www.iFourWinns.com

Is there any way to adjust the play in my boats steering. I have about 10 - 15 degrees play in the steering and also the steering wheel sits skew when the boat is travelling straight.

Cheers
Dave
1998 Horizon 200

The unfortunate answer is no, the play cannot be adjusted out; it varies a lot from boat to boat. I find mine to be considerably worse when the wheel is tilted, I supposes it introduces more chance of a cumulative play in the system.

Depending on how far out it is, the wheel position relative to the hub can be adjusted, it's just bolted on. Also, the position of the hub on the shaft can be adjusted; after removing the nut, it should pull off ( you may need a puller or a slide hammer though )

Graham

Actually I thought that it could be adjusted...but found it couldn't. Here's why....most of these shafts have a taper shaft arrangement with a Woodruff key and so the hub can only go on one way...then the pattern of screws in the wheel is not symmetrical...so you can't just unbolt the wheel from the hub and bolt it on straight....

And if you try to remove the wheel...try this first:
loosen the nut...spray in and around the shaft with PB Blaster...then take a block of wood...put it on the nut (loosen the nut but then screw it on so it protects the threads on the shaft) and then place the wood on the nut and give it a good rap with a hammer...that should break loose from taper and it will then come off...I put on a destroyer style wheel with a spinnner knob...and greased up that taper shaft and Woodruff key in case that thing ever needs to come off...a car style puller won't work....gotta do it this way....

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Lou,

I vaguely remember the hub on my 1999 boat was splined, but it was 8 years ago I took it off and maybe I confused it with the steering wheel I took off my first car 35 years ago, so I'm probably wrong !

Graham