Steering Poll

[TampaMac]

I heard about the failure tendency a year and a half ago, it scared me into putting the SS Teleflex deal in long before it needed a replacement.

Has anyone who made the mod have the steering fail with the new improved system in place?

[mk2]

Here is my story:

I have a 26X made on 2002 with rack and pinion steering. No modifications, all original hardware. This week when sailing into bahia honda bridge gap, under moderate wind, about 15 knots or so, with motor down but turned off (getting ready to enter marina on another side of the gap), the two middle teeth of my steering rack, in the middle of it, broke. I insist that there was no undue pressure on the helm at the time. It is entirely possible that the steering was weakened over the time, as I tend to sail with motor up , and as you know the weight of the motor adds qute a bit of pressure on the helm. I do not consider this an abuse, on the contrary, I think the helm was treated rather gently most of the time. There was absolutely no warning, the steering just froze on me, and we found ourself in a very tight spot with tidal current carrying boat onto a shoal, thankfully it was also carrying us away the bridge. We had to drop anchor, take the steering apart, and take loose teeth out. After that I was able to steer boat to either side, but any attempt to set a straight course and I loose steering alltogether. I ended up motoring into the narrow channel to much amusement of onlookers in this manner: going forward and slightly to starboard, then stopping, turning helm sharply to starboard and backing on high rpm a little to turn bow to port, and again forward slightly to starboard, making sort of a sine wave. Sounds a little funny in retrospect but it was not funny at the time, and I guess I must be feeling lucky that it sis fail where it did, a few hundred feet from the marina where I had car with trailer. Getting her onto the trailer was another trick. I had to circle marina basin twice before I hit the ramp. Again, much amusement for onlookers. I had to explain to ignorant floridians at the marina that this is how it is normally done in this type of the boat. I guess they did not believe me.

After coming back home careful inspection revealed that the pinion housing cracked. I guess that was the root cause of the problem. The teeth got out of alignment and sheared.

If anyone is interested I can take pictures.

If anyone here has any suggestions regarding a better steering system that woul dfit in 26X with tall tower, I would like to hear from you.

[Steve c]

2002 replaced rack and pinion last year. corrosion in the cable from a nick in the sheathing.

[Rick Westlake]

I've got the 1999 original helm (a Morse, don't know what cable but probably Detmar?) and it hasn't given any trouble. As I am interested in avoiding any future trouble, I took off the steering tube and greased the cable yesterday. Not a difficult job, it was actually quite clean, but I can see why it is utterly necessary.

(The job that daunts me a little is that I really should pull the lower unit off my Honda 50 and rebuild the water pump. Bossa Nova got more use last year than it had gotten in several years, although the previous owner had the impeller replaced the year before he sold the boat to me.)

I have a speculative question of my own, now - has anyone fitted the Teleflex BayStar light hydraulic steering? Pros/cons? Just in case.

[TAM]

Don't worry about water pump replacement on your Honda. I pull my lower every year to inspect/replace. Not difficult at all. However, now you have me thinking I probably need to lube my steering.


Terry

[Clemo]

2003 X. I have had a rack & pinion type steering failure.

Rack & pinion ok, cable just got harder & harder till it locked up. No sign of external mechanical damage. Curious to know if it can be salvaged.

Meanwhile, replacing the lot (R&P + Cable) with Uflex. It goes in tomorrow.

Tks, C ya.
Clemo.

[Capt Capsize]

97X bought used in 2000 original equipment failed in 2001 replace with rotary Teleflex zero feedback.
No problems since. Unfortunately rack and pinion will not fit in the pedestal

[c130king]

My R & P failed as well. I think it was just under 3 years old when it failed. Pretty sure the issue was the steering cable froze up and as the steering got harder I put more pressure on the R & P until eventually the teeth broke off.

Replaced with a Teleflex SS-141 R & P. But now I will be keeping the steering cable lubed and hopefully get a longer life out of this system.

I wonder if the issue may be worse on you guys/gals with the because your steering cable is exposed...

Steering Broke

I steered my boat back in by discconnecting the steering from the motor and moving the motor side-to-side manually using my feet and the boat pole.

Good Luck with your replacement steering project.

Cheers,
Jim

[Nautek]

I lubed my steering cable a couple of weeks ago and now is one finger to turn
it is a 2002 with the i assume original steering
A job i will do every 12 to 18 months now
It is important to get lubrication the full length of the cable

Allan

[Kelly Hanson East]

2002 R&P (I presume original) and no failures

About 1/2 & !/2 salt and fresh use.

Sailors - we should all prepare for steering failure on our boats with the following - a boat hook/oar/paddle lashed to the motor can be used as an emergency tiller quite well on an at least. You can tip up the captains' seat to get better tiller clearance. Practice in smooth water with some space. Its not too hard!

Great stats and thanks to the OP for this poll.

[c130king]

...Great stats and thanks to the OP for this poll.

OP was 5.5 years ago. Stats may be much different today...more users and more older boats.

I am wondering if anyone has had a Teleflex R & P system go bad. Maybe the Detmars were just bad quality.

Jim

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

I have the original Detmar R&P on my 10 yr old X boat. It hasn't failed although it came close once when the steering box started coming apart (1 bolt fell out and the other 3 were loose). I figured it out before disaster and tightened everything back up and its been fine every since (this was at least 5 years ago). So check your bolts!

Also, you need to dissasemble and force new grease into that rod assembly (last part of the steering cable near the motor) at least once a year to keep moisture from entering the cable and freezing it up.

[Rick Westlake]

Sailors - we should all prepare for steering failure on our boats with the following - a boat hook/oar/paddle lashed to the motor can be used as an emergency tiller quite well on an at least. You can tip up the captains' seat to get better tiller clearance. Practice in smooth water with some space. Its not too hard!

I hope that proper maintenance will go a long way toward preventing problems and averting this sort of "emergency" - but it is written, and wisely, that "you've always gotta have a plan B. And plans C, D, etc. to follow that."

There have been some past mods posted on adding an emergency tiller to and - perhaps the best way would be, as Steph says, to work up a quick and secure way to lash a boat hook to the engine. I'd want something I could fit quickly, with a minimum of fiddling and leaning out over the stern, with the engine down and ready to run. Maybe a couple of strategically-placed padeyes, bolted to the engine case, would be a good idea to "Be Prepared".

[Kelly Hanson East]

Just lash it around the shaft of the boat hook, paddle, whatever, back-and-forth like a cleat. Tie last bit down to stop it from popping off (and keep loose end out of prop). Sounds a lot harder than it is. Dock line works great.

[Russ]

Another great use for Duct Tape and why a roll belongs on every boat.



--Russ