy new years to ya all...........

 

[DJ]

Re: another steering question, R&P

Ziggy,

You can replace the rack with a rotary. The rotary will give you a little more room under the dash.

Just a thought.

 

[ziggy]

Re: another steering question, R&P

is there any benifit, one way or the other, r&p over rotay.....or is it just a space thing.......the r&p lasted since 75 to 06. that's not bad, 31 years.... but if rotary would last longer....., not that that is of any relivance in an old boat, but............bet my main obstical is gonna be how to get it there. bet i got it goin thru foam at the transom in this woodfree boat....just a guess. it's rainin lately so can't go look, but i will.......i was hopein that R&R wasn't the answer. but guessed it was probably the right answer. just as long as i can keep my oem aristocraft steering wheel i guess at this point......

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: another steering question, R&P

after having both, i perfer rotary, over r&p. the steering shaft are the same on the new models. so you may have to get an adapter for the oem wheel. all you can do is remove the wheel and see what you have.

 

[Bondo]

Re: another steering question, R&P

Ayuh,......
Depending on How your wheel is Attached to the Helm will be the Issue,.......

Standard Attachment is with a 3/4" Taper,.....

Some old Wheels used a Square Taper,.... Not Good,..
No Adapters avaiable that I've Ever seen....

Some others used a Spline,..... Again, Not Good.....

Matter of Fact,....
The Only Adapters I've run accross are 1" taper to 3/4" taper..........

Sure Hope your old Aristo wheel is a Taper Mount.....

 

[DJ]

Re: another steering question, R&P

Preference?

Personally, I think the rotary models are smoother. That could just be in my mind.

The others are right about the shaft. All new units are 3/4" taper. However, if your wheel isn't like that, there are a million wheel choices out there.

Replacing steering cables can be challenging, at times. Just take your time.

I suggest removing the old one before you order a new one. That way you will get an exact measurement.

 

[ziggy]

Re: another steering question, R&P

thanks for the insight friends. to be con't after the snow and cold.....

happy new years to all, ziggy......

 

[ziggy]

Re: another steering question, R&P (updated)

Re: another steering question, R&P (updated)

just thought i'd revive an old one and let ya all know how it turned out. well, me bein the lazy type, i've been livin with my helm like it was. losey goosey, gear feel and creakin whilst turning.

but. yesterday. i got tired of the squeaky stering and figured i'd give is a bit of lub. didn't figure it'd do much, but figured i'd give it a try. nothing to loose that's fer sure. well, to my amazement, after removein the aristocraft logo in the center of my wheel. i see the steering wheel nut. a nice big one.....well, just reached down there and unscrewed it with my fingers....hum, that aint hip at all. so i blast my spray lub down the shaft. tighted the nut and low and behold my steerin slop is gone. amazing what a tightend down nut will do fer ya...still creaked though. so went to the bottom of the r&p and find the tension adj. screw. it makes the wheel harder or looser to move i suppose depends on yer preferance for wheel stifness. well, a little more lub on the friction point where the spring seats to the rack houseing. cool, no more sqeaks or creaks....i'd even say it's fixed. also lost the gear feel it had. suppose it liked haveing the pinion shaft tighted up. guessin the r&p are mated more proper with the tightened nut.

thanks for everyones help...

drove it out of the launch site yesterday with a big smile on my face. amazing how much easier it is to drive out the narrow channel i launch from with tight smooth steering.......