TOPIC: Rigging a steering system

For all you steering system gurus out there. Has anyone here rigged a push/pull system from scratch? I have a ride guide that I pulled from a 63 Dorset and intend to install it in my Herters. Problem is that the cable is longer than needed to go around the starboard side. Can the wheel and rack be mounted on the starboard side and have the cable run around the port side.

My overcooked noodle figures that by switching sides of the motor end the boat would steer oposite the wheel, (did I say that right?).
In other words have the stern business end come in from the port side vs the starboard.

To correct this backwards steering can I flip the rack and pinion upside down, switch the input bushings (gear end).

to the other side of the rack.

It looks to me like all the other holes and hardware are reversable. Any thoughts.
Thanks, Cal

In case you didn't know, the ride guide cables were made with 2 sizes of adapter nuts that attached to the tilt tube. The early ones were a smaller diameter and fit the Mk55, Mk 58, Mk75, Mk 78. Not sure when they switched to the larger diameter - that is still the standard today - but check that part for compatibility if you have not.

As for the cable, there is nothing wrong with making a lazy (large) loop in the cable to shorten it up. The loop can be hidden under the splashwell if your boat has one. As for flopping the rack - I've never done that - but it seems doable. I'll have to go out to the shop & look at one of mine to check.

to add to what Bruce has posted there is also a Mercury cable adapter to accommodate the 2 different diameter cables
I agree, in my minds eye, the flipping of the rack will work

check to see if the cable nut will thread on you motors tilt tube
if not I will post what the Mercury cable adapter looks like and also some ones I fabbed up with hand tools that you can make it work

My boat came rigged like the way you want to do yours.Never poked my head under there to see if the rack was mounted upside down.It works and looking to see how it is rigged never crossed my mind.I figured the rack was to close and made the turning radius a no go.Or the cable was to long, but it was new out of the box as receipts came with purchase, so I lean towards the radius as the reason.

The short answer is yes, you can flop the rack to go down either port or starboard side of the boat. In fact when you put together a super rideguide with dual racks and dual cables you can go down both sides with the cables or have both go down the same/either side. One of the neat features designed into the system....