Mystery Steering Slack

[brodie123]

with help from the good folks here, I have my transom apart to get at the steering and do a few other maint items (seals etc)

One of the main reasons I pulled the whole asmbly apart was a slack between the steering link rod and the bell housing. I expected the upper swivel shaft pin (correct term?) to be worn.

With the bell housing off the boat - I held my hand on the swivel pin and experienced confirmed slack on the shift arm. The swivel pin did not move in the gimble.

I pulled the steering rod and pin. I do not see 'any' wear or signs of slack (tight as could be when I put them back together on their own. The pin does how some rust (very minimal - surface) on the lower splines. I inspected the splines on the gimble and see no signs of wear.

Where is the slack???

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Mystery Steering Slack

18 to 19 or 19 to1 are the only places
http://www.marinepartsexpress.com/M...25577_0D469858/GIMBAL RING-STEERING LEVER.pdf

 

[brodie123]

Re: Mystery Steering Slack

I guess I can try and put the pin back in without the arm and see if there is any play. one would think you would see some form of wear pattern???

 

[MahtyMaht]

Re: Mystery Steering Slack

WooHooo!! Lucky man. It would appear that you just need to torque the pinch bolt on the tiller arm. Keep it torqued, too, or the slack will enable it to chew the square hole in the tiller, and/or the square part of the pivot pin that goes thru it.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Mystery Steering Slack

Where is the slack???

There are only two sources of slack: either the connection where the steering arm clamps onto the small square of the upper swivel shaft, or where the gimbal ring clamps onto the large square of the upper swivel shaft. This is what it looks like: http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show...&bnbr=50&bdesc=GIMBAL+RING+AND+STEERING+LEVER with an 88 you should have a square square shaft. Have you retorqued the two gimbal ring clamping screws to 55 ft. lb. (#28)? If the steering lever moves but the uss does not then most likely the lever is loose on the swivel shaft (upper small square). good luck.

 

[brodie123]

Re: Mystery Steering Slack

There are only two sources of slack: either the connection where the steering arm clamps onto the small square of the upper swivel shaft, or where the gimbal ring clamps onto the large square of the upper swivel shaft. This is what it looks like: http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show...&bnbr=50&bdesc=GIMBAL+RING+AND+STEERING+LEVER with an 88 you should have a square square shaft. Have you retorqued the two gimbal ring clamping screws to 55 ft. lb. (#28)? If the steering lever moves but the uss does not then most likely the lever is loose on the swivel shaft (upper small square). good luck.

It's actually a splined assmbly - not the square version. Guessing 1979-1981. There a compression bolt (horizontal) and a nut that goes on top of the swivel pin - above the shift arm. Torque settings on these would be VERY helpful!

 

[cr2k]

Re: Mystery Steering Slack

Tight enough that you don't have to do it often.

How about the steering cable to steering arm. Is that hole oblong?

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Mystery Steering Slack

OK, first things first. There is no torque value for the large nut on top. That is a nylon lock nut and and tightening or loosening it sets the clearance on the bottom of the gimbal ring. The arm clamping bolt 75 ft.lb. Next thing to do is retorque the gimbal ring clamping screws to 55 ft. lb and see if that helps. If not hold the ring in place and have someone move the lever back and forth. Does the swivel shaft move inside the gimbal ring. If it does the square hole has probably worn to the point where the ring needs to be rebuilt. If it does not, the problem is with the splined hole in the steering arm. The problem then is getting to the clamping bolt, you either have to pull the engine or drill holes in the gimbal housing to get to it. Read this: http://www.mercstuff.com/gimbalringinst.htm Good luck.

 

[brodie123]

Re: Mystery Steering Slack

lol,

As said before, it's all dissasembled and the arm & swivel is on the bench.

there is no square hole, it's the older spline style 1979-81.

I don't see 'any' clampling screws other than the main nut and clamping bolt.

Please advise.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Mystery Steering Slack

So the upper swivel shaft (#17) is on the bench. There are two clamping surfaces on it. A round splined upper part and a square part down at the bottom of the shaft, correct? steering arm slides onto the splined part and is held in place by a clamping bolt. The large square part of the shaft fits into a a square hole at the top of the gimbal ring, and is held in place by two bolts (#28) that go through the top of the ring. When properly torqued they squeeze the ring around the shaft holding it in place. The square hole is in the top of the ring. The shaft is steel so will show little wear. What happens is if the aluminum gimbal ring becomes loose the square hole will become worn and will no longer fit the shaft. Does yours look like the one in the drawing? If not we may be talking about two different things here LOL.

 

[frank246]

Re: Mystery Steering Slack

The only way to get rid of the play on the older splined shaft and steering arm is to buy a new set or better...change/upgrade over to the square typo shaft, gimbal ring and steering arm.
Good luck!