Steering friction - 68 merc 500

[akwormy]

Well...maybe I'm an idiot, but I cannot find the friction adjustment on this tiller steer outboard.

I've searched this forum with no luck for that specific model, lots of other models discussed and it seems the common location is underneath motor accessed by tilting it up - but I don't see anything on mine.

Also looked through the manual - no reference to it at all.

Does anyone know how to increase steering friction (this is tiller steer) on this unit? (it has to have one right? right??? please say yes...this thing is a beast to hold on to for a couple hours and unsafe because it immediately flops full over if you let go for a second)

Thanks.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: Steering friction - 68 merc 500

Was your motor converted to tiller steering? If so, it may not have the friction plate on it. Might have to improvise or find a donor motor with the parts you need. A friend of mine had one that was loosey-goosey like that and he ran two rubber bungie cords from the tow hooks on the transom over the exhaust housing. These gave a bit of friction to the motor and also allowed the motor to tilt if he tagged the bottom.
- Scott

 

[marxsman]

Re: Steering friction - 68 merc 500

If this is what I'm thinkng of, There should be two springs on each side of the motor that mount to the transum and then the cable. this pulls the motor each way causing the friction you are missing.

 

[akwormy]

Re: Steering friction - 68 merc 500

Was your motor converted to tiller steering?
- Scott

That's very possible - it had a brass barrel on the throttle cable and it looks like it has some shift interlock safety stuff that all looks to be disconected. Maybe it was a remote steer motor converted to tiller?

But wait a minute - it has a manual choke lever not an electric choke. Would a remote control motor have a choke that you had to stand at the cowl and pull up?

If anyone knows exactly where the steering friction would be, I'll check there so I can confirm if there is no such thing on mine.

 

[akwormy]

Re: Steering friction - 68 merc 500

bump....still trying to solve this - anyone know or able to point me towards where a friction adjustment would be if I had one?