Tech Questions - Boating Related (Steering)

[SchiadaJohn]

I need some help on this one:

Pulled my dual cable Calgo steering this past winter and shipped to GSM Racing for rebuild, original issue was steering had stiffened/frozen up. This is in a 24' Spectra XS v-drive

Now the steering seizes/locks up when turning the steering wheel left on plane, steering will turn left/right (one-hand) on trailer and when at idle speed in no-wake zone but not on plane at any speed!

- Rudder turns free with one hand and there is no binding/looseness in rudder stuffing box that would appear to bind rudder under load. Nothing was changed with setup of rudder only disconnected cables to remove steering system.
- Flexible conduit has been replaced twice and second set of conduit was visually inspected by GSM before shipping/installation.
- Entire length of cable was also visually inspected to make certain there were no burrs, kinks, etc, that might bind cable. Cable was greased very liberally when inserted into conduit.
- Conduit is routed down each gunnel and all turns/bends were flattened to make any turns/corners as gentle as possible. Conduit is zip tied approximately every 9 ? 12 inches to prevent movement.
- Boat turned fine, left and right, before steering was removed just incredibly stiff!


Any advice/suggestions would be appreciated.

J

 

[Forensic]

Disclaimer: I'm not a v-drive guy.
If a second person was with you, could they see where the rudder comes through the hull while under way?
Check the bushings/bearings on the rudder for wear. Maybe when the thrust hits the rudder it pushes it out of alignment and it binds up.

 

[SchiadaJohn]

Good question, both myself and a second person has pushed & pulled (with feet, hands, 2 x 4) on rudder, on trailer, in attempt to bind rudder but even with all that we could still turn rudder, given that information had not the second person ride in the back as you suggested but at this point willing try it.

We did inspect the bearings/stuffing box and there is no visable signs of wear, looseness, etc... Also there is little if any water leakage around rudder shaft in stuffing box with boat in water.

Thanks

J

 

[waterhorse]

Throwing out ideas here. Is there anything near your steering quadrant that could move while underway and interfere with the swing of the quadrant? I'm thinking bilge pump hose, batt cable, fuel line etc.
Greg

 

[Prime Marine]

I need some help on this one:

Pulled my dual cable Calgo steering this past winter and shipped to GSM Racing for rebuild, original issue was steering had stiffened/frozen up. This is in a 24' Spectra XS v-drive

Now the steering seizes/locks up when turning the steering wheel left on plane, steering will turn left/right (one-hand) on trailer and when at idle speed in no-wake zone but not on plane at any speed!

- Rudder turns free with one hand and there is no binding/looseness in rudder stuffing box that would appear to bind rudder under load. Nothing was changed with setup of rudder only disconnected cables to remove steering system.
- Flexible conduit has been replaced twice and second set of conduit was visually inspected by GSM before shipping/installation.
- Entire length of cable was also visually inspected to make certain there were no burrs, kinks, etc, that might bind cable. Cable was greased very liberally when inserted into conduit.
- Conduit is routed down each gunnel and all turns/bends were flattened to make any turns/corners as gentle as possible. Conduit is zip tied approximately every 9 ? 12 inches to prevent movement.
- Boat turned fine, left and right, before steering was removed just incredibly stiff!


Any advice/suggestions would be appreciated.

J

Perhaps a safety collar dragging on the stuffing box? Or the top of the upper bearing? Also when you put the rudder back in perhaps its was installed above the original location and its dragging on the bottom of the cav plate when under load? Maybe even dragging on the little protrusion of the stuffing box that sticks out below the cav plate area? I would push up on the rudder and then try and turn it. Seems that maybe the prop blast is loading the rudder somehow and causing it to bind up. Sounds like it may have created a burr on something that it may be dragging on when it is under load. Hope it all works out for the best...
Mike @ Prime Marine