TOPIC: Steering question, recommendation

Lone star came to me with an aftermarket teleflex rack type steering on it.

Obviously, this can't connect to the mercury tilt tube the proper way.

I'd be okay with going back to drum and pulley steering (if I could find parts)


I thought about making a bracket that basically joins the original motor tilt tube, to the piece on my cable that looks like another tilt tube....big nut on one end, rod comes out other end...

Thus tying cable nice and sturdy to the motor, without current u bolts and big hose clamps!

Or, adapting a newer merc tilt tube onto my motor somehow.



Or....the single point transom mount cable holder....which probably wouldn't work well due to space constraints..

I'll post pictures of current setup if necessary..

Any opinions?

Thanks!

Hi,
Unfortunately, I cannot think of any pictures I have to show the idea, but yes as you describe, you can produce a second tilt tube which attaches to the original small Mercury tilt tube ends, and use the existing tilt tube retaining nuts to retain the brackets on each side. When Mercury increased the diameter of the tilt tubes around 1961-62, they had factory adapters available for just this issue. Although it will require removal of the outboard from the boat and a little disassembling, you could remove the original tilt tube, and have the swivel and clamp brackets machined to accept the later larger diameter tilt tube (and nuts) to fit the Teleflex cable directly.

Regards,
Joe
www.fergusonpoolemarine.com
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Yea, what he said ^^^^^^^^ LOL

garzilla,

IF it was me (I'm well-known here as "the local cheapskate" = I consider Jack Benny to be a spendthrift.), I'd borrow a copy of BOATS TO GO: 24 EASY-TO-BUILD BOATS THAT GO FAST WITH LOW POWER, by Thomas Firth Jones, through Interlibrary Loan.
Jones' book will show you how to set-up a cable/pulley system & tell you where to find the parts.

yours, satx

I'm pretty thrifty myself...lol.

I'm thinking of making a bracket that bolts to the original tilt tube...my only issue is fastening the second tube to these brackets....I was thinking welding, but realized I'd never be able to get it apart..

Then I thought if another way, but it'd require some machining....think a connecting rod, and main cap, how they attach to the crank....two bolts pinching together.

I've got the idea, just gotta materialize it..

I'll snap some pics now of my existing cluster fudge.

I'm pretty thrifty myself...lol.

I'm thinking of making a bracket that bolts to the original tilt tube...my only issue is fastening the second tube to these brackets....I was thinking welding, but realized I'd never be able to get it apart..

Then I thought if another way, but it'd require some machining....think a connecting rod, and main cap, how they attach to the crank....two bolts pinching together.

I've got the idea, just gotta materialize it..

I'll snap some pics now of my existing cluster fudge.

i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g331/fearcityinc78/IMAG0424_zps4f7834a9.jpg
i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g331/fearcityinc78/IMAG0423_zpsdd566f69.jpg


Here's what I've got...and what I'm thinking...

i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g331/fearcityinc78/IMAG0430_zpse8f1bd9d.jpg



Whipped this together yesterday...far from perfect, but it works.

Buddy of mine owns a steel shop, needless to say he doesn't weld aluminum all that great but it's strong at least.

i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g331/fearcityinc78/IMAG0430_zpse8f1bd9d.jpg



Whipped this together yesterday...far from perfect, but it works.

Buddy of mine owns a steel shop, needless to say he doesn't weld aluminum all that great but it's strong at least.

Hi,
You have produced an adaptor quite close to the factory ones offered years ago. If needed, we may can supply the factory pivot pin, bracket, and hardware to complete the connection between the Mercury link arm and the bottom cowl. The pivot pins do vary depending on the year model.

Regards,
Joe
www.fergusonpoolemarine.com
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Motor is a 59 mk55a