Steering bolt and safety

[Barefoot Bob]

There has been alot of talk about the single steering bolt in the tiller arm. I upgraded mine from the single bolt to the three bolt bracket for safety. But, there always seems to be a weak link somewhere. I run a factory 15" Merc midsection so the tiller arm is even a bit longer so there is not as much stress on the bolt setup. Yesterday I took the Ally out for a spin. I did have my life jacket and teather hooked up, and am I glad I did. Took of wide open from a dead stop. I was trimming up and getting the boat loose. Figure it was just over 50MPH or 60 when all of a sudden the thing spun out to the right. I didnt know what the hell happend only that I dam near got ripped out of the seat. Seems the tiller arm broke off at its weakest point right back by the allen bolts. The boat is up at GPI getting fixed. I forgot to take pics so hopefully Randy can take some and post them here.

[QUICKSILVER]

They make a V shaped bracket that bolts to the tiller arm, and to both sides of the adaptor plate, right below the powerhead. It takes lots of the stress off the tiller arm. I wouldn't run a HP boat without one.

[2 De River]

My son did the same thing on his Mirage River racer (Nervous Mother) a couple of months ago, anyone know where to order the bracket kit that is mentioned, I need one for my River Racer, it wouldn't be a pretty site if the thing broke at 100 mph.

[RED ALERT]

Mike Ray is a good egg, you can get a yoke from him.
Barefoot Bob is this what you already have?

http://www.bulletowners.com/MIKERAY/MIKESYOLKS.htm

[Barefoot Bob]

Dont have that. The bracket I have is a three bolt block that bolts to the front of the tiller arm. It basiclly just improves on the one bolt design. I think I could make that V bracket work if I would modify the three bolt stainless block.
We are going to see if Merc offers a stronger tiller arm

[Greg]

Could somebody post pics of how these brackets work? Quicksilver you wouldn't happen to have a pic of yours would you?

[QUICKSILVER]

I don't have any pictures. I don't think they would show much anyway. Mine has the stainless block, and the V bracket. The bracket is black, and wouldn't show up very well. If I get it out this weekend, I will try and get some pictures.

[oldstv]

You can get that arm from Allison. I have two of them I just have not put them on yet.

[GP-1]

Nice... Now I'll quit worrying about the bolt... sice the whole arm's gonna get ripped off..

Whatever the "fix" is for this, I'm gonna do it..

[AnthonySS]

GLAD you OK BOB,

Here is the V brace that WATERWINGS was so gracious to design and share with us. SKIDOO29 built mine from WINGS design.

There wher sevral donated for Auction at BTTW also. I thought you picked one up.

Sounds like you have an Opposed system in plae so this V brace will need some additional hole. ALSO I do not think this brace will work the newer style hiperf yokes.

This brace mounts back to the powerhead bolts.

Lets see what Randy comes up with

[AnthonySS]

Here is a two bolt setup on an opposed system with no Brace support

[Steve Austin]

the mike ray type yoke will only work on motors with a one piece exhaust plate with the cast in mounting ears. The one shown above, bolts to the power head bolts so it will work on motors with either a one piece or two piece plate.
does anybody sell the ones shown above for motors with two piece exhaust plates ?

[skidoo29]

I was thinking of making some more, will look into it if anyone is interested.
I am on vacation next week maybe after that


warren

[skywagon]

Bob,

I have the one piece exhaust plate like yours. I use both the T&R bracket for the steering arm connection and the safety yoke to increase the strength of the tiller arm. Please read this old post I responded to (with pictures at the bottom of page and into the 2nd page) and my explanation. The safety yoke DOES decrease the stress on your factory tiller. I have done the calculations and it increase your factor of safety by about 200%

http://forums.screamandfly.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=62356&highlight=steering+bolt

The base of the safety yoke attaches to the base of the power head through the exhaust plate. By doing this you are deacreasing the bending stress(M*C/I) on the factory tiller.

