Steering adjustment

[FlyingDutchman]

I found out, that when the steering wheel is in the middle position, the rudder blade is som 5-10 degrees out of the centre line of the boat.
On the rudder shaft is an arm.
This arm is connected to the end of the cable (rod). The end of the outer cable is a tube about 30 centmeters long that has grooves aound it. In the grooves is what looks like a ball. This ball is held in a bracket. As the grooves are over the lenghth of the tube, it looks like the ball can be placed in different positions to adjust the steering.
I unscrwewd the bracket, but the ball seems to be made of one piece. The grooves are not a screw thread. Does anybody know how to adjust this system? I think it is an Ultraflex steering.

Many thanks in advance for any helpful input.

 

[Slipstream 34]

Does the shaft that the wheel sits on have splines ?

It might be easier to remove the wheel and re-centre it on the shaft, with the rudder central.

 

[FlyingDutchman]

No, the wheel is on the shaft with a key.
Besides that, it is my intention to have the same angle of the rudder hard port / hard starboard.
The idea to check this is that my boat has a far larger turning circle to starboard then to port.

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

No the ball will be in two halves and should split to facilitate adjustment by mooving it along the tube, I take it the ball is held in some kind of bracket,? ie a round plate with bolts around its circumference, this plate will split in two once the bolts are removed allowing the ball to be removed and split in half.
Make sure it is secured properly when you have finnished your adjustment, as if it came adrift you would loose all steering control, also grease everything on assembly.
The larger turning circle will be caused by prop walk and not the rudder as the steering helm unit should allow extra turns each way.
Righthand prop, smaller turning circle to port, and vice versa.

 

[FlyingDutchman]

The bracket looks like if you would hold a tennisball in your two cupped hands.
I tend to agree that the ball should be in two halves but when I undid the bracket bolts the ball was loose but I could not separate it?

 

[Lakesailor]

On the subject of that ball and the cup. Should the ball be free to move in the cup (to accommodate the variation in angle of the rod as it moves the steering arm) or should the cup clamp the ball tight?

 

[FlyingDutchman]

The ball moves freely in the cup to compensate for the varying angle of the arm on the rudder shaft (bit difficult to explain...)

This is the one (hope it works):

http://www.dekkerwatersport.nl/showimage.asp?IMG=1/DKRW0011

 

[Lakesailor]

That's what I hoped. The boat I just bought has very stiff steering. If you disconnect the rod from the steering arm on the ouboard each component moves freely, but connect them again and they are very stiff. The ball appears to be clamped up solid in the cup so that's another little job to add to the list.
I'm continually amazed that people who wouldn't think of doing fundamental work on the family car seem to bodge-about on boats with no apparent mechanical sympathy.
I've found a lot of rubbish work on the installations on this boat, (even things a simple as securing trim with carpet tacks, that have now rusted) and it's only 15ft.

 

[FlyingDutchman]

I hope you did not mean to accuse me of bodging-about on boats?

 

[Lakesailor]

Quite obviously not. You find yourself in the same position as me. Trying to get everything operating properly. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[discovery2]

The ball is indeed split. There should be a hair-line around the circumference indicating the split. Try inserting the blade of a Stanley knife in the split to separate the two halves.

Ultraflex - think it is Telflex!

Good luck.

 

[FlyingDutchman]

Thanks Discovery!
I saw the hairline but I thougt it was from the injection moulding.
I will give it a try!