Converted to tiller & need to add pivot shaft friction

[the machinist]

I have a 1980 70hp Johnson that has a Outboard Jet unit installed, mounted on a 16' aluminum sled. I have removed the steering wheel / remote controls & have converted it to tiller steering by using a e-Bay purchased tiller off a newer 60hp motor.

Everything is fine, except now it pivots so easy that I would like to put friction on the pivot shaft. I see in the parts lists that the motors that were designed for tiller usage had adjustable friction on the shaft.

My question, have any of you torn a remote designed motor apart & installed a tiller friction "kit" in?

 

[samo_ott]

Re: Converted to tiller & need to add pivot shaft friction

A tiller on a 70hp? Holy crap!

I've added the friction into older smaller engines but that just involved adding a spring in the tiller. No idea about yours.

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: Converted to tiller & need to add pivot shaft friction

My thought exactly Steve. It cracks me up to see a tiller on bigger motors but it's been done a lot, especially on aluminum sleds like these. A lot of big motors are actually set up to take tillers, believe it or not.

There should be a tensioner screw in the pivit shaft just below the lower shroud I would think. At least that is what the smaller motors have.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: Converted to tiller & need to add pivot shaft friction

I've been holding back putting a tiller on one of my old 35's as I thought it was too big. But then I keep thinking about this old brochure ad from 1973:

 

[AlTn]

Re: Converted to tiller & need to add pivot shaft friction

hahaha...yeah, that tiller handle was the first thing that drew my attention as well...having watched too many episodes of "Swamp People", seems those cajuns don't have a problem with tillers on high hp. engines

 

[the machinist]

Re: Converted to tiller & need to add pivot shaft friction

OK guys, here in the Pacific Northwest the outboard jet is used predominately in medium sized rivers for salmon / steelhead fishing. This is the only boat that can get you thru SKINNY water. Like thru riffles that may have only a foot of water & rocks. Many of the fishing guides here use 150 & even 200 hp tiller mounted outboards.

My sled used to have remote/stearing, but it soon got obvious that if you are running a forward controlled boat, & YOU are also fishing/or trying to, that the two are not compatible as if you are running the kicker motor backtrolling (slowly sliding downriver) & you need to power up to get out of a possible fast approaching bad situation, you can not get to the forward controls fast enough. Since I am retired & have the opportunity to go when friends can not, I have converted to tiller so I CAN FISH when I want to.

The problem I seem to have is that when standing up & running, (you need to be standing up in order to see GOOD) these rivers will not be smooth like a lake & even the slightest movement of the tiller produces more movement than anticpated at times. And this conversion now has no friction on the pivot like regular tiller designed motors do. I see on the exploded views of this tiller mounted motor that it does have a friction adjustment screw on the lower shaft housing. My question IS my housing designed so that I can add the friction if I also drill for the screw? Or do I have to bore the housing out to accept the friction piece? OH well I guess we will find out.

I hate to install a couple of bungie cords.

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: Converted to tiller & need to add pivot shaft friction

Oh yea, speaking of big Jet Boats running on "skinny water" have you ever taken a ride on the Hellgate Excursion or the Mailboat? These are massive aluminum sleds with a pair of Ford 460's. No tiller handles though

 

[captk]

Re: Converted to tiller & need to add pivot shaft friction

In 94 the parts book shows many different parts from tiller and cable steered models, shafts, housings and bushings are all different part #s. bigg job to tear apart. good luck. Johnnyrude offered a V4 85 tiller in the early 90's always wondered how you could hold on to that thing at 5000 and found a deadhead.

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: Converted to tiller & need to add pivot shaft friction

A tiller on a 70hp? Holy crap!

I've added the friction into older smaller engines but that just involved adding a spring in the tiller. No idea about yours.

Guess what I saw today! I saw a 200 Merc on a big aluminum sled with a tiller handle. I laughed about that one for a few.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: Converted to tiller & need to add pivot shaft friction

Guess what I saw today! I saw a 200 Merc on a big aluminum sled with a tiller handle. I laughed about that one for a few.

Holy crap. Shoulda taken a photo of it!

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: Converted to tiller & need to add pivot shaft friction

Holy crap. Shoulda taken a photo of it!

Yea, I actually got it on my cell phone as he went by me. It's a bit distant, but I saw the tiller for sure.

 

[samo_ott]

Re: Converted to tiller & need to add pivot shaft friction

Funny timing... But hard to tell...