Steering issue (39)76 Nisqually flybridge-gctid400425

[Guest]

Hi, we have a 1976 bayliner nisqually with a volvo penta outdrive. The flybridge steering wheel feels like it is coming loose from the fiberglass and starts to "skip" when turning left. Upon inspection we found that the screws for the wheel itself are all tight, but that there is a "shaft" that is coming from the wheel underneath the fiberglass that is fractured. The "shaft" has a horizontal bar attached to the end that connects to the steering cable. It appears that due to the fracture in the "shaft," that there is some play in the steering wheel, and that it may not be matching up with the gears that are in the horizontal bar that pull on the cable. I talked to a guy at West Marine, but he was clueless. Wondering if anyone knows what type of parts we would need to get to fix this problem. To me it seems that the steering cable is fine, and that we would just need to replace the cracked piece, but we don't know what the name of this part is. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[2850Bounty]

It sounds as though you have an old Morse red cable Rack & Pinion type helm units.

The rack gear is within the steel encasement, is aluminum, and may be the part that is cracked.... hard to tell without photos.



If you are near a boat salvage yard, take your helm unit in and match up parts. You don't necessarily need the cable with you... but take the rack housing and pinion gear housing with you.

You may need to purchase the complete unit, but if they are idendical, you could swap out the rack only.... but they must be a match.

Or buy a new rack/cable unit.... but again, they must be a match.



Or.... a complete new unit.



Do let anyone talk you into a Rotary helm unit.

Some of these are "NO Feedback", and you may have a conflict with the lower helm R&P unit.



Stay on task, and don't confuse racks....... they are not all the same!



.

[Guest]

Sounds good. Is there anything that I can screw up by removing these parts...ie...will the cable get sucked back into the gunwale or should it just stay right where it is?

[2850Bounty]

You haven't mentioned what type of repair or replacement you'll be making.

The rack unit can be removed from the pinion unit without removing the pinion unit from the helm.

Usually four bolts.

Depending on if original, the rack gear itself may be removeable from the cable, in which case that gear only can be replaced.

But again, this must match the pinion gear, and it must bolt up.

Either way, nothing will become pulled away from the helm.

If this boat has been piloted from the upper helm most of it's life, you may have a worn cable also.

.