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Steering Wheel Play

kaylix

Well-Known Member
Messages
64
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23
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57
Location
NY, NC, GA
Boat Make
Sugar Sand
Year
1997
Boat Model
Tango Xtreme
Boat Length
17
I have some play in my steering wheel, but it is frustrating. Is the control box under the helm serviceable ?
IMG_20201011_144546.jpg
 

mrcid

Active Member
Messages
18
Reaction score
7
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Boat Make
Sugar Sand
Year
1996
Boat Model
Mirage
Boat Length
16
You can tighten up some of the screws in the linkage. Is there too much play in the wheel? (steering wheel moves, but does not move the cable)
 

dan144k

Jetboaters Captain
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Location
Palatine, IL
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2010
Boat Model
AR
Boat Length
24

kaylix

Well-Known Member
Messages
64
Reaction score
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Location
NY, NC, GA
Boat Make
Sugar Sand
Year
1997
Boat Model
Tango Xtreme
Boat Length
17
There is about 5 degrees of play before the diverter moves. So when I'm cruising I'm constantly moving the wheel to keep tracking in a straight line.
 

Betik

Jetboaters Admiral
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Location
Frisco, TX
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2012
Boat Model
SX
Boat Length
24
@Bruce do you have any magic tricks up your sleeves ?
 

mrcid

Active Member
Messages
18
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Boat Make
Sugar Sand
Year
1996
Boat Model
Mirage
Boat Length
16
Sounds like there is excessive play within the gears in the steering box. I had to replace my entire steering box a few years ago because the gears broke. In the new box I got, I still have a little bit of "freeplay" in the steering. Not sure if the steering box I got was top of the line, but the gears on it don't mesh 100%. There's still some play. I took it apart and noticed there is a spring washer behind one of the gears and it wasn't pushing the gear into the other gear hard enough to create a full mesh of the gears. There was some spring play, which causes the "freeplay". Anyhow................ I ended up stacking a flat washer behind the spring washer and I get a little bit better meshing of the gears and not as much "freeplay" in the steering wheel.

Hope this wasn't too confusing.

Personally, I think the ones they use on these SS boats are about as low grade and cheap as they get.

I summary: I believe the sloppiness in the steering comes from the two gears in the steering box just don't mesh up tight enough.

This is the type of system that they use: http://turbojetmarineproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Tele-Flex-Marine-JBS-Jet-boat-steering-system.pdf

(I'm trying to find a diagram of the gearing inside the box, but no luck)
 

kaylix

Well-Known Member
Messages
64
Reaction score
23
Points
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Location
NY, NC, GA
Boat Make
Sugar Sand
Year
1997
Boat Model
Tango Xtreme
Boat Length
17
Not confusing, I understand what you're describing.
Every boat I've owned has had this play issue. You'd think they would use really high quality tight parts for a primary system.
It sounds like I can open the box and have a look.
 

mrcid

Active Member
Messages
18
Reaction score
7
Points
42
Boat Make
Sugar Sand
Year
1996
Boat Model
Mirage
Boat Length
16
Be careful. Taking the box apart is simple. Putting it back together while it's still mounted can be tricky because of the washers needing to be held in place. I used some lithium grease to hold the washers in place.
 

kaylix

Well-Known Member
Messages
64
Reaction score
23
Points
57
Location
NY, NC, GA
Boat Make
Sugar Sand
Year
1997
Boat Model
Tango Xtreme
Boat Length
17
@mrcid Where are you located? Have you winterized yet?
 

mrcid

Active Member
Messages
18
Reaction score
7
Points
42
Boat Make
Sugar Sand
Year
1996
Boat Model
Mirage
Boat Length
16
I'm a just north of Houston near Lake Houston. Have not winterized, yet. Still got a few weeks of boating/fishing left. Then I'll winterize............. to some degree. We really don't have winters here.
 
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