Steering cable snapped?

[enufsed]

I own a 1998 MacGregor 26X. Some time ago a severe wind hit the boat and trailer as they sat on land, causing the front of the boat and trailer to jump and move about 15 feet. In turn, the stern moved (in the opposite direction) and the engine prop scratched a boat nearby. (The engine was in a fully raised position.)

Apart from the scratch on the other boat, I don't think this caused any real damage to the prop or engine, but the sudden jolt appears to have broken or dislodged whatever cable connects the steering wheel to the outboard engine. Turning the wheel now does nothing, and the engine is flopped over on one side.

The boat is stored for the winter and currently has a tarp over it, and snow, so I probably won't do anything until the spring, or until we have a few very warm days.

My question is, when I eventually go below deck to inspect things, what am I looking for? In other words, is it likely to be fairly obvious what is the steering cable? Is this a not-difficult thing to repair in most instances?

I'm hoping this is something I can fix myself. In any case, I just need to visualize what's down there. And does anyone know where I could get a clear diagram and/or photos of the cable(s) that connect the wheel to the outboard?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Divecoz]

I would check in the motor well first . I would be looking for a " POPPed" connection point. That's what I would hope for anyway..
If you dont find some connection point "popped" or broken off ? Its in the pedestal? The Steering gear?
This site shows a rough picture of what you have ...http://www.boatbandit.com/teleflex-rack ... sy-79.aspx

Heres One Video on how to do it..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVGaND8FQe4

[Rick Westlake]

Are you sure it's the cable? I would bet your problem is in the steering-gear mechanism itself (the "helm", as the manufacturers call it).

When the helm on Bossa Nova broke, the rudders and motors were jammed over to one side. I tried to push them but they wouldn't budge. I tried to force them around with the wheel - there was a "bang" inside the helm, and the wheel just spun freely. I had to take the helm mechanism out of the pedestal and open it up; that's when I found the ring gear inside the helm had cracked and broken, and the mechanism was jammed with a large chunk of the broken gear. Here are two photos, taken while I was working on the repairs:



I replaced my helm mechanism and cable with a Teleflex Safe-T system, because I have an autopilot and the Safe-T II Non-Feedback helm won't work with the autopilot. Problem is, the Safe-T helm unit didn't fit; it's substantially "taller" than the old Morse unit, and I had to butcher-and-patch the helm pedestal to make it fit. This photo is the old Morse helm next to the new Teleflex unit:



The day after I installed the Teleflex helm, I saw the Uflex Rotech helm at another store - and it would have fit perfectly without modifying my pedestal. It's also a stronger design; enough so that I am seriously considering removing the new Teleflex and replacing it with a Rotech. (After all my work!)

[Rick Westlake]

I couldn't post more than three pictures, but I did want to show you the internal difference between the Rotech and the Safe-T helms:

This is a cutaway of the Teleflex Safe-T helm, from the Uflex website. The small pinion gear, attached to the wheel, is at the bottom of the helm; this is why the Safe-T helm is so much taller than the original Morse helm mechanism.


By comparison, this is a cutaway of the Uflex Rotech helm. Its "planetary gear" setup gives it more contact points, a stronger mechanical structure, and (according to Uflex) "also spreads the wear of the steering direction changes over a wider wear area which reduces overall wear...."


That little pinion gear in the center of the Rotech helm is the wheel-shaft gear. That's why it will fit in the 26X pedestal without modification!

If I'd known the Rotech was built like that I wouldn't have touched the Safe-T Helm with my 12-foot whisker pole. Unfortunately, I was at West Marine, and they carry Teleflex.

Our boats need an 8-foot steering cable for the helm. The Rotech helm, with an 8-foot cable, was listed this morning for $135 or so from Amazon.com - plus shipping.

[ROAD Soldier]

I bought the UFLEX with a 10ft cable and I love it for my early 1999 26X which is just before they went to the rack and pinion later in 1999 year. I love it I didn't have to make any major modifications and my Auto-Pilot did not have any trouble with it.

[enufsed]

This is awesome information and it looks like I might have to get the Uflex system. Thanks.

Tell me though, how difficult is it to replace the old system with something like the Uflex. I'm "sort of" handy from doing lots of home improvement projects but I'm not very mechanical. Is this a big complicated technical project or something that takes a Saturday afternoon?

If it's overly complicated I might take the boat somewhere to get this done, though I'd rather not have to.

