www.iFourWinns.com

Hi all,

I've been here for a while......but the boat is new to me so I have
more questions than answers. I hope to add something very soon.
Ive installed a battery cluster switch. I'm going to take pics and a do a write up.

Well on to my problem. I have a 2006 258 Vista with a 5.7 OSXi-DF with an
DXP ocean out drive with cable/power steering. I have a lot of steering play. so much that the I can't get to boat to track stright without it wondering port and starboard. The steering wheel has a 1/4 turn before it starts to steer. I looked at the tiller and I can hold the tiller and i can wiggle it about 2-3 inches before the cable/power steering unit stops it. It looks like the tiller is fine. Maybe the pin hole is worn and sloop in cable. Is there any adjustment that I can make at the helm or at the engine? I was going to try to bleed the power steering unit. I just want to have some Ideas.

Thanks guys. I love this board.

Mark W

There is no adjustment in the steering box as far as I know; miy current one sounds the same as yours, an earlier one I had was better. The issue must be caused by clearances between the rack at the end of the cable and the pinion that meshes with it. Maybe some are a better fit than others, due to production +/- tolerances. What I have found is that im improves slightly if the steering wheel is not tilted, the tilt mechanism introduces some extra slop.

Many big outboard installations use hydraulic steering to get around this type of slop.

Graham

Thank you for the reply. I plan to try to bleed the power steering.
I will see if that helps.

Has anyone gone the way of hydraulic only steering? I contacted Seastar
and they sell a conversion kit. I plan to look into this more and may go for
it if there is nothing wrong with the tiller or berings in the out drive