Please E-mail me with any questions.

knoxbill@hotmail.com

[nelsoncat]

I thought that I read that Rickracer was going to be selling that brace soon. Bob, where did you get the 3 bolt bracket? Also, when can I pick your brain for some auto trans info?? Lenfest?
Can any of these brackets work with Seastar Pro? I'm thinking of going with that on the STV

Craig

[j.iverson]

Bob, got a close peek at your rig, thank god you weren't doing 100 when it happened. You just gave me yet another reason to ALWAYS wear the vest and tether. Thanks a ton for the oil, I owe you some $$. Is the air chair coming to LEN? Thanks again,
John Iverson

[Barefoot Bob]

as long as my boat will be done by then. Also bring your barefoot wetsuit we will do a double for the crowd.

Craig...You can ask me all the questions about your trany at Lenfest. Oh, Randy set me up with the three bolt bracket for the steering but I dont think it will work with hydraulic steering

I will definitly be adding something different to mine.

[ProComp]

Glad your OK. Good thing ya got big pipes or you would have been swimming! :)

Guess I'll shop for a brace too. :rolleyes:

ProComp

[bostoncan]

i am also intrested in upgrading the one bolt system ,im running a 225 yami with hydrulic steering.where can i order one of these yokes and this 3 bolt block .if i cant get a yoke for the motor i should aleast get the block.

[Rodney Nance]

I ordered the yoke for the late model offshore mid section from Glen Renolds today. I have the hydraulic steering and he told me it would fit. Comes with a longer ARP bolt since you have the thickness off the yoke to deal with also.

[Redbullet]

Have the single hole in stainless--not for offshore.
Have a pattern for the 3 hole and can make them if there is any interest. Need at least 10 orders to build them. Dont have the ARP bolt. There $65 to your door. I do metal fabrication work and have an industrial laser. I can build about anything if there is any demand for some quanity.
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_img_a/379019_66_full.jpg

[Tango]

Someone send me the bolt dimensions. Redbullet can make the plates and I can get very nice Mil-Spec High shear bolts that we use on the Apache and Blackhawk Helicopters. In some sizes I can even get these in titanium. Most all bolts are fully machined, close tolerance and have some type of cad or ceramic coatings.

It would piss you off to know how much of our tax dollars are wasted to pay for these. Get me the dimensions and I'll give you a few of those dollars back!! My jackplate and 2.4BP EFI will be held on with over $10K in Titanium fasteners!! LOL! During each phase or Reset inspection, these are all thrown away and replaced.

When OUTCAST came up here to get those Crossflows, I gave him a few samples.

[j.iverson]

Originally posted by ProComp
Glad your OK. Good thing ya got big pipes or you would have been swimming! :)

Guess I'll shop for a brace too. :rolleyes:

ProComp
Might as well shop for some pipes while your at it:D

[skydog]

Glad you ok! What kind of wheel do you run does it have tons of steering wheel pull? I spun a 30" Speneil and the pull was NUTS i could see how a prop like the 30" could for sure break some thing! I just love the Hoss Triton one! Fast at any speed and zero steering wheel pull!

Skydog

[Barefoot Bob]

I was running a 29 SRX 1" above the pad. So there is a bit of tork there. But, thats what keeps me in shape. Who needs to work out when you can just go drive the boat around:D

[Techno]

What do these braces do?
Keep the arm from breaking or something to bend up if it does?

[Rocket]

Originally posted by Techno
What do these braces do?
Keep the arm from breaking or something to bend up if it does?

Yeah, Do these replace the tiller arm or just brace it?:rolleyes:

[Tango]

It looks to me like it supplements the factory arm by giving it support to the midsection.

Very nice looking piece.

[Barefoot Bob]

The brace is a safety device that is installed to keep you from getting wet if the tiller arm does break. I will be installing something on that line to keep mine from breaking again

[Techno]

Thats what I was wondering.
If its a flat piece of metal I don't see it supporting a chunk of steel that just broke. If it twists it just lost all the support.
Any experience with this?

