Anyone swapped the plate on a SeaStar cylinder?

[Markus]

In the shop today, I had a look at the SeaStar manual and the steering cylinder and realized that the only difference between the 5345 (Merc.) and 5358 (Yamaha) cylinder is that the plate that connects to the steering are is mounted upside down on the Yamaha.

I happily went at it with my newly acquired SAE tools and removed the two screws that seemed to attach the plate to the cylinder.

However, those screws were inside some kind of steel sleeves that actually hold the thing together. (I am not even sure of what the screws do there). I seems like the sleeves should be pressed out of the cylinder in the "outward" direction.

Has anyone done that?

(Pantera1 describes having done something similar in a post below, but I think that was on the older model that used 4 small screws to hold the plate in place)

[Markus]

Here is a picture. The sleeve bushing is in the top of the picture.

[MaxPower]

Hi Markus!

Just read about the seastar plate-turning thing you posted back in 2003.
I have done this convertion you are describing here quite a few times while rigging Suzuki outboards.
See you got no answer, so here is my solution:
Loosen the two screws about halfway out, then tap (carefully not to bend the screws) them with a small hammer to push in the "sleeves" that secures the plate.
Turn the plate upside down and put the sleeves back in, enter the screws again pull the sleeves all the way back to place.

I'm sure you know this by now, but...

Arne..

[hsbob]

yes i took it apart the way, but cant remember why. and yes you need to either press or hammer them out carefully.

[Markus]

Actually, I never did it.

I bought a Mercury cylinder instead and planned on selling the Yamaha cylinder, but someone stole it so it never happened.

Thanks for the advice!