TOPIC: Steering is FINALLY rigged, It's WATER READY.

I FINALLY got the last couple of parts I needed for my Merc 850 saturday, and replaced the tilt tube-

My old tilt tube was badly rusted, so much so that it was pretty much unusable. I wasn't sure how easy it would be to replace it, but it turns out using a 'technique' that I ran across on the web, it was SUPER easy... I just lubed it up well, and used the new tilt tube to push the old one out-



I used the old nut on the end to protect the threads as I used a rubber mallet to drive it through-



The old tube just dropped into the motor well, and the new one is in! You do have to 'jiggle' the motor a little bit as you're driving it home, to get the new tilt tube across the gaps between the bracket, but it's really easy.



Then it was just a matter of hooking it all up-



And now, it's all ready to go!!

It's time to hit the water, to go for a test run... Hopefully that'll happen in the next day or so. After 2 years of work, I'm really excited to be at this point

-Andrew

Gotta love any procedure that involves a hammer, rubber or otherwise! (Sorry, I couldn't resist.) Good trick Andrew, thanks for sharing. Glad to hear you're ready for re-launch, I know you've got to be tickled. Been a long time coming, be sure to remember the camera.

That will be usefull when I put the Merc on next spring. Thanks.

..FINALLY , is usually a Good word in our hobby . Congrats. . My Pro son used another technique on stubborn tubes or the conversion
of the power trim tube... For those LUCKY enough to have a yard sale "Air Compressor" use the air pulse Hammer attachment & work it back & forth in both directions with lube till it removes one way
out..

PS. Did we FINALLY sell a boat hull over the weekend.?

Good Job . Now get out and have some fun before it gets to cold ...Maybe some pictures for us to ..
Larry

I think I'm heading to the lake tomorrow for some sea trials- It looks like it'll be clear, sunny, and about 80 degrees- Perfect day for it! During the middle of the week like this, I've got the park & launch ramps pretty much to myself.

I bought some gas today- So all I've got to do in the morning is slap the registration stickers on there, toss in some life jackets and a paddle (just in case!), and head on down. I live about a mile from the ramp- So it's nice and easy.

Of course, I'll have the camera- Or at least the IPhone... Hopefully I won't be documenting a sinking

-Andrew

The motor fired right up today... I think she's ready for the water-




Purrs like a kitten

andrew ,great thread,it will help me when i finally hook up eds motor,i am glad she ran great for you,you worked hard on it,john

andrew,it does not seem like 2+yrs since you contacted me thru the classic boat house site about the pics of glen's citation. boat looks great and hopefully our paths will cross at a fgc event. skipp

Yeah- Time FLIES when you're having fun...

I was just over on iBoats, where I documented the whole restoration on this thread-

forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=355668

I just realized that I started that thread on the day I picked the boat up- September 26th, 2009. Two years, TO THE DAY. Funny

It was supposed to be a few months- What happened?

-Andrew

Great news Andrew, and great video. Nothing like getting a boat in the water after a couple years hard work. You did better than me, I took 4 years. Persistence and patience...

Good luck tomorrow!

Frank