Teleflex wear?

neb · 09 August 2006, 08:31

My steering has a bit of play in it, was wondering if anyone can tell me what to look for in terms of exessive wear?

5 m RIB , Teleflex NFB 4.2 turns? to a 65 hp PTT Suzuki.

Cheers.

Matt · 09 August 2006, 11:57

Both the helm unit itself (gears & nylon bearings) and the cable itself suffer from wear.

ian parkes · 09 August 2006, 17:24

was asking this myself the other day . My boat has less than 100 hrs on it but there is play . It seemed the same as all the other boats I tried inc the ones with hydraulic steering .
If it was a car it would not be acceptable , but doesn't seen to effect the boat .

Matt · 09 August 2006, 18:37

Any single cable steering setup will have some play at the motor, increasing as the components wear.

Either dual cable or hydraulic is required to have none (or nearly none)
A correctly setup hydraulic system should have none - but the mounting brackets on the motor end do seem to wear a bit and let a small amount of play in.

neb · 09 August 2006, 18:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by ian parkes

was asking this myself the other day . My boat has less than 100 hrs on it but there is play

How much play?

I seem to have to turn the wheel 3 times or so to get a turn, so much that it's almost impossible to do a turn then straighten up quickly.

ian parkes · 09 August 2006, 18:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by neb

How much play?

I seem to have to turn the wheel 3 times or so to get a turn, so much that it's almost impossible to do a turn then straighten up quickly.

Oh that is a lot doesn't sound safe to me iam talking maybe 5 degrees of play not much at all but enough to annoy somoene like me who has to have things mechanically perfect.
Best get that checked out

neb · 09 August 2006, 18:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by ian parkes

Oh that is a lot doesn't sound safe to me

It's ok going in straight lines!

ian parkes · 09 August 2006, 18:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by neb

It's ok going in straight lines!

so the motor is trimmed ok then

BogMonster · 09 August 2006, 21:53

Mine at 300 hours probably has about 15-20 degrees of free play in the wheel rotation before the engine starts to move. It annoyed the hell out of me when I first got it but I am getting used to it - I still think I might go hydraulic and get rid of the play altogether, but I've got more important jobs to spend £££ on first. I did wonder if a new set of cables would cure it but I suspect not...

I don't know much about it but 3 turns of play sounds like a major problem and possibly quite dangerous!

The problem I do have on mine is that when under power it is very easy to turn the wheel away from centre but very hard to straighten out again without really heaving on the wheel, or backing off the throttle quite a lot. Is this normal? It did improve noticeable after I thoroughly lubricated the main bit the motor swivels on (sorry not sure what it is called!), I think regular lubrication may have been neglected by the previous owner.

neb · 10 August 2006, 07:05

Mine is 15-20 deg of play also, it just won't come out of tight turns too without letting well off the thottle.

Sounds like this is normal on an older boat.

Anyone know what the 4.2 turns means on a NFB helm?

BogMonster · 10 August 2006, 10:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by neb

Mine is 15-20 deg of play also, it just won't come out of tight turns too without letting well off the thottle.

Sounds like this is normal on an older boat.

Anyone know what the 4.2 turns means on a NFB helm?

Oh I see!

Sorry I thought you meant you had 3 turns of slack in the wheel before anything happened! Will retreat back under my stone and shut up now

Erin · 10 August 2006, 10:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by neb

Anyone know what the 4.2 turns means on a NFB helm?

It means 4.2 turns lock to lock. I had exactly the same steering and was really unhappy about the stiffness, particularly coming out of tight turns so i upgraded to Hydraulic. What a difference. Smooth and easy throughout the whole range and hopefully much more reliable long term. £450 well spent.

Keith

BogMonster · 10 August 2006, 11:44

From what I have read on here I have sort of gained the impression that (most) hydraulic ones are all lower geared than cable, like 6-7 turns lock to lock. Do they also come in higher geared flavours i.e. 3-4 turns lock to lock?

Aux engine arriving next week, then a double jockey seat for passengers, then maybe the steering. Oh for that winning lottery ticket

Erin · 10 August 2006, 12:44

Yep, if you select the right helm and ram combo you can get as low as 3 or 3.5 turns lock to lock. Obviously the fewer turns the 'heavier' the steering. I think I ended up at 4.5

Keith

neb · 10 August 2006, 17:15

Sounds like mine is normal then, bit of play, 4.2 turns lock to lock.

2.1 turns to get out of a tight turn .. no chance of straightening up on high revs!

Maybe I need to upgrade.

BogMonster · 10 August 2006, 20:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erin

Yep, if you select the right helm and ram combo you can get as low as 3 or 3.5 turns lock to lock. Obviously the fewer turns the 'heavier' the steering. I think I ended up at 4.5

Thanks, that would be about right at 4.5, I haven't checked but mine must be about that, any heavier and it would be hard to do anything with one hand. Thinking I would get a knob on the wheel too, it would make one handed steering manoevres (the other one being on the throttle of course) much easier....