Steering adjustments? Not sure what to touch... :)

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yardbird
Posts: 133
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2017 3:50 pm

Steering adjustments? Not sure what to touch... :)

#1 Post by yardbird » Wed Aug 30, 2017 3:31 pm

Wondering how one makes adjustments to steering. Particularly... trying to get more range of motion. Keep in mind I've not worked on outboard steering. Haven't had it apart. At some point I have to take this motor off to replace the transom board, so I'm looking at how everything is connected because I'll have to DISconnect it to get the motor off.
That got me wondering if I can adjust something to get this motor to turn a bit more.
It LOOKS like I might be able to flip the bell crank and get the hole for the connecting rod closer to the motor. But I might then have to slide that entire "through tube" about an inch to one side. I see what appears to be a stationary tube, in which a steering rod slides, and then a connecting rod at the end of that sliding rod connects to a bell crank on the motor.

The stationary tube has about 2 inches of threads exposed and there's a big nut on them, tightened against the motor. Other side of the motor has that same big nut, but I don't see much, if anything, by way of exposed threads.

Can I loosen one nut (the side with a lot of exposed threads) and slide that whole thing .....and then tighten the other nut ( which would now be away from the motor by.... however far I've slid everything)?

Wow... sorry this got so long. I should probably take some pictures.

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guy48065
Posts: 554
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 4:32 am
Location: Atlanta, MI

Re: Steering adjustments? Not sure what to touch... :)

#2 Post by guy48065 » Fri Sep 01, 2017 9:16 am

[BUMP]
To that I'd like to add one more question: How to set friction?
My previous (very old) boat had a friction screw in the collar under the steering wheel. Current one (1/2 as old) doesn't. I can't let go of the wheel when under way or the outboard will flop over to one side into a hard turn.
Mark
1996 Sweetwater 180EX + Johnson 40
Rush Lake, Atlanta, MI

yardbird
Posts: 133
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2017 3:50 pm

Re: Steering adjustments? Not sure what to touch... :)

#3 Post by yardbird » Fri Sep 08, 2017 5:27 am

OK... pictures... hopefully...
motor2-adj2.jpg
motor2-adj2.jpg (276.76 KiB) Viewed 1410 times
If I flip that bellcrank (circled in red) so the connecting link ( yellow arrow - the larger one) attaches closer to the motor do you think I can get more range of motion when I turn the motor?

That connecting link has a bend in it that looks like it would allow it to pass under the piece the bellcrank is bolted to... (near the smaller yellow arrow)

Because right now this is the motor turned all the way to one side? Does that look like normal?
motor2-adj2.jpg
motor2-adj2.jpg (276.76 KiB) Viewed 1410 times
Attachments
Inkedmotor1-adj2_LI.jpg
Inkedmotor1-adj2_LI.jpg (1.33 MiB) Viewed 1414 times

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guy48065
Posts: 554
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 4:32 am
Location: Atlanta, MI

Re: Steering adjustments? Not sure what to touch... :)

#4 Post by guy48065 » Mon Sep 11, 2017 7:54 am

If the bends on that bracket are 90° then your attachment point is the thickness of the bracket + clearance for the bolt head--about as close as it's possible to get without attaching the linkage directly TO the motor handle.

And that angle at max turn looks pretty typical. I've wanted more myself--esp. when docking--but I assume a greater turn angle increases danger when turning at speed.

Also--those linkage angles do have a purpose. When I bought my used boat someone had assembled it wrong and my linkage hit the platform next to the well and actually had bent the crap out of it when tilting the motor up. Result was unequal turning radiuses.
Mark
1996 Sweetwater 180EX + Johnson 40
Rush Lake, Atlanta, MI

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