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Removal Morse Control Helm Question

E

Estam

Member
1993 285 Four Winns. I am completely stumped and am hoping I can get some suggestions. I am trying to remove the Morse helm unit and after unfastening the helm and clearing away the switch panel am unable to move the helm more then a few inches either way. This is a Four Winns issue as the boat seems to be built around the helm. Picture shows the helm with the steering shaft sticking out and no place to go.
Any suggestions please.

20230707_174648 (2).jpg
 
Finally got it small enough to post. showing that I am unable to move it.
It's resting against the rear bulkhead. How did they install this in the first place?
Is the steering shaft removable?
Thanks to all for any suggestions...

20230708_162824 (4).jpg
 
Ayuh,...... That's f*#ked up,.....

I'd cut out where the ink marks are, then epoxy the piece back in, after the new helm is in place,....
 
Thanks Bondo. Cant quite understand the logic in that design, looks like a complete afterthought.

The problem I'm having is the play in the steering wheel. There is like 3 inches of play but you can see when it comes up against the cable to turn it's solid and moves right away. Moving the steering wheel back the other way it also moves right away. Hard over to hard over also operates normally.

This play makes it difficult in a small river to steer a straight course and if you take your eyes off the road for a second you seriously wander.

Not having taken one of these apart before and wondering where the weak link is. Could it be something worn at the end of the shaft?

If it was the cable you would think something would change when using the helm using a different part of the cable?

Seems something in the helm where it makes contact with the cable is loose or worn. Not having seen the inside of one of these or being able to find a breakdown diagram I'm not sure what the answer is.

Has anyone opened up one of these that can suggest what the problem could be.

Many thanks for any help.
 
Estam said:
This play makes it difficult in a small river to steer a straight course and if you take your eyes off the road for a second you seriously wander.
Click to expand...
Ayuh,.... If this is at idle speeds,..??..... It's what V-hulls do,......

There's a little gear on the end of the wheels shaft, that directly engages the spiral wrap on the cable,......
Also, the outer casing of the steering cable can get a groove worn into it, causing slack as the direction changes,....
That's why it's always best to replace the helm, 'n cable as a kit,....
 
It's what V-hulls do especially with outdrives, never really had problems with any of my straight shafts.

I like your idea of changing the helm and cable as a kit but the cable part in my situation is going to be
a major problem to change and after to find it wasn't the cable after all!

In the midships position the play is the same as when the wheel is over one way or the other.

In movements like these it's using totally different parts of the spiral wrap on the cable. If it is cable wear
presumably around the midships position and around the area you would use to keep the boat centered
in the channel which in my case is probably 80% of it's use....... with cable wear you would expect the wheel
'play to be less' when the wheel is over half a turn or more from center where the cable which would be less worn.

My play is the same hard over to hard over that brings me back to maybe the play being caused by the little gear,
as you put it, at the end of the wheel shaft or wear in that area which in my case makes more sense that the cable.

Not having a mechanical diagram or picture of the inside of this Morse Command 290 helm it's tough to figure out
so I suppose going to have to cut the crap out of the facia to be able to remove the helm and disassemble and find
the problem.

If anyone has an old one of these helms that could show a picture of the inside would help alot.
 
Sorry for being so wordy, I'm originally from the UK and we sometimes explain things differently and can put people to sleep.

My whole thinking is there is something loose in the helm especially around where the little gear is secured to the shaft that would explain the whole thing.

Maybe a worn key way or however the gear is attached to the shaft.

This being a forum for Steering and Controls thought someone could suggest where I could get more information on the internal workings of the helm unit.

Many thanks...

 
bondo said:
Ayuh,.... If this is at idle speeds,..??..... It's what V-hulls do,......

...
That's why it's always best to replace the helm, 'n cable as a kit,....
Click to expand...
Words of wisedom....even if you find the worn part(s), you won't be able to buy them ....

replacing the cable may require a bit of effort to find out how to remove a panel or two...in the long run, it will be worth it.
 
As mentioned the play in the wheel happens whether at the dock or underway.

If I find worn parts I will be buying a new helm.

Removing panels is not the issue, it's the getting to the general area of the rack and removing everything in the way and these boats are of poor design for performing maintenance.

I will be removing the helm towards the end of the year, just trying to get a heads up what I'm going to expect when I remove the 3 screws and remove the rear plate. A blue print, diagram or picture will help tremendously.
 
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