Steering Wheel Slop - Play

I have a 92 SNOB with a Tilt Steering Wheel. All original equipment. The steering wheel has some side to side play in it. It works great on open water, but keep straight down the buoys on the course is challenging. You turn wheel slightly but the rudder doesn't respond. got to turn it more to make something happen.

I have looked at the back of the dash and there doesn't seem to anything adjustable. I didn't want to take off the plate on the back of the steering mechanism for fear of what might pop out.

It has been tightened up previously by a CC dealer but I am not interested in using them again. So i know it is fixable with an adjustment.

Any suggestions?

Jerry

Ps you can see my rig at https://www.facebook.com/jerry.weinstock

^^^ X2
Had the same problem with my '95 fine on open water but hard to track through the buoys had to keep sawing back and fourth. Tried just a new cable but the pinion in the helm was worn also. New cable and helm worked.

Kapla,

Rubber Boot? where is this?

If you mean play in the tilt mechanism it's self then yes you can tighten them up. There are allen head bolts in there that can loosen up. Off hand I can't remember exactly how to get at them. When I get home in the morning I can post a picture of the tilt assembly from my manual.   

the play isn't in the tilt, it's in the wheel left right movement.

The tilt mechanism is pretty straightforward once you pop the boot off. Steering wheel may need to come off to help save the boot from tearing. I can't think off any portion in the tilt that'll give you L & R play, only up and down. I'd pull the four 1/4" bolts out that connects the rack to the pinion. And then rotate wheel and see if the play still exists. If the helm checks out ok I would look at the rudder side and the clamp block. Not saying it can't happen but a bad cable in my experiences get tight, not sloppy and play. Either way, if the cable is 7+ years old, I recommend replacing cable and helm.

Thank you all for your feedback.

After looking into it further it appears that i need to replace all three parts according to the people at nautiqueparts. It appears that the 92 base assembly is no longer made so all items
Tilt: http://www.nautiqueparts.com/helmtiltproforkeyedwheel.aspx
Base: http://www.nautiqueparts.com/helmbaseassemblyfortiltsteering.aspx
Cable: http://www.nautiqueparts.com/steeringcablemostnautiques1998tonow.aspx

Any tips from someone that has done this before on a SNOB 92 or similar? They suggested duct taping the old and new cable together and using the old cable to pull it through the front panel of the bilge area?

This seems a little tricky.

Any other tips?

Can a first time do it?

did you pull the cable to the bow or to the stern?

as in attach the dashboard end of the new cable to the rudder end of the old - to the bow

or attach the rudder end of the new cable to the dashboard end of the old? - pull to the stern

thanks so much.