Help Finding Steering Cables for a Mercury Outboard

[achilles555]

Hello all. I recently purchased a 1985 Charger Bass Boat that has been sitting for several years. I'm working on getting her fixed-up, but have run into a steering problem. The cables were frozen when I bought it so I did some searching around the net for a solution. I did get them unfrozen, but after hours of Liquid Wrench and turning the wheel back and forth a hundred times...the steering is incredibly tight. I have finally given up hope, and took the cables out last night. When I went to look for new cables online, I realized that I have NO idea what I'm looking for. Can someone help me out with figuring out which cables I need? Here are the details: There are 2 cables. They both have "Detroit Marine Engineering DPR-20-1" stamped on them. They are 157" in total length, and the center cable length is 129" (without the end components). The end that goes into the motor mount is retty standard, and the ends that go into the steering column under the dash have a flat gear that is 18" in length. That gear goes into a gold metal casing that is basically a rectangular "box" full of grease. Any help you guys might be able to give me would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Laddies]

Re: Help Finding Steering Cables for a Mercury Outboard

By the time you find a Detmar cable and spend the long dollar for it, you would be better off installing a new Teleflex system from iboat or your local dealer.

 

[achilles555]

Re: Help Finding Steering Cables for a Mercury Outboard

that's the problem i'm having, though. wich system am i looking for? is this considered a rack and pinion system?

 

[JB]

Re: Help Finding Steering Cables for a Mercury Outboard

Achilles, please don't post the same question in two different fora. It is confusing to helpers and doesn't allow them to reply to all of the replies.

 

[Laddies]

Re: Help Finding Steering Cables for a Mercury Outboard

Look under the dash if the steering system head is more or less round it's a rotary and if it has a round or square tube about 20" long that the cable come out of it's a rack and pinion

 

[j_martin]

Re: Help Finding Steering Cables for a Mercury Outboard

that's the problem i'm having, though. wich system am i looking for? is this considered a rack and pinion system?

From your description it is a dual rack system, which is what should be on that rig. Install a Teleflex Dual Rack NFB system and you will be very happy with it.

been there, done that.
John

 

[Kev144]

Re: Help Finding Steering Cables for a Mercury Outboard

Yep I have an 89 charger DL with 150 merc and the steering was stiff as crap. I went to a place and installed a Teleflex dual cable steering unit and it works very well.