If it prevented the arm from breaking seems a worthwhile investment. Specially if it was painted or polished;)

[Rickracer]

...but also acts as a fail safe in case it does break. :cool:

[Barefoot Bob]

Originally posted by skywagon
Bob,

I have the one piece exhaust plate like yours. I use both the T&R bracket for the steering arm connection and the safety yoke to increase the strength of the tiller arm. Please read this old post I responded to (with pictures at the bottom of page and into the 2nd page) and my explanation. The safety yoke DOES decrease the stress on your factory tiller. I have done the calculations and it increase your factor of safety by about 200%

http://forums.screamandfly.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=62356&highlight=steering+bolt

The base of the safety yoke attaches to the base of the power head through the exhaust plate. By doing this you are deacreasing the bending stress(M*C/I) on the factory tiller.

Please E-mail me with any questions.

knoxbill@hotmail.com


Looks like he has done all the reserch already;)

[Techno]

Thanks for that. I must have skimmed the top and missed the part of stress.

I don't want to beat this to death but the more I think on it the more I believe these things won't do much if the arm does break. But having one on should break something else first!
Thinking if the supported arm broke that means the support already gave to some point, which at this point Ima thinkin something is wrong to put this much stress on the arm?

Anyone know why the arms break in the first place? They don't break at a hole do they?

[Barefoot Bob]

Nope, it didnt break at a hole. It broke at the thinest point just forward from the allen screws that holds it in place. Probably just looses strength from all the vibration over time.

[Rickracer]

...one day that tiller arm would have to stand up to the kind of horsepower and torque (both engine and steering) some of these powerheads kick out now, not to mention that props and setup have come a long way too. Who ran surfacing props, nosecones and ultra high engine heights back then? :cool:

[Rodney Nance]

Bob. What year was the midsection that the tiller broke on? Did Mercury make a 15" factory unit back in the old days?

[Barefoot Bob]

Not sure if they made one way back but the one I am running is a mid 90's. The same one you can buy today.

[skywagon]

To rickracer's point; Looking at the design, the point of these things is not so much to save you after a tiller arm breakage but to reduce the stress on the member significantly so we don't break them. However, in the event of a breakage at least all of your steering components are still tied together and attached to the power head--and I would bet that it will save your butt. :D

Personally, I think that if you are breaking tiller arms WITH one of these already installed then there has been previous corrosion on or damage to the tiller. Once bent or pushed past the yeild strength(really the elastic limit) just once, it's just a matter of time because the actual strength drops off rapidly.

Bill

[Barefoot Bob]

Just got off the phone with Randy at GPI Racing. My new tiller arm just came in and they made some major improvments. He said it doesnt look at all like the old one and this one will never break.

[skywagon]

Bob, Ask Randy if the new one has just one vertical bolt hole on the end of the tiller versus the two horizontal tapped holes like your old one. Mine is a 2002 year model and it came with the "one holer" unlike my '93 model 260 offshore. Either way, I got mine to work with the T&R bracketry just like my 260 did.

Bill

[Barefoot Bob]

Randy said he will have to do some modifiying to my old steering to make that part of it work because the holes are different. And, this new tiller arm is very expensive compared to the old one. But the good thing is,it is also very strong.

[skywagon]

Sounds good, I had to get a little creative with my bracketry too. Let us know how it works out.:)

[ally1988]

or anyone else I would like to see the installation of your safety yoke and modification to tiller arm (New One) I am interested on all the above.

Thanks for any pics. that may be available.

[Barefoot Bob]

I will be picking it up on Friday at GPI Racing and heading straight to Lenfest. I can post pictures of my new tiller arm installed on Monday. Unless someone out there has a new one already that they can post

[Ally 1988]

Thanks :cool:

[Barefoot Bob]

I have trouble loading pics here for some reason and Greg said he would help me with it. But a felow barefooter friend of mine has a site called Headturners.com and wanted to see the pics also. I sent them to him and he posted them on his sight. here is the link to it.
http://com4.runboard.com/bheadturners3com.frigandreact.t16