Steering arm help

Da Bay Bye

Da Bay Bye

Active Member
Looking for suggestions/help about a steering issue on my new to me boat. I can turn the motor about 40 degrees port with no issues but only about 15 degrees starboard. The linkage arm hits the side of the motor well.
The link arm is 12 inches long. I tried to find a shorter Honda linkage but seems they all are to fit a Yamaha.

Are they interchangeable or do you have to stay motor specific? I don't want to buy one that does not fit.close up.jpg hard left.jpg

As a last resort, I have considered cutting a rectangular hole in the well to allow the arm to travel further.
 
I'd go with the hydraulic but you may be able to drill another hole or 2 in the connecting plate coming out of the motor that the steering arm is bolted to. I have never done this but someone else may know if this is a viable option or not.
 
cable.jpg Would be easier to attach a threaded extension tube to the cable inlet side...the cable would thread onto it but the tube would bring the mounting point back furthwr to the starboard side and the stainless bar wouldn't extend as far past the motor....it would have to be custom made piece that is larger diameter on the outboard end so it screws on over the existing outboard mounting threads and then is reduced so the cable can thread on over it on the other end..a welded 2 piece off different diameter tubing. Or even easier a extension tube with the same nut as the cable uses welded to one end of it...just screw it on first and then the cable onto it.
 
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Da Bay Bye, looking at your set up...I noticed that the steering arm bracket that is attached to the motor (under the cowling) has an extra hole. I cant see under the cowling in the picture, but I bet there is another hole or two there that attaches the bracket to the motor. My guess is that you could turn that bracket upside down and rebolt it to the motor. The steering arm would then have more clearance. Hope this makes sense, if not P.M. me and I’ll try to explain it better.
 
You need to turn the motor all the way to port and see how far the steering rod is extending from the motor. If it is close to the end of the travel in this direction, any modifications you do to increase the amount the motor turns to starboard will decrease the amount it turns to port. You may have to play with the amount of the modification to the steering to get the same amount of turning in both directions but not get full turning in either directions.
 
Trophy said:
Da Bay Bye, looking at your set up...I noticed that the steering arm bracket that is attached to the motor (under the cowling) has an extra hole. I cant see under the cowling in the picture, but I bet there is another hole or two there that attaches the bracket to the motor. My guess is that you could turn that bracket upside down and rebolt it to the motor. The steering arm would then have more clearance. Hope this makes sense, if not P.M. me and I’ll try to explain it better.
Click to expand...

Yeah I bet you could just flip the bracket, could have been installed upside down from the beginning..
And like Troller mentions.. looking for as close to the same both directions.
And lol I have always felt more comfortable doing fast tight turns towards the drivers side..

Looks correct and probably not flipable, try bending the rod, factory rod looks way different and way more expensive!
https://www.boats.net/catalog/honda...60hp/bfp60ak1-lrta-2007-and-later/swivel-case

https://www.boats.net/catalog/honda...bfp60ak1-lrta-2007-and-later/steering-rod-kit
 
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Wild Bill said:
Yeah I bet you could just flip the bracket, could have been installed upside down from the beginning..
And like Troller mentions.. looking for as close to the same both directions.
And lol I have always felt more comfortable doing fast tight turns towards the drivers side..

Looks correct and probably not flipable, try bending the rod, factory rod looks way different and way more expensive!
https://www.boats.net/catalog/honda...60hp/bfp60ak1-lrta-2007-and-later/swivel-case

https://www.boats.net/catalog/honda...bfp60ak1-lrta-2007-and-later/steering-rod-kit
Click to expand...

Checked the bracket and flipping will not change the distance it travels. The pivot hole is centered in the bracket. I will be checking with local dealers in the next few days to see if they carry a shorter link arm. If not, then I will check into getting 1 inch removed and re-welded.

Thanks for all the advise.
 
I don’t think its centred properly at the steering helm. That arm is sticking out plenty far enough that it should be turning that motor more than 15 deg to that side. Is it possible that it jumped a few gears or sprockets one way. I’m not sure how well it’s made but it’s possible at one point someone cranked on it hard when it was bottomed out one way and even tore the gears on the cable end and got it out of whack. To me that looks like a dealer install and I can’t see any dealer letting something like that go out the door. Put you engine centred and I would pull off the housing at your steering and see what’s up in there. You may sacrifice some turn to Port but you may be able to find a happy medium.
Just a thought
 
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Been thinking about it and can’t be that. If it was what I was thinking it wouldn’t be going over to the one side as far.
Sorry
 
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