TOPIC: Ride Guide questions

After more than 100 miles on the boat on vacation and after a nearly 300 mile trip trailering it home with nary a problem, I get home, and it's weird the engine is turned. Usually when I trailer, I keep it straight ahead with the transom saver on. Turns out the steering isn't working. Steering wheel works, you can see it turns behind, but it will only move at the end of turning the wheel to the right. Move the motor back & forth, no turning of the steering wheel. What could happen on a trailered ride to make my steering screwed up?

So I figure I might as well take it apart and see if I can fix it. Well isn't this interesting? The long part that goes on the end of the cable and ties to the motor apparently has internal threads that match up with the external threads at the end of the cable!





Apparently it shook apart on the trip home. Why would that happen, and how do I insure it does not happen again? Very scary deal, especially seeing how my youngest son and I were in a 5 mile regatta last weekend going flat out...

Also, on the starboard side, I tightened the large nut, but now the steering cable end won't screw any farther on. Back the nut off and try and get them to match up?



Thanks for any help.

Frank

Frank
Ive not seen one come apart before
If it were me I'd buy a new cable, its your life

I agree !!!!!!!!!

i cringe to imagine what would of happened if that became faulty during the race as you were going full bore for 5 miles. someone was lookin over you Frank. get a new cable...ron

i bet ya you damaged something when you came out of the water after passing the 3/4 pole. the whole boat was in the air. a lot of people saw that. AND YOU WANT MORE HP!!!

"I saw the 14T really leave the water with the whole bottom of the hull facing me after he hit the rollers the guy with the Century made."

a post by paul. he must of been in a boat closeby.

I have never seen it come apart either. But Power Trim going up and down a lot can put some wear on things. Its possible it came loose over time and when you trimmed up it was backing the end off the threds. A 1/16 of a turn at a time over time and it came apart.

You are very lucky indeed! Get a new cable. Or at the very least if you use it again Drill a small hole thru when assembled and put a locking wire thru it so it cannot back out again. And a lot of locktite for extra measure.
Conrad

Conrad, thanks for the ideas. I need to fix it, not necessarily because I can't afford a new cable, they are just like finding hen's teeth anymore, especially this short. And when you do find one, it's more than what I paid for the boat! So blue loctite? I would have to clean everything very well to use it wouldn't I? Then just oil and grease stuff best I could? Drill through it, cotter pin okay? Not sure what a locking wire is.

Did you see my 3rd pic? I should back the nut off enough for the screw on part of the cable to meet it, then tighten both at the same time?

Thank you VERY much for the help!

Frank

How about a set screw? Drill a hole through the outer sheath, tap it and insert a set screw?

I found a 13' Ride Guide cable on ebay, over 200 bucks. I've had them offered to me before for 300 bucks. I apid 200 for the boat.

A new one would come lose too, wouldn't it? Better to figure out a way to lock this baby together so it only comes apart when I want it to!

Frank

If it were me I think I'd use red Loctite.

My concern for drilling and tapping for a screw would be the size of the hole, Frank. Safety wire (or also called locking wire) is very small diameter, wouldn't require a very large hole. Be careful you don't weaken the integrity of the cable, not something you want to break when subjected to stress. Have you tried Joe Poole on the steering cable? He has (maybe had now) some of the RideGuide cables in stock a couple years ago, he's always been more than fair with me. Just a thought or two.

well fellas, it's gonna be red loctite for now, and a new hydraulic system in the near future. I need better steering for a couple good reasons, #1 being my poor shoulders.

Thanks for all the responses, it is really a great help.

Frank

I need better steering for a couple good reasons, #1 being my poor shoulders.

#1 being...to keep you alive

I have blown rotator cuffs, I put NEW steering cables in every vintage boat I buy.....its a world of difference
I can turn my vintage ride guide rack & pinion steering system with 1 finger and Im running twin 4 cylinder motors

Frank if your going to upgrade to a Merc1350 as you were saying, take that into consideration now and get a "dual system "NO Feed Back" Steering sys, recommended for boats over 55mph

I want to upgrade to 150 hp. Is this "dual system "No Feed Back" steering system you suggest hydraulic?

Thanks!

Frank

Okay folks, found my loose steering problem. This coupling between the steering link from the motor and the end of the cable was on so tight as to not allow the system to work as intended. As the motor was trimmed back and forth, over time, it unscrewed the end of the cable. After much experimentation and work, it is now set up so it will NOT unscrew the end of the cable.

I'm glad I figured this out. What else do I need to know about where this system can come apart? By the way, I'm still saving my pennies for a hydraulic system, but I have decided against increasing hp.

Thanks,

Frank

wise choice... increased hp in that light boat would make it awful squirrely imo.

I wouldn't mind the "squirrely" Ron, but it would make it just a race boat. I can't afford the only boat I have to be a race boat.

Frank