Installation Problem with Telflex Hydraulic Steering

Big Keepers

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 13, 2007
Messages
293
I'm trying to install the Telflex hydraulic steering on my 1985 Yamaha 200 outboard. The first problem I'm encountering is getting the metal rod through the tilt tube on the stern bracket. I tried as best as I could to clean out the oxidation in that tube and about 3" of the metal rod made it in. I am assuming the rod and tube need to fit tight so there is no play but this is overtight. I started to tap the rod in with a hammer (I put an old nut on the end of it first so I didn't mushroom the threads and end) and it started to go in but then got stiffer and stiffer. I finally got the rod through but I don't know if there is supposed to be any play in it whatsoever to be able to slide it back and forth during the install. I'm afraid I may have screwed up bigtime here.

Second issue. According to the instructions the tiller bolt is supposed to be threaded from the top of the tiller down into the tiller itself and the nut torqued on from the bottom. Well as with everything else the bolt is about an inch + in length and there is about half an inch of room between the tiller and the bottom of the lower cowling. There is no way in the universe to get the bolt on that way. I decided to screw it in from the bottom but it is almost as impossible to get the nut on the bolt. My question is when that tiller bolt is completely threaded in, how much should be sticking out of the tiller and the piston assembly? I can't see how it is even possible to take that lower cowling off. I refuse to start drilling and cutting holes in it to get the bolt in. Has anyone else ever had these issues?

I may end up installing as much of it as I can myself and taking the entire boat to the marina to have them do the rest. I don't want to have to do that but with the problem I'm having getting the rod into the tilt tube I may have already screwed up something.
 

Tiki35

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jun 23, 2007
Messages
89
Re: Installation Problem with Telflex Hydraulic Steering

I installed the same system on my 2000 Mercury 150HP.
If you read Teleflex's site, annual greasing of the rod going into the tilt tube is pretty important, otherwise you will blow the seals on the cylinder. If yours is too tight and it sure sounds like it is, I would replace the tilt tube.
I have also read about some people using a drill and fabricating an attachment similar to a small wire bottle washing brush and honing the inside of the tilt tube so it is smooth again.

Regarding the bolt, I had the exact same issue. The bolt that comes with the Seastar system was way too long, so I used the existing bolt that was on my previous mechanical steering.
 

Big Keepers

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 13, 2007
Messages
293
Re: Installation Problem with Telflex Hydraulic Steering

Does the rod that goes into the tilt tube ever move while turning the steering wheel? I was under the assumption that it remained locked in place and the cylinders moved the tiller right and left.
 
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