Loose engine control lever

[sgr143]

The control lever has been developing more and more play over this year. I feared that the cables or internal machinery of the slides and things at the back of the control would need attention, but when I got to the back of it today I found no problem there - it seem to be just that the control lever itself is loose on the shaft. But I can't work out how to get the handle off to check it and, I hope, fix it.

It's probably the original fitting on my 1985 Westerly Merlin. I don't know what type it is - it has black lever with red "clutch" button on the rotation axis (as do they all, pretty much, I guess). I stupidly didn't take a picture today, but I found an old one of the cockpit area that had the lever in, albeit with a sheet draped right across it! That bit of the picture (shades of "Blow Up") attached.


Any ideas?

If all else fails I could buy a whole new one, but I'd prefer to fix what I've already got, if possible.

Ta, Steve

 

[Heckler]

The control lever has been developing more and more play over this year. I feared that the cables or internal machinery of the slides and things at the back of the control would need attention, but when I got to the back of it today I found no problem there - it seem to be just that the control lever itself is loose on the shaft. But I can't work out how to get the handle off to check it and, I hope, fix it.

It's probably the original fitting on my 1985 Westerly Merlin. I don't know what type it is - it has black lever with red "clutch" button on the rotation axis (as do they all, pretty much, I guess). I stupidly didn't take a picture today, but I found an old one of the cockpit area that had the lever in, albeit with a sheet draped right across it! That bit of the picture (shades of "Blow Up") attached.
View attachment 82267

Any ideas?

If all else fails I could buy a whole new one, but I'd prefer to fix what I've already got, if possible.

Ta, Steve

There is an allen grub screw in the bottom of the handle pointing up. Loosen it and it should come off. It is just a tapered spline shaft. Are you sure it isnt the square housing loose? Take the handle off and pry the plastic cover off. The housing is held to the boat by four self tappers.

PS ASAP supplies sell the bits for it, they aint cheap though!

 

[sgr143]

There is an allen grub screw in the bottom of the handle pointing up. Loosen it and it should come off. It is just a tapered spline shaft. Are you sure it isnt the square housing loose? Take the handle off and pry the plastic cover off. The housing is held to the boat by four self tappers.

PS ASAP supplies sell the bits for it, they aint cheap though!

Thanks! The housing isn't loose (I had a good furtle around it from the inside of the cockpit locker), so next time I'm down I'll go looking for the little Allen screw. Daft of me not to think of that possibility when I was there today. Ho hum.

I hope the spares would be cheaper than a whole new gizmo...

Steve

 

[sgr143]

Actually, now I've looked on Force 4 etc. websites, it looks like a more elderly version of the basic "Teleflex Single Lever Side Mount Control". If push comes to shove, and the old one isn't fixable, a new one might even fit in the same hole and with the same cable hook-ups (chance would be a fine thing...)

 

[chewi]

If the splines are gone on the handle you can get a replacement handle. for some models. I have seen some with the spline tapered, some with parallel splines. If it is depending on the grub screw to work, replace it, because it wont work for long like that. The grub screw is a retainer, the splines should do the work.
The whole mechanism is about £180 upwards.

 

[scottie]

I suspect it’s a TX control available under various brands
It was sold as two components mechanism and fitting kit which was determined by installation such as side or top mount single or twin the side mounts had a choice of lever
I seem to remember that the side mount kit was cheaper than buy the handle alone
You will probably find the internal splines in the handle have worn
Tightening the grub screw may be all you need but it may end up with needing a complete unit
Taking pictures of how the cables fit may help refitting
There are / were two sizes of side mounts the later allowed posting the cables through the cut out already fitted to the control

 

[Daydream believer]

If the splines are shot then you could just drill a hole through the handle & spindle & stick a split pin through it.
Although I have the equipment to drill & tap & put a couple more set screws in place to make it tighter & neater if they went into the spindle.

 

[sgr143]

Thanks to all for your suggestions. I may not be back at the boat for a little while, but I'll report back when I do.
Steve

 

[sgr143]

Update on this.

I got it sorted out today, by replacing the whole unit, without too much bother; though I was glad that the space in which the mechanism on the control lever sits is big enough for me to sit in and fiddle with it (Westerly Merlins have quite capacious cockpit lockers), and that I photographed the old mechanism, and its connections, in situ before starting work.

The instructions that come with the Teleflex detail how to get the unit in and out of the cavity in which it sits, using a multi-stage process of moving the lever from one position to another as you shoogle the unit out through the hole (and later, shoogle its replacement back in again). However, I found it simpler to partially dismantle the old one, taking off the throttle cam plate, which made it easier to disconnect the throttle cable, and then the gear actuator arm, which made it easier to remove the gear cable. Then I could easily tap the now-reduced unit out from the hole. I then reversed the procedure with the new unit. All looks fine - the levers on the engine and gearbox respond correctly to the throttle lever movements, so i don't expect any nasty surprises (from that, anyway) when Osprey goes back in the water.

I was very taken by the ingenious simplicity of the mechanism. by which the single lever changes gear either way while keeping the throttle at or near idling revs, and then progressively increases revs only after the gear is properly engaged. Aren't cam-plates neat ? I've come across them before in servicing motorcycle gearboxes: if memory serves me well (which it probably doesn't) , this sort of mechanism was first used by Velocette (*), who invented or at least popularised the positive-stop, foot operated gear change.

Anyway, job done; small preen; and my thanks to various posters here for their advice.

Steve

(* "The 1929 [Velocette] KTT was the first production motorcycle to feature positive-stop, foot-actuated gearchange." says Wikipedia, so my memory is still OK for obscure things like this. Finding my keys or glasses is another matter... )