steering wheel offset from center??
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=50200
Printed Date: January-15-2025 at 9:55pm
Topic: steering wheel offset from center??
Posted By: wetskier2000
Subject: steering wheel offset from center??
Date Posted: September-06-2021 at 3:59pm
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Replaced the steering cable last spring successfully or so I thought... The steering wheel is no longer at 12 oclock when going straight ahead. It's at about 1:30 instead... I am 95% sure it's been at 12:00 since I did the replacement and that this is a new thing... Everything back at the rudder looks normal. Nothing appears to be loose... At the helm, the wheel doesn't seem to move anything for a 10-15 degree span... smells like an issue between the wheel and the rack under the dash to me.... any words of wisdom??? Thanks! ------------- Current: 1997 Nautique Previous: 1987 Nautique 1964 American Skier |
Replies:
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: September-06-2021 at 4:49pm
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The new cable engaugement to the helm may be off. ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: Jonny Quest
Date Posted: September-06-2021 at 6:44pm
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First, you want to ensure that you have the same movement to the left and then to the right with the rudder starting "centered". If you have close to identical side-to-side movement, then the fix may be as simple as pulling the steering wheel and repositioning / re-clocking. I did this on my SNOB, year 2001. It was a fairly simple fix. The nylon insert locknut was was either 3/4" or 7/8". With the center nut removed, the steering wheel slid off and I re-clocked it to the correct position. The next time I took the boat out, I put the ratchet and socket in the glove box so that I could fine-tune the steering wheel position. JQ ------------- Current 2003 Ski Nautique 206 Limited Previous 2001 Ski Nautique Open Bow 1994 Ski Nautique Open Bow Aqua skiing, ergo sum |
Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: September-06-2021 at 7:06pm
Does back at the rudder include the clamp block and the steering tube? Is the ball and socket that the block pivots on loose and sloppy? Is the clamp block tight on the tube so the tube can't slip? Are the nuts and bolts holding the rack to the helm tight? Everything checked with wrenches and not just visually? Does your steering wheel hub have a taper and a keyway, unlike Jonny's which I guess doesn't? His must be splined So many questions
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wetskier2000 wrote:Posted By: wetskier2000
Date Posted: September-07-2021 at 7:40am
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I'd buy a simple adjustment if I wasn't pretty sure it was Correct after the install... I'm quite confident that we would have noticed this as slalom skiers since we are always driving in straight lines... It's entirely possible that I'm wrong however and it would not be the first time or the last... I think we were essentially on the same page here.... Answers... Does back at the rudder include the clamp block and the steering tube? yes Is the ball and socket that the block pivots on loose and sloppy? didn't seem to be. Is the clamp block tight on the tube so the tube can't slip? yes and no marks on the tube to indicate slipping. Are the nuts and bolts holding the rack to the helm tight? yes Everything checked with wrenches and not just visually? NO. Interesting point. Does your steering wheel hub have a taper and a keyway, unlike Jonny's which I guess doesn't? His must be splined. Not sure... But I think the adjustment could be made simply removing the steering cable's "rack", centering the wheel and rudder then reinstalling... So many questions  ------------- Current: 1997 Nautique Previous: 1987 Nautique 1964 American Skier |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: September-07-2021 at 8:00am
Since everything seems to check out, I'd go for it.
------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: September-07-2021 at 9:07am
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95% sure that it was straight is a pretty good confidence factor (especially for you slalom guys that watch where the wheel is), and 10 to 15 degrees of dead movement isn't gonna be cured by what you want to do. I'd have 2 people, one at the front and one at the back to see where that dead movement is happening before just randomly centering the wheel.
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Posted By: wetskier2000
Date Posted: September-07-2021 at 1:06pm
I think this is spot on... I'd like to put if off til I pull the boat in a couple months, but I'm concerned that something evil might be lurking and losing steering at speed could really suck.... IIRC the gear on the steering "shaft" and the rack are both some type of metal so I'm probably not looking at some nylon gear losing a tooth..... ------------- Current: 1997 Nautique Previous: 1987 Nautique 1964 American Skier |
Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: September-07-2021 at 1:15pm
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I'd look at the clamp block, both where it clamps to the tube and the amount of slop on the ball and socket. A little slop on the ball and socket can translate to a lot of rudder/steering wheel play
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Posted By: wetskier2000
Date Posted: September-10-2021 at 1:28pm
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ok, dug in a little deeper... Clamp block for the tube did not have play of any significance. I removed the floor rear floor section and I could see the arm that goes from the cable to the rudder when fully turned to the right. I moved the steering wheel back and forth where the noticeable play occurs... the cable didn't move... That told me it was all up front... I pulled the rack which was new last year. No noticeable wear on the rack teeth or the steering shaft gear.. I wiggle the wheel and no movement from the gear.... Eureka, it's in the column! Then I notice 2 set screws that look like they might allow a little extra play... I can put a 1/2 turn on each.. that helped a little... Digging a bit deeper I localize the rest of the play to the Borgeson (Ujoint) in the Teleflex tilt steering. Not sure if this is replaceable or only comes as an entire tilt steering unit.. Anyone know?? I also found some extra play in the tilt because the bolts holding the mechanism to the dash had loosened a bit... Tighten those and the tilt is considerably less wobbly now... I also realigned the steering wheel although I still don't know the root cause... Maybe I just missed it a year ago, but I sure find that hard to believe... I do understand the reason why I didn't see that 10% play in the steering before... The old steering cable was so stiff that you could not steer the boat with 1 finger like you can now with the new cable. I think this masked the play in the Borgeson. tilt mechanism to dash bolts... Don't be fooled like I was... Loosen the nut on the back under the dash and then TIGHTEN THE PHILLIPS HEAD, then retighten the nut....   Set screws for Borgeson and steering column shaft...  As always, thanks a million for all the help guys! ------------- Current: 1997 Nautique Previous: 1987 Nautique 1964 American Skier |
Posted By: wetskier2000
Date Posted: September-12-2021 at 7:40am
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The entire tilt unit is available, but just the Borgeson is not according to NautiqueParts... It's $197.00. I'm considering it as the current one certainly doesn't owe me anything after 24 years of service.. ------------- Current: 1997 Nautique Previous: 1987 Nautique 1964 American Skier |