Steering cables boats installation

The steering wheel attaches to the helm. Rotary steering helms have a round gear around which the cable turns as you turn the wheel. There are two types of rotary helms, with different applications, strengths and weaknesses.

Reduction gear type: One or more gears mesh with the steering drum to move the helical core of the steering cable. This original rotary design which include the Big-T and Safe-T helms is still best in terms of strength and efficiency, since there are usually only two gears.

These helms have the drawback of requiring a fairly large round assembly behind the dash, since the steering shaft is located outside the cable drum, so they often cannot be installed in smaller, more crowded dashboards.

Planetary gear type: This alternative style uses three or more gears that mesh internally with the cable drum to move the core of the steering cable. They fit outboards up to V-4 size only. You can buy replacement rack helms and cables separately, or save money by ordering a mechanical steering kit from either Uflex or Seastar Solutions. The rack and pinion helm includes a pinion gear fitted directly 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, but its drawback is its width. Rack steering requires a long rack housing that cannot fit behind many dashboards.

The primary difference between a rack and pinion and rotary helm is the form factor of the helm—how it fits in the space behind the mounting surface. Rotary helms extend a few inches above and below 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 have enough vertical clearance. Rack and pinion helms are long rectangular boxes extending about 1' away from the direction of the cable, but they are very compact vertically. Faster gear ratios require fewer turns, but there is heavier helm pressure to offset engine torque. Slower gear ratios 4. With traditional steering systems, the engine has a tendency to turn to the right, which the driver compensates for by keeping pressure to the left on the wheel.

NFB helms have a clutch mechanism built in which keeps the boat on course without constant fighting. NFB cannot be used with PowerAssist or autopilots. Big outboards have lots of torque coming from the prop. Mechanical steering systems rely on push-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.

Dual cable steering allows you to remove most of the backlash by adjusting one or both cables at the engine, minimizing engine flutter and handling instability. We suggest 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 as follows:.

Doing so will allow for the maximum reliability and performance of the cable. Allowing for generous steering cable bends will lengthen the lifespan of the cable.

A stiffer cable with tighter bends is subject to more stress, and therefore a reduced cable life. Replace, rather than reuse, all worn out steering mounting and connection components.

Be sure to select the proper replacement parts which are designed specifically for the application. Whatever you do, do not attempt to substitute parts. If you are either getting your boat ready for winter or getting it ready for the upcoming boating season, boat steering cable maintenance should be an integral part of your annual boating maintenance ritual. While boat steering cable maintenance requirements will vary slightly depending on the boat, servicing the marine steering cables is usually very similar across all makes and models.

Follow the three easy steps below. Step 1 — Retract the boat steering cable into the tilt tube by turning the steering wheel as far as you can to one side.

Step 2 — Ensure that the steering link rod fasteners are tight by gently trying to shake them using an open end wrench.

Also be sure to check that the washer is securely seated underneath the nylon insert lock nut. Step 3 — Lastly, using gun oil, machine oil, or a similar type of lightweight oil, lubricate the steering link rod pivot points. A boat steering cable boot is usually made of rubber and is designed to be installed on top of the output end of the boat steering cable on the engine end. The boat steering cable boot provides complete protection from weather and other elements, and it also helps to prevent the lubrication on the cable from being washed away.

Click here to check prices on the boat steering cable boot for your boat. Sometimes, if your boat has been sitting for an extended period of time, your boat steering cable may become stuck. There are a couple of different methods to try to resolve your boat steering cable being stuck. You could first try using a little WD and a rubber mallet to see if you can loosen up the stuck boat steering cable.