Steering Cable

[mtnsmith]

The other thing you have to remember is a fair number of the Tiges that Forte's has sold are used in saltwater almost exclusively, so grounding the steering system should do even more to help the situation. I know of two that are on lifts that never leave the salt. Mine is on a trailer so I dunk it in a lake to flush the boat and trailer on the way back from the ramp. Anything I can do to keep from going through a $200 steering cable every year is a help.

[spharis]

I think I completely missed FIC's juicing post in this thread. Some auto manufacturer's do this with frames for salty driving up North, correct? We don't have to deal with salt down here, unless it's going in a chest with beer.

[jleger98]

I have thought many times that hydraulic steering might be the hot set up in a ski boat. The advantage is that it stays where you put it and will not pull to either side. On other types of boats they work terrific but are pricey. The experts say that you need the slight pull on a course to help stay straight but i just wonder if any one has really tried hydraulic steering and what the results were. I guess my conclusion is that the factory would have used it unless there is a problem with the tracking?

Keep in mind, the factory wants to make nice boats with as little expense on their part as possible. So if they can save some $$ in steering by using a cable instead of hydrolics, for "almost" the same effect, i makes sense. I'm sure if a customer REALLY wanted a hydrolic steering system they would accomodate.

That said, my car has hydrolic steering and I don't have any trouble driving straight (most of the time)

[Domsz06]

your driving straight has nothing to do with the steering cable JL

[jleger98]

and everything to do with the number of beers in the pass. seat

(And no, wannabe, that does not mean I or anyone else should drink and drive)

[Domsz06]

ha ha ha, you got it JL

[21V_Swe]

My friend installed a hydraulic steering to his 22v last year and the feeling driving it is great..You never get any increased resistance when turning the wheel. I know people driving for skiers want to have some pull in the steeringwheel, thats why one of the companies created a hydraulic steering without the blowbackvalves wich makes the steering work the same way as a cable-steering, but without all the hustle. Personally I prefer a non-feedback steering, just love the ability to drive just using one finger instead of two hands.

[FIC]

Yes a bulk of my boats are used in salt but the test that I did was in fresh water and while under accelleration my volt meter hooked up to the steering column was generating up to 1..0 volts sitting still was .06 , anything over .2 will cause corrosion.

[FIC]

If you check any outdrive you will find ground cables running from transom to tilt bracket to outdrive , plus on the inside you will find a ground going to the hydraulic steering bracket .

[Domsz06]

so we should add some ground cables?

[FIC]

You will also find that the hydraulic steerings are grounded in any outdrive.

[jleger98]

By "grounded" do you mean electrically grounded??

[Domsz06]

that's what I'm gathering JL. It looks like what's happening to me is that since there are electrons and stuff in water, it's running through or I should say around the rudder and this is creating a small charge which is making the cable corrode.

[jleger98]

yep, makes sense. BUT, I think if you kept the cable greased properly, that would help eliminate the problem.....maybe???

[Domsz06]

Not sure if that would help or not, but i want to try it, maybe I'll greeze it this weekend and turn it back and forth a TON! any other ideas? i don't want to loose another one. But afraid it may be too late.