How To Install A Cable Steering System On Your Boat

Mechanical Steering

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Past Tom Burden, Last updated x/xi/2021

Boaters by and large pay piddling attending to their boat's steering system, as long as it does the job without backlog friction or play, merely as our boats age, the steering system may need replacement.

When installing new steering, it'due south good exercise to replace a steering system with one of the aforementioned type as was originally installed in your boat—rotary with rotary, rack with rack, hydraulic with hydraulic. This ensures that your boat will continue to handle as it was designed, and simplifies the installation process (a very doable DIY projection for many boat owners). Try to identify the type of cable from marking on the jacket, and the helm from lettering on its cast/molded body.

Repair parts for mechanical steering helms, cables and engine connectedness kits are not available. These components must be replaced as units for safe and convenience and, since engine interfacing is standardized (on systems newer than 1976) your chore is simple. If you desire to improve performance for faster response or lower steering effort, upgrading to No Feedback, power-assisted mechanical or hydraulic steering can result in a big improvement. The retrofit becomes a lot more than complicated, however, requiring careful consideration of fit, operation and value. Changing from the original steering configuration may affect your boat's treatment and feel, and may be fabricated a bigger challenge due to modifications required to accommodate the new components. Be certain to water-exam your new system carefully as y'all become familiar with the changes in your boat'south maneuvering.

Parts of a Mechanical Organisation

Safe-T rotary helm has a relatively quick three turns lock-to-lock, but has a beefy gear housing, then is almost 7" wide.

Mechanical steering systems achieve proficient handling operation and provide prophylactic operation for smaller powerboats (up to 34'). They consist of a wheel, captain, button-pull cables and connectedness kits—hardware that allows yous to connect your steering organisation to your boat'south I/O or outboard engine. We'll kickoff past looking at the virtually important component, the helm.

Rotary Helms

The helm is the machinery backside the instrument panel that converts the wheel'southward rotary motion into a push button-pull motion on the cable. The steering wheel attaches to the helm. Rotary steering helms accept a circular gear around which the cable turns as y'all turn the wheel. There are two types of rotary helms, with different applications, strengths and weaknesses.

Reduction gear type: One or more than gears mesh with the steering drum to motility the helical core of the steering cable. This original rotary design (which include the Big-T and Safe-T helms) is nevertheless all-time in terms of strength and efficiency, since at that place are usually only two gears. These helms take the drawback of requiring a fairly big round associates behind the dash, since the steering shaft is located exterior the cable drum, so they frequently cannot be installed in smaller, more crowded dashboards.

Planetary gear type: This alternative fashion uses three or more gears that mesh internally with the cable drum to move the core of the steering cable. The Prophylactic-T 2 design from SeaStar, or the similar Rotech T71FC captain from Uflex, takes up the least possible space behind the dash, and so it's recommended for boats with small dashboards, or with instruments clustered effectually the bicycle. Drawbacks include many article of clothing points and more accumulated backlash (free play or "slop") from four or more gears meshing (compared with 2 typically found in reduction gear helms). They fit outboards up to 5-4 size only.

You can purchase replacement rack helms and cables separately, or save money past ordering a mechanical steering kit from either Uflex or Seastar Solutions

Rack and Pinion Helms

The rack and pinion helm includes a pinion gear fitted straight on the steering shaft that engages a rack gear in a tubular housing. Rack steering is the most efficient mechanical system for moving the cable, merely its drawback is its width. Rack steering requires a long rack housing that cannot fit behind many dashboards. Although a rack and pinion helm tin can exist installed at several different angles in relation to the nuance surface, using 10° or 20° wedge kits mounted nether the bezel (the mounting bracket and trim ring), rack helms take less mounting flexibility than rotary helms.

The primary difference between a rack and pinion and rotary captain is the course factor of the helm—how it fits in the infinite behind the mounting surface. Rotary helms extend a few inches above and beneath the axis of the steering wheel, and a few inches in the opposite direction of the steering cable. On boats with very low dashboards, rotary helms may not take enough vertical clearance. Rack and pinion helms are long rectangular boxes extending about i' away from the direction of the cable, but they are very compact vertically.

Mechanical Advantage—Response vs. Endeavor

Another aspect to consider is the mechanical reward of the helm, or how "fast" information technology turns. When a helm is specified as having a sure number of turns "lock to lock," it ways the number of steering bicycle rotations necessary to fully extend the cable from a retracted state. Faster gear ratios (three:1) require fewer turns, merely there is heavier helm pressure to showtime engine torque. Slower gear ratios (4.2:ane) require more turns, but at that place is less helm pressure level when turning against prop torque.

No FeedBack or Zero Torque Technology

About steering systems in our itemize are available as standard or No FeedBack (NFB) types. No FeedBack, which Uflex calls "Zero Torque", isolates the driver from the engine's torque. With traditional steering systems, the engine has a tendency to plough to the right, which the commuter compensates for past keeping force per unit area to the left on the wheel. This also allows the boat to plow rapidly to the correct should the driver lose his/her grip on the bicycle, resulting in a dangerously tight plough.

