Does anyone recognize this type steering system?

Discussion in 'All Things Boats & Boating' started by nopeda, May 27, 2019.

  1. nopeda
    Joined: Aug 2013
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    nopeda Junior Member

    Does anyone recognize this type of steering system? There is nothing written on any parts of it as far as I can find. It is on a 1968 Lazy Days houseboat and I'd like to find out who built it and how to find replacement parts, but how to find that out? The first picture is of the rectangular box that has been removed from the steering column, and the other 2 are different views of that same box in the hopes that it will look familiar enough to identify to somebody.
    houseboat steering1.jpg
    houseboat steering2.jpeg
    houseboat steering3.jpeg
     
  2. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    It looks like a rack and pinion steering.
     
  3. Angélique
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    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    Nopeda, maybe your steering system was DIY built from some other rack and pinion equipment . . ?

    [​IMG]
    — 1 Steer — 2 Steering column — 3 Pinion and Rack — 4 Steer arm — 5 Fusee —

    a bit larger, lock gate cogs and rack on a lock in the Montgomery Canal in the UK.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: May 28, 2019
  4. Angélique
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    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    No, yours doesn't look DIY built from other equipment, check out boat rack steering....

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
    For sale: ‘‘ Vintage Mercury Marine Boat Ride Guide Steering Rack & Pinion with Helm ’’

    Parts for: Mercury Marine Steering Systems & Components Rack & Pinion Assembly (66800A5)
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: May 29, 2019
  5. Angélique
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    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    Here's an expired 2014 ad on eBay (scroll down a bit), also online partly in French on the Canadian eBay site, posted here to compare the pictures with your system...

    ‘‘ Bayliner-Morse Boat Rack & Pinion Steering System Kit Rack- Cable & Wheel $39 — Sold for US $ 89.99 ’’

    ‘‘ Brand: Glastron-Teleflex ’’

    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: May 29, 2019
  6. Angélique
    Joined: Feb 2009
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    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    Maybe your brand is also (Glastron) Teleflex, see Motor Boating & Sailing Magazine Feb. 1972, there's an (Glastron) Teleflex ad on page 23, alas the rack and pinion and cable aren't shown there.
     
    Last edited: May 29, 2019
  7. nopeda
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    nopeda Junior Member

    That does look like what I've got. A local marine repair guy said a lot of the old Lazy Days had Morse steering systems and it looks like one of those to him. He also said they are hard to replace.
     
  8. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    You can buy new rack and pinion from teleflex. Otherwise, change to rotary helm.
     
  9. nopeda
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    nopeda Junior Member

    I think I finally found a place to buy it, and did finally get the old cable out. Have it hanging upside down about 10' high with a piece of garden hose hose clamped to it and filled the hose part with PB Blaster hoping it will sink down into the housing. Will try a trick with a section of bicycle inner tube to put a little air pressure on it tomorrow trying to force the penetrating fluid down through it. What would be best from my pov now that I have the cable out would be if I could find just the cable only for a reasonable price since the rack and pinion are still fine, so then I'd know the cable is good too and just install it and be good to go. But so far haven't looked into that option and don't know if it exists or not.
     
  10. Angélique
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    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    Gonzo's link on the other thread in post #6 gives for a 32' cable ‘‘List Price: $326.28 Our Price: $218.99’’ longer more expensive, shorter less expensive, don't know if this is the best deal on the market, it's just shared as a general reference I think.

    Need to check if it fits your pictures, you could ask the Moderator to merge the threads and the thread titles, so you have the info and the contributors together.
     
    Last edited: Jun 1, 2019
  11. Angélique
    Joined: Feb 2009
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    Location: Belgium ⇄ The Netherlands

    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    On the above posted link is a 36' cable $259.99, on another link is a 36' cable also $259.99, so that seems to be a common new price from marine parts dealers.

    eBay: Teleflex cable Teleflex steering cable

    Looks like some far over 10 years old store stocks in the 30'
    ~ 46' range offered for sale there, brand new in the original package, around US $ 70 + asking price per piece, especially via the first above eBay link, don't know if that fits all steering cable needs though.
     
