Mechanical Steering outboard will only turn motor right and back to center

[fatlaz]

My pontoon with mechanical cable steering will only turn right and back to the center. Initially when I turned left, the wheel seemed to slip and did not turn the motor. Finally, I could turn the motor to the right and back to the center but not to the left. What do you all think happened and how should I fix it?

 

[GA_Boater]

What type of steering do you have - Rotary or rack and pinion?

 

[Bondo]

What do you all think happened and how should I fix it?

Ayuh,..... Welcome Aboard,....... It sounds like the helm gears stripped out,.....

Order a new helm, 'n cable kit, 'n install it,......

 

[fatlaz]

OK. Thanks. Now that I know a little more, I can ask more intelligent questions. It is a rotary helm. I have removed the Morse helm. With the helm removed, I can horse the motor left and right and get the cable to extend and retract. (Now that I see the zert fittings, I'll grease the cable.) The helm is easy to replace. The cable will be hard to replace. Can I replace the helm without replacing the cable? The end of the cable that went into the helm looks OK to me. If so, is there something I need to be aware of to look for so the new helm will mesh properly with the old cable?

 

[Bondo]

Can I replace the helm without replacing the cable?

Ayuh,..... they both wear,..... how many times do you want to do this,..??

 

[GA_Boater]

Why will it be hard to change out the cable?

 

[fatlaz]

I don't have a trailer and the boat is in the water. I can borrow someone's trailer, but last time I messed with the cable was when I had to replace my transom. I had to slide the motor off the cable because I couldn't push the cable through the tilt tube (not sure that is what it is called) without hitting the structure of the boat.

 

[Bondo]

I had to slide the motor off the cable because I couldn't push the cable through the tilt tube (not sure that is what it is called) without hitting the structure of the boat.

Ayuh,..... Unbolt the tube, 'n pull it off the cable,....... it's only 2 bolts, 1 up, 'n 1 down,.....

 

[GA_Boater]

Ayuh,..... Unbolt the tube, 'n pull it off the cable,....... it's only 2 bolts, 1 up, 'n 1 down,.....

Take the tilt tube out? Maybe I'm not understanding.

Isn't the tilt tube the only thing that holds the motor to the clamp bracket? Take it off and the motor falls in the drink unless the the motor is held up in the air somehow.

 

[Bondo]

My Bad,..... Had I/O on the brain,...... Didn't go back to the top to see it's an outboard,.......

Sorry,....

 

[GA_Boater]

It happens, Bondo.

Tight quarters do make for harder cable replacement in a lot of boats. Since 2000, Morse has been owned by Teleflex. Maybe contact Teleflex to find out which helm will match your cable. They will probably recommend replacing the helm and cable.

 

[fatlaz]

Thanks everyone!

 

[fatlaz]

I eventually changed both the cable and the helm with the boat in the water. It was a lot of work. We had a 90 degree day so the cold water felt good. I was able to remove a piece of trim that made it a little easier, but I've got sheet metal cuts and scratches to show for it. I didn't realize how smooth it was to steer a boat and how stiff my steering had been for the last few years.