NFB helms have a clutch mechanism built in which keeps the gunkhole on course without constant fighting. The only time you experience the engine's torque is when you turn the helm. There are no disadvantages to the NFB systems, other than a pocket-sized $forty.00 boosted cost over regular systems, and we heartily recommend them if y'all are replacing your steering system. NFB cannot be used with PowerAssist or autopilots.

Big outboards have lots of torque coming from the prop. The UFLEX Zero Torque helm locks this out, isolating you from this constant tug on the wheel.

Steering Cables

Dual (Twin) Cable Systems

Mechanical steering systems rely on push button-pull steering cables to move your engine or rudder, but all cables include some backlash or lost motion, due to the nature of their design. Some high-operation boat/engine combinations (with maximum speeds above 50mph) cannot tolerate this amount of play, and develop high-speed instability. We recommend dual cable mechanical systems (or SeaStar PRO hydraulics) for these functioning boats. Dual cable steering allows you to remove most of the backfire by adjusting ane or both cables at the engine, minimizing engine flutter and handling instability.

Maintaining your steering cablevision

We propose the following periodic maintenance (at least twice a season). Clean and lubricate the engine tilt tube or cable support tube, and the steering cable telescopic output ram every bit follows:

• Remove the steering cable from the tilt tube
• Clean the tilt tube inside diameter thoroughly
• Remove corrosion in the tilt tube with a wire brush. Wipe until all loose material is removed.
• Lubricate the tilt tube with a good h2o-resistant grease
• Scour the steering cable telescopic ram with a brass wire brush and wipe until clean
• Lubricate the sliding parts of the telescopic ram with a high-quality water, resistant grease
• Reassemble making certain all fasteners are correct and tight and in that location is no bounden or excessive free play in moving parts

Pro Tricks for Installing a Steering Organisation

Be sure you lot accept the right cable for the captain on your boat. There are several kinds of cables and helms that are not interchangeable. This applies whether the system is rotary or rack and pinion.

Mechanical helm replacement: The mounting hardware for NFB 4.two, Safe-T 2 and HPS helms fits the Prophylactic-T dash cutout. NFB Rack helms fit 1984-date "The Rack" mounting holes. 1996-engagement back mount rack helms use a wider rack cable and will not piece of work with old mode rack cable (SSC124XX).

Outboards (without power steering): No feedback/Cipher Torque (mechanical steering), BayStar or SeaStar (hydraulic) are recommended as replacement steering for all non-power-assisted outboards. For high performance boats or other applications in which in that location may exist engine palpitate or some steering instability, dual cablevision NFB (4.2/Pro Rack) mechanical systems or SeaStar PRO hydraulic systems are recommended. For about rotary steered boats made subsequently 1993, upgrading to NFB can be as simple as a captain and bezel change.

Sterndrives and outboards (with ability steering): HPS™ High Functioning Steering is recommended for ability-steered sterndrives and other power-assisted applications. Traditional mechanical systems (Safe-T QC and Back Mount Rack & Pinion) may besides be used for ability-assisted applications. A BayStar or SeaStar hydraulic organization is recommended for all vessels using autopilots.

Replacing the mechanical organisation with a hydraulic organization: SeaStar helms retrofit into most boats. The SeaStar front mount cylinder is best for outboards with 22" splashwells or wider. Side/splashwell mount cylinders are available, only crave more than room. Check splashwell dimensions before ordering outboard cylinders.

Allow for generous (large) cable bends, notably where the cable exits from the helm (or rack housing) and where the cable makes the bend to connect with the engine, bulldoze or rudder. The tighter the bends, the stiffer the cablevision volition exist in operation. Also, tight bends reduce the lifespan of the cablevision. An 8" bend radius is generally the minimum bend radius recommended for SeaStar cables.

If you're using cypher ties to secure the cable along the gunwale expanse, permit a piffling slack (don't cinch them completely tight). A little slack in the attachments allow for the cable to flex as it's actuated, for smoother operation and longer cable life.

When installing the cablevision at the engine end, be sure to lubricate the telescopic ram (the part that slides in and out) with enough of good waterproof lithium-based grease. This is especially important if the steering cablevision is continued through the engine tilt tube, as this area tends to get very rusty.  Advice from the professionals at SeaStar is "always remember: grease, grease, grease."

How to Measure for Mechanical Steering Cables

Refer to the diagram above. Start by adding dimensions A + B + C.

For installations through engine tilt tube.

A + B + C + vi" = cable length (round upwardly to the next largest size)

Instance: A = 18" B = 96" C = 24"
Full: 138" + 6" = 144" = 12 ft. cable

For installations mounted to transom or splashwell.

A + B + C - 6" = cable length. (circular upward to the next largest size)

Example: A = 18" B = 96" C = 24"
Total: 138" - 6" = 132" = eleven ft. cable

 For more details on how to measure for mechanical steering cables see the Teleflex-Seastar PDF.

View our electric current selection of Mechanical Steering products

Source: https://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/Mechanical-Steering

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