Steering wheel slack

[TorronnaPwr]

Hi guys, I'm looking for any insight on how to tighten the slack in my steering wheel on a 2002 twin-engine, Cruisers yachts 3075.

I'm new to DIY projects on this boat but have had a lot of help and info from this forum. I have an owners manual, but it doesn't help explain the steering mechanics.

All I know is that there is a power assist which comes from the starboard motor.

Should I be looking first at taking the wheel off and getting behind the dash - or bending into a pretzel to access the rear of the engines where the steering cables meet some kind of mechanism which turns the drives?

[Reel Love]

So, you have steering.. but you do not state if its: cable, push pull, hydraulic, or what. That makes a difference.

If a cable, you remove the stretch in the cable.

If a "push-pull" cable, you will, most likely, have to buy a new cable because one of the "screws" inside the cable is most likely broken.

If hydraulic, you are most likely low on H-Steering fluid, or have air in the system that needs to be bled out. Now, you said that there was "power assist". Generally, a power assisted steering system is hydraulic. So I would tend to believe that your problem is "air" and low fluid.

But there could be a host of other problems. Try adding fluid and bleeding first.

[TorronnaPwr]

Thx for the reply

Yes, not knowing the kind of steering is my first problem and I was looking for help as to how to ascertain that. Now you've listed the different kinds, I have a start.

I'm going to the boat on Friday, so i'll check as close to the drives as I can get and see if there are cables or any kind of cylinders or valves. Perhaps that info will be a good step in the right direction.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by TorronnaPwr

Thx for the reply

Yes, not knowing the kind of steering is my first problem and I was looking for help as to how to ascertain that. Now you've listed the different kinds, I have a start.

I'm going to the boat on Friday, so i'll check as close to the drives as I can get and see if there are cables or any kind of cylinders or valves. Perhaps that info will be a good step in the right direction.

Every one of those that I've surveyed had rack and pinion steering. Check your survey report, it should be described in there.

[TorronnaPwr]

Thx Boatpoker, I know you've surveyed hundreds of this type of boat, so I'm sure you're right. So, after looking at videos of how rack and pinion works, I'm thinking a good place to start is to find a hydraulic fluid reservoir and check the levels?

Oh, I did check the survey and it didn't mention steering at all! btw - I tried to contact you in march of 2017 to do the original purchase survey, but you were off gadding on the waves down south

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by TorronnaPwr

Thx Boatpoker, I know you've surveyed hundreds of this type of boat, so I'm sure you're right. So, after looking at videos of how rack and pinion works, I'm thinking a good place to start is to find a hydraulic fluid reservoir and check the levels?

Oh, I did check the survey and it didn't mention steering at all! btw - I tried to contact you in march of 2017 to do the original purchase survey, but you were off gadding on the waves down south

If I'm correct and it is rack and pinion, it is simply a push/pull cable, there would be no hydraulic reservoir. Check linkage wear in the engine compartment. If it was hydraulic, there would be a hydraulic fluid fill fitting on the steering wheel hub.

It is possible that it is a power assist system. Look at the forward, port side of the port engine (usually) and see if there is a power steering fluid reservoir, just like a car.

Photos

[TorronnaPwr]

I had a scramble around the engine compartment yesterday and found a power steering filler cap on the starboard engine. Also took a couple of pix of what could be rack n pinion? This was located behind starboard engine.

On a completely different topic Boatpoker, could you tell me what the bottom of Lake Ontario is primarily around the Scarborough to Hamilton area?

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by TorronnaPwr

On a completely different topic Boatpoker, could you tell me what the bottom of Lake Ontario is primarily around the Scarborough to Hamilton area?

Lots of shale, not good for anchoring. A few sandy spots for fairweather anchoring. Not too many places I would feel comfortable overnight other than Mendoza Bay, the very north western corner of Burligton Bay Hamilton Harbour) and a few weedy but very well protected areas of Toronto Islands that even in high winds you can be pretty secure.

[Reel Love]

Assuming you took a picture of the proper cable, the cable does not appear to be a hydraulic line. What you appear to have is a "screw" type steering cable.

If you remove the cap and pull the entire cable from the housing, you should find a square cable inside the outside cable. When you turn the steering wheel, the square cable should turn. I will bet you that the square cable does not turn when you move the steering wheel. If the wheel is moving, and the inside cable is not, you need a new steering cable.

The only thing difficult about replacing this type of steering cable is ordering the correct size. Size is critical. Too short... and too long is just as bad.

What I have done is to pull the old cable out that is attached to two (2) "pull ropes." YES 2, not one. The second one is in case one of the two separate from the old or new cable being threated back into place.

Once out, measure and order the new one to fit.

I have not heard of anyone that can thread a new cable through the old one, but I am sure that it is possible.

Good luck.

[TorronnaPwr]

Thx ReelLove, I think i need to know my limits on diy, so will take these posts and the pix to a really good mech I know, and get his input and go from there. In any case, it's too cold now to go rooting around the back of the engines, so it will be a spring job

[Reel Love]

Torronna: This is not a tough job, just time consuming.

As I noted:
Step 1: Disconnect at the rudder assembly to see if cable is broken.
Step 2: If broken, replace.

The hardest part of this job literally is to buy the right sized new cable.
The worst part of this job is to snake the new one into place, but remember, if it went in once, it will go in again!

Have a happy holiday season.

[bglad]

If this "slack" is at slow speeds do not be disappointed if you change parts and still have it. Trying to pilot a stern-drive boat at low speed is like herding cats. In my experience for whatever reason they just wonder back and forth for no apparent reason.

[TorronnaPwr]

Thx bglad, i know that pesky herding of cats well, but this is something more mechanical. There's a lot of good advise in the above posts, so i have a plan to follow once the weather here makes scrunching around the back of the engines bearable