Sloppy Teleflex steering new & used.

I have a 2002 Chaparral 186 SSI with a 5.0L V8 220 hp.

The original steering was sloppy brand new. Is there a rack & pinion for replacement in the bow rider.

There is now about a total of 60 degrees of slop at neutral with the single factory cable. It is a sealed unit.

Money is no object any more.

 

If you have room for a rack and pinion then yes, but if your current steering is rotary you will have to get the cable too as the cables are not interchangable.

Rotary cables are interchangable through the different rotary helms, maybe identidy what you have and there may be a upgrade helm you can direct replace. Slop is usually a helm problem, not a cable problem.

 

I have a factory rotary. No model # on it. a real O E M unit. Web sites I have found are useless on giving shaft Center Line to side wall dimension.

Will probably need to contact Teleflex on my options for a minimun play unit. I was told by people that all rotaries are owned / made by Teleflex.

I hate steering play in a Mercruiser Stern Drive. It already has a P S setup. After adding the " Wander Fin ". The reduction of propellor torque REALLY exposed all the slop in the Teleflex rotary system.

 

There is identification on the helm and the cable, the cable will have a part number heat stamped into the jacket, probably near both ends. Imbedded in the part number will be the cable length.

Teleflex makes Teleflex and Morse, Uflex is a competitor that many OEM's use. Mercury used to (maybe still does) make their own steering for I/O's

 

Teleflex make a non feedback NFB (Model 4910) you can use with any Teleflex steering rotary cable.
I had the same problem you have, even with my slow displacement boat.
I bought the NFB to check if it will be better.
Let you know when finalizing the mounting and sea trial
Teleflex have also a beefy model for high horsepower, also rotary. I don't have the part number.
Teleflex sold all the marine related equipment to concentrate on the hospital stuff. The new name is SeaStar I believe.
They make the new NFB XTREME with the usual cable. It is also a rotary, but the design inside is different, although outside it looks like a Teleflex as we know. Quite pricey

 

I checked the Uflex rack system & liked the tight radius available. 7.6" I have at least 30" radius to work with. 2 year warranty is nice.

Anyone used the G86 series on a Merc 5.0L 220 hp sterndrive or similar size ? Opinion ?

Thank you everyone for the help on something I have no real experience with.

 

If you have some change to spare, try the hydraulic version. Quite good.
Steering is a *****. Hard to make it right

 

I'll bet it's the installation that's causing the "slop" in the steering, not the cable or helm type. With the exception of the splash well area, the rest of the cable needs to be clamped down, which will eliminate cable swing and flex, so the helm energy goes to the steering arm instead.

 

Thank you PAR.

That clamping down is a mandatory of all " pushrod " systems unless they are extremely stiff. I will get a helper to swing the wheel back & forth while I watch the cable over the full length.


So much to learn & remember At 74.

 

just one word is needed

Hydraulic

 

I use and recommend the Ultraflex cable system over the Teleflex. Teleflex has only one planetary gear in the steering rotor while Ultraflex has three equally spaced around the arc. That makes for less play in the steering and the cost is little more. Most older Teleflex units I have come in contact with are stiff and lots of lost motion.

 

Agreed there are better units available and Teleflex has really drop the ball in the last couple of decades, but everyone's got them, so . . .