Alpha 1 steering slop

[Chris Craft Todd]

I have an Alpha One Mercruiser outdrive. I have noticed my steering slop is taking place between the cable attachment and the hydraulic actuator unit. Looks like a bolt and rubber boot right were tr cable attaches is moving. Please advise how to adjust or what to replace to lessen the excess movement. Thanks

 

[harringtondav]

More info please. Which year is your Alpha drive?

 

[achris]

Here's a picture of the steering actuator. Are you referring to about 1/4" of movement between the cable guide tube ('e' on the drawing) and the body it slides though? If so, that is a requirement of how the power assistance works... Without that movement, no power steering.



Chris........

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... As Chris says, that bit of slop ya see with the motor off, is the full range of the hyd. valve that controls the amount of assist used,.....

Start the motor, 'n that slop,.... Disappears,......

As soon as the valve moves, it starts pushin',..... never runs the full travel of the motor off slop,.....

Yer more apt to find any slop in those 2 clevis pins, or the tiller arm, or the gimbel pin/ ring connection,.....
Or, it's yer perception of slop,..... idle speed wander,..??

 

[Chris Craft Todd]

My boat is a 1988 Chris Craft 245 Limited harringtondav. I will try starting the engine like Bondo said and see what happens then. Thanks for the diagram Chris.

 

[achris]

My boat is a 1988 Chris Craft 245 Limited harringtondav. I will try starting the engine like Bondo said and see what happens then. Thanks for the diagram Chris.

We really don't care what the boat is... We're interested in the engine... What engine, make, model, serial number and year....

Chris......

 

[Chris Craft Todd]

The engine is a 454 efi that is not original to the boat

 

[harringtondav]

Slop can happen several places. You'll need a helper to smoke it out. Put your boat on muffs, or in the water and start the engine. Have your helper watch where the steering cable attaches to the steering arm (tiller). Turn the steering wheel either direction until your helper helper says stop when the cable moves. Note the wheel position and turn the opposite direction and note the wheel position again. Guessing by my rack/pinon steering 1/8 turn total free play is not obnoxious before the cable/tiller moves

Then check the steering cyl/valve hinge bolt on the transom to ensure it's tight and doesn't have wear in the pin or holes. 30-35 ft lb BEFORE you bend up the lock washer tabs. Check the cable clevis pin and the steering assist clevis pins for looseness/wear.

Then on a lift or your trailer, with engine off, push/jiggle the out drive right and left. <1" total travel is probably OK. More would say you you need to tighten up the two bolts at the top of your gimbal ring.You'll need to hard turn each way to get a back up wrench on the inside lock nuts. 50 ft lbs.

 

[Chris Craft Todd]

Thanks to everyone for all the advice. I will check these things out soon