Can someone Identify this rack and pinion steering cable

[mcurcio1989]

A buddy called me up yesterday saying that the boat he bought last week steered really stiff. I sort of figured it was the steering cable and sure enough it was. We removed the cable entirely out of the boat put it as straight as could be and it still took loads of force to get it to move. The only problem is that it appears to be an oddball brand. I don't remember who the manufacturer of the boat is but it is a 18 foot 1978 bowrider with 1979 johnson 115hp outboard. The only company I am familiar with making these cables is teleflex but it is definitely not teleflex and i found a company called detmar and uflex but it doesn't look like either of them. I figure if worse comes to worse well just replace the whole system but it would be nice to just do the cable.

Couldn't find any identifying marks. . .here is a pic

 

[my1stboat1]

Re: Can someone Identify this rack and pinion steering cable

looks like a standard mechanical teleflex steering cable... if your lucky and you inspect the cable covering you may be able to find a part number on the cable for replacement

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Can someone Identify this rack and pinion steering cable

That kinda' looks like the Mercury RideGuide steering, that system seems to be common in boats from the 70's and 80's. Unfortunately it's next to impossibse to find a cable for them anymore. Unless you get extremely lucky and find a dealer that's got a cable sitting on a dusty shelf somewhere you're looking at replacing the entire steering system. (I put a LOT of effort into trying to find new cables when I rebuilt my '79 Checkmate, I wound up getting new a Teleflex dual NFB rack system).

 

[mcurcio1989]

Re: Can someone Identify this rack and pinion steering cable

looks like a standard mechanical teleflex steering cable... if your lucky and you inspect the cable covering you may be able to find a part number on the cable for replacement

Its definately not a telleflex. What you see in the picture is all one piece you cannot remove that bracket.

Thanks metric it seems unlikely that it is mercury being that the engine is johnson but i guess it may be some kind of other oddball brand. Prly not gonna be possible to find but I would like to know what it is.

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Can someone Identify this rack and pinion steering cable

Thanks metric it seems unlikely that it is mercury being that the engine is johnson

The steering systems are entirely seperate from the engine or engine controls. The RideGuide system was put in all kinds of boats, no matter which engine was ultimately installed.

 

[mcurcio1989]

Re: Can someone Identify this rack and pinion steering cable

^ Okay i guess that makes sense. I know that steering systems are seperate but it just seemes odd that a manufacturer would install a johnson engine with a steering system made by merc. Sounds like that was the cable of choise back then tho so.

 

[etracer68]

Re: Can someone Identify this rack and pinion steering cable

I have a complete system w steering wheel from a 1989 Bayliner, that works great. Its just sitting in my garage, if your close to SE Wisconsin you are welcome to it, for a 30 pack of beer.