    Last edited: Jun 2, 2019
  12. nopeda
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    nopeda Junior Member

    I surely wish I could buy one for any of those prices, but none of them are at all like what I need. Well, since my rack is still good the first one might do the trick but you can't tell what the rack end of the cable looks like so can't tell if it would match up.
     
  13. nopeda
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    nopeda Junior Member

    For a while I thought I found what I need at:

    Teleflex Morse Command 200 Boat Steering Cable SSC13036 | 36 Foot https://www.greatlakesskipper.com/boat-parts/steering-cables/teleflex-morse-command-200-rack-and-pinion/teleflex-36-foot-432-inch-morse-command-200-ssc13036-rack-and-pinion-boat-steering-cable

    Being untrusting of such good luck being possible I called and asked the sales person who assured me that the photo was an accurate representation of what I would get. At that time the photo they had up was of the same type rack shown here:

    Teleflex Morse Boat Steering Cable E300619-126IN-4448 | 10 1/2 Foot https://www.greatlakesskipper.com/boat-parts/steering-cables/teleflex-morse-command-200-rack-and-pinion/teleflex-morse-boat-steering-cable-e300619-126in-4448-10-1-2-foot

    which is the type of rack I need but not what I got.

    steering cable.jpg

    The silver one below is the type I need. The black one above is what I received. I called and complained so they changed the one photo, but not the others that are supposedly similar. Also I said I should be refunded for everything including all shipping, but they're not going to refund me for the original shipping even though it's not my fault for ordering something they showed a photo of that I certainly wish I was able to buy, but... And of course I haven't been able to find one anywhere and so far no one has been able to say where to find one. I feel sure there is one out there somewhere, but how to find it??? Of course maybe there really is not one, anywhere on the entire planet, as one person at Dometic (who took over Seastar solutions) encouraged me to believe.
     

    Attached Files:


  14. Angélique
    Joined: Feb 2009
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    Location: Belgium ⇄ The Netherlands

    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    Screenshot* from your first link in the above post #13.

    * Great Lakes Skipper's by them so called ‘‘Teleflex Morse Command 200 Boat Steering Cable SSC13036 36 Foot’’ screenshot taken at June 18, 2019, 00:14 UTC. The light red arrow and the dark red text are added by me to the screenshot, which besides the mentioned adding is posted 100% original, as it was shown at the referred to screenshot time on Great Lakes Skipper's sales website.

    Great Lakes Skipper Teleflex Morse Command 200 Boat Steering Cable SSC13036 36 Foot screenshot.jpg

    When I follow the red arrow marked link shown in the screenshot, then I get to Great Lakes Skipper's Seastar / Teleflex Marine webpage, there they have as for now posted a link to SeaStar Solutions Technical Support.

    Then I've looked around on that SeaStar Solutions website...

    SeaStar SolutionsProductsMechanical SteeringHPS Rack and Pinion

    below a picture and a quote from the last above link as shown there at the time and date of this posting

    HPS Rack by SeaStar Solutions.png

    ‘‘ HPS™ Rack by SeaStar Solutions® is the best 4-turn way to steer a power-assisted sterndrive or outboard! Ideal for small inboards too, HPS reduces backlash (free-play at the wheel) associated with power steered boats by up to 50%! A great choice for ski boats, too! . . . ’’

    It looks to me like the by SeaStar Solutions shown HPS rack and housing is different from Teleflex, and and from the top rack and housing as shown in your post #13 picture it looks to me like HPS is what Great Lakes Skipper has sent you.

    It also looks to me Great Lakes Skipper first showed a false picture and false Teleflex text info on their sales website, at least for the rack and its housing, which website info they've confirmed to be right at your telephone inquiry, and from which you've bought.

    And it looks to me Great Lakes Skipper is now for the 36' cable showing what they're actually sending, but still give false Teleflex text info about the rack and its housing on their sales website, as per the above posted screenshot.

    Think Great Lakes Skipper owes you a full refund, including all shipping costs and your time, for messing around with the sales info on their website and over the phone.

    P.S. - send them a link to this post #14
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2019
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