I do have a friend who is somewhat technical whom I might involve with this. Also, is there any step by step instruction for taking the helm apart?

[ROAD Soldier]

The only way this job gets time consuming with the UFLEX system is if a steering wheel or old mount bolt for the old system is so rusted it is hard to get off. Since I already had a X-5 Wheelpilot mounted to make thing easeir for me I used an modified one bracket off the old system to keep the same wheel length so I wouldn't have to change my auto pilot mounting location at all. Took me about 3hrs would take about 1.5 if I had no problems with rusty hardware or modifications needed.

[Captain Steve]

OK, we got a Uflex with 8 ft cable and then with a 10 ft cable...which is it???

[ROAD Soldier]

Back when I was investigating on how to fix my broken steering I was told 8ft works but 10ft was easier to route. So I went with 10ft and had no issues with it.

[Captain Steve]

thanks.... 10 ft it is.

[esc]

I'm in just about the same "boat." The helm on my '96 has gotten MUCH more difficult to turn and feels "notchy". I've already missed a couple of good sailing days in the last month because I don't want to get stuck out (again) with broken steering. So I'm going to buy and install a new helm. I'll probably start pulling the old one out today and measure the cable length before I get a new one. I'm pretty well sold on the non-locking UFlex. Does anyone have specific part numbers?

I've read that this will be a direct replacement. But how "Direct" is "Direct", will I even be able to use the same mounting holes? Will it change the height of the wheel?

Has anyone posted a blow-by-blow account of the entire process? If it hasn't already been done and I did it, would anyone be interested?

Also it was said that the 10' is easier to route than the 8', but does the more difficult routing result in any binding of the cable?
Is the additional length much trouble to secure to the ceiling of the aft berth?

Thanks,

Eric

[ROAD Soldier]

I've read that this will be a direct replacement. But how "Direct" is "Direct", will I even be able to use the same mounting holes? Will it change the height of the wheel?
Also it was said that the 10' is easier to route than the 8', but does the more difficult routing result in any binding of the cable?
Is the additional length much trouble to secure to the ceiling of the aft berth?

Thanks,

Eric

I looked through my receipt to get you the exact number but I can't find the one. However here is what you need http://uflexusa.ultraflexgroup.com/arti ... 21&art=562 (T71FC - 38867 H - single cable steering helm and X34 - 36654 B - black, 90° mounting)
Also the M66 cable 10ft long. Shop around for the best price there are some wide variances out there. You can get this as an all inclusive kit. I had to drill into old bracket because I wanted to use it on new system in order to keep good clearance with my Autopilot. Is was that or move my throttle control levers again. With new bracket if I had used it I would have to drill holes in fiberglass pedestal which would be easy. Direction come with the kit and are easy to understand. The two foot extra cable allows for no binding at all when moving the wheel. If you use the area under the cockpit for something other than just storage then you can buy clamps a clamp the cable up an out of the way. This really is not a difficult mod at all. You steering wheel will be at the same height, if you use the bracket the comes with it your steering wheel might be 1/4" closer to the pedestal. If you modify the old bracket and use that one you can get almost an inch more away from the pedestal which is good for wheel autopilots clearance from the throttle lever. The mod for that means you need to drill a couple of holes for mount bolts to line up and open up the center more for the wider shaft on the UFLEX.

[ROAD Soldier]

Here is one complet kit on EBAY.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/UFlex-RO ... iesQ5fGear
However shop around you can find it cheaper yet if you try.

[esc]

With new bracket if I had used it I would have to drill holes in fiberglass pedestal which would be easy. If you modify the old bracket and use that one you can get almost an inch more away from the pedestal which is good for wheel autopilots clearance from the throttle lever. The mod for that means you need to drill a couple of holes for mount bolts to line up and open up the center more for the wider shaft on the UFLEX.

So, if I use the bracket that comes with the kit, I will need to drill matching mounting holes in the fiberglass. If I use the original bracket and modify it to hold the new helm, it will use the same holes in the fiberglass that it always did. OK. That is about what I expected.

Since I don't have an autopilot and there is plenty of room for my throttle controls, I will probably choose to drill the holes in the fiberglass and use the new bracket that comes with the helm.

BTW, I tried to start the dis-assembly yesterday but only made it as far as the wheel nut before discovering I didn't have the right size socket here. Since most of my tools have a different address than the boat that was the end of the attempt for the day. But I have more sockets in hand now, I just need a little time to get out to the boat again...

[ROAD Soldier]

You understood everything I wrote.