Question about "no feed back" steering on an I/O

[nailem]

i am looking at buying my brother-in-laws 18' Aquaton. it has a 3.0L and alpha 1 gen 2 drive. there is no power steering and from being out on it last year after a full day of tubing ans skiing it does get old. I was looking at power steering options and it sounds like hydraulic is expensive, but i came across the no feed back system that is relatively inexpensive. everything i find shows it for outbourds but i read some post from what it sounded like on I/Os.

so i guess my question is, are NFB steering only for outbourds or can you put them on I/Os.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Question about "no feed back" steering on an I/O

or can you put them on I/Os.

Ayuh,... Sure, the drive don't care,+ the hookups are the same...

 

[nailem]

Re: Question about "no feed back" steering on an I/O

thanks for the response.
how do i know which one to get since they are listed by outboard?
do i just get the right cable length by checking the turns to full lock? thanks for your help.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Question about "no feed back" steering on an I/O

Ayuh,... I just looked, Here,+ it lists sterndrives as well as outboards...

Pick the helm you want, then the length of cable needed...
The length is usually printed on the old 1...
The number of turns gives you mechanical advantage,...
Cable length is determined by distance between the units...

 

[ken_23434]

Re: Question about "no feed back" steering on an I/O

I put a NFB helm on my boat last summer.

Just to make sure you are not wasting time and money, I wanted to describe the difference. I say this, cause it was my impression that most i/o boats from about 90'ish had a NFB style helm.

The NFB helm does not make it easier to turn. What it does, is lock the steering wheel essentially to any attempt to turn it by the engine end of the cable. Basically, if you put it in a turn and take your hands off, the wheel will stay in that position with a NFB helm.

With a standard helm, if you put the boat into a turn and then took your hands off the wheel, the engine would then force the steering wheel to repostion (to the center-ish).

THe NFB helm only reduces fatigue from you having to hold the boat in a turn, it doesn't actually make it easier to turn the wheel.

 

[ken_23434]

Re: Question about "no feed back" steering on an I/O

By the way, I got the Teleflex 4.3 NFB rotary type. To know what size cable you will need, it really is the easiest to pull the old cable out first and measure that one. I have heard that some of the cables with have the length marked on them, but mine had no such markings that I could find.

 

[nailem]

Re: Question about "no feed back" steering on an I/O

ken, thanks for your comment. i was indeed thinking this would make it easier to turn.

so i guess my only option is hydraulic system (power steering)????
it is not that hard to turn but my current boat has power steering and going from mine to his is night and day. it is one of the only things holding me back from buying it.
from what i can see it would cost me $1500 or so to put power steering on it. a think a gym membership would be cheaper.

am i correct in the cost of power steering?? can i just find a pump that would fit a 3.0 and but a cylinder of ebay. is there more to it tan that?

 

[Expidia]

Re: Question about "no feed back" steering on an I/O

You won't like the feel of NFB. I installed the Teleflex 4.2 kit and took it back off 2 weeks later and went back to the old Teleflex OEM.

I put it on to correct a steering whip around issue but it was from the O/B being up one hole too high.

The other poster described the feeling accurately for turns, but it also take the fun out of just relaxing and cruising around for straight runs too. I like the OEM where I just move my hands a little on the wheel like a car.

With NFB it was like driving a go cart with a rusty rack and pinion steering system. It was work "all the time" to move the wheel

My O/B is only a 40 4 stroke. I suppose if I had a 150-200 hp the NFB assist might be a benefit. Some posters love NFB. Hydraulic is the only way to go!

 

[ken_23434]

Re: Question about "no feed back" steering on an I/O

I like the improvement my NFB made over the previous helm. Now, when I got my boat, there was no helm. The one I put in came from a local "boat junk-yard", and other than being a Teleflex brand, I don't know what it was.

The NFB helm I believe is more comfortable to use, but it is still not a 1 finger in the spoke to turn the wheel.

The helms out there do have different ratio's, though. The more turns it takes from "lock to lock", the easier it will be to turn, but the slower it will be to respond. I seem to remember some of the helms were 3 turns total, where mine is 4.2 turns. The 4.2 will be easier to turn than the 3 turn one.

I have never used a hydraulic steer system, but I hear they are easier to turn, and require less maintenance.

 

[CascoBay]

Re: Question about "no feed back" steering on an I/O

I love the hydraulic steering systems. I can set the wheel to course and take my hands off the wheel for a long long long time without requiring adjustment of course, really is nice heading in from offshore.

 

[nailem]

Re: Question about "no feed back" steering on an I/O

My current boat has power steering, my question is how to or how costly is it to add it to the new boat. can i just buy a pump, buy or make a bracket to mount, oil cooler, hoses, and cylinder. is there any thing else. it looks like i can get a pump for around $50 and a cylinder on ebay for $50-$100. am i way off base??

 

[ken_23434]

Re: Question about "no feed back" steering on an I/O

You will need the PS cooler and hoses, also.

Cheapest way is to take it off current boat.