Port bravo 3 wiggles


T

tikki50

New member
Ok before I take her out I’d like to inspect this wiggle found while cleaning the drives. I get some free play in the port outdrive 1/2”. The starboard seems quite tight. 425 hours on both drives and the port shifter cable was replaced last season by PO and I had the machanic adjust it. Said nothing about drive free play. I’d much prefer to get this fixed before bigger problems
 
This typically means either the steering pin or the gimbal ring are worn. You have a few options:
1. Remove the engine so you can get to the transom assembly and remove it.
2. Follow the JR Marine route to replace the steering pin, and inspect/repair/replace the gimbal ring. http://www.jrmarine.com/instructions.htm
---Note: this is a PITA if you've been in salt water and you steering pin is heavily corroded.
3. Note: This is a bandaid only. If you don't have Axius you can install a tie-bar between both drives. This will tighten up the steering but could put more stress on the good gimbal ring / steering pin.

I just went through Option #2 on my boat last year - if you are mechanically inclined it's not horrible but expect it to take a good day to complete.
 
You can inspect the U-Bolt that tightens the gimbal ring to the steering pin. 2 nuts near the top of the assembly as you’re looking at the transom from outside the boat.
 
MrCIG said:
Check the tightness of the internal tie bar. Make sure it’s not worn
Click to expand...

This is the issue with mine. But there is something else loose where the link attaches @ the power steering end which you can not see. Any ideas?
 
You can look up under the gimbal ring and see the round bottom of the steering shaft. When you move the drive, if the gimbal ring is loose you'll see the pin move separate from the ring. If they are tight to the extremes of both drive movement, then the problem is inside.

Can be the tiller arm (basically the same amount of work as doing gimbal ring) or the tie bar. The tie bar is easiest to pull off, the one in my 330ss had some play in it. I welded the end where it adjusts to different lengths. Tightened it right up, and there is still adjustment from the other side.

Edit: If everything is correct there will be just a very tiny amount of play side to side, which is the slop of the pins that hold the tie bar on both tiller arms.
 
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TurboJoe said:
You can look up under the gimbal ring and see the round bottom of the steering shaft. When you move the drive, if the gimbal ring is loose you'll see the pin move separate from the ring. If they are tight to the extremes of both drive movement, then the problem is inside.

Can be the tiller arm (basically the same amount of work as doing gimbal ring) or the tie bar. The tie bar is easiest to pull off, the one in my 330ss had some play in it. I welded the end where it adjusts to different lengths. Tightened it right up, and there is still adjustment from the other side.

Edit: If everything is correct there will be just a very tiny amount of play side to side, which is the slop of the pins that hold the tie bar on both tiller arms.
Click to expand...
Yes, I took a closer look & thats where all the slop on mine is. The inner tie bar on the starboard side. I might weld it like you did.
My tiller arms are tight too & so is shaft to gimbal. Finding this out was a gooooood day!!!
 
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