Can't get the steering arm tight on the helmet.

[Mullin]

I think this is the opposite problem of what most people have with the steering arm, mine won't tighten down.
When I pulled the outdrive for maintenance, the helmet just fell out! Sure I had to disconnect it from the leg first but I didn't have to loosen the steering arm.

I put it all back together and tightened the clamping bolt on the steering arm real good. Well it won't fall off because it's bolted onto the leg, and the splines keep the steering correct, but the shaft of the helmet can move up and down about a half inch. When it was apart I checked it out and both bushings looked good and I replaced the outer rubber seal for good measure.

So before I go hit that bolt with an impact driver, is there something else I should try or check? Why is this thing not clamping down? Maybe I'm missing something simple here...

 

[Pesimist]

Re: Can't get the steering arm tight on the helmet.

And you are sure the bolt is not too long? Ensure the unthreaded portion of the bolt is not bottoming out before the head makes contact.

 

[Mullin]

Re: Can't get the steering arm tight on the helmet.

Great idea! I knew it might be something simple. And I had the bolt out and noticed that it is not threaded all the way up, so this might be it.

 

[captmello]

Re: Can't get the steering arm tight on the helmet.

Hmmm, mines the same way. I always figured it was a bad bushing, but never got to it. let us know what you find.

 

[Mullin]

Re: Can't get the steering arm tight on the helmet.

Well the bolt had plenty of threads left and wasn't bottomed out.

I disconnected the helmet from the leg and dropped it down as far as it would go, wouldn't come all the way out though with the upper in the way.
With the shaft mostly out, I cranked down on the bolt as hard as I could to try and tighten it. This was with a new hardened steel bolt, but I think the old one is a hardened as well, 3/8 x 2.5"

It must have gave it the room to tighten a little extra because when I put the helmet shaft back all the way up it seems to have tightened pretty good. I'll revisit this after a cruise next weekend.

 

[jerryjerry05]

Re: Can't get the steering arm tight on the helmet.

This spindle arm pinch slot is not long enough.
And the bolt being too long is not the issue, unless the bolt threads are too short, and the bolt shank is interfering.
If the bolt was too short, he'd have stripped the threads by now.

The spindle arm is threaded completely through the one side of it. This is a grade #8 3/8" NC bolt, and must reach through the entire spindle arm.

As for the "pinch"..............., you needs to increase the length of the pinch slot by sawing into it, and by making the slot longer. He could go another 1/4" without harm.

 

[Glastron_V210]

Re: Can't get the steering arm tight on the helmet.

After taking mine off, I had to open them up so much they did the same thing when I reinstalled it.

I did 2 things:

1) Drilled out the pinch screw threads and went with a bolt/nylock nut (Much stronger)
2) When that still wouldn't pull in it, I took off the arm, heated it up and gave it a couple of good whacks with a hammer to tighten it up a bit...that worked.

Chay