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Loose Steering

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regalman

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I have a 1990 Regal with a 4.3

I have a 1990 Regal with a 4.3 Merc engine. My problem is the square opening in the Gimbal Housing for the steering shaft has worn out and I am loosing steering control. I know that the correct fix is to replace the housing but that is a big ticket repair. I am trading in the boat in a few months and I want to just get through the rest of the season. Does anyone know of an inexpensive way to fix this. Some mechanics have told me that a piece of plastic or hard rubber can be pushed in behind the square shaft and slot to take up the gap. These are usually glued into the slot with 5200.
Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 
"Sorry, but to me that is abou

"Sorry, but to me that is about the same as fixing a worn steering part on a car with duct tape and selling it to someone.
What happens to the next guy that gets that boat?
The way I see it you had the use of the boat so you should make sure it is safe before selling / trading it off or using it anymore before the steering is correct.
What will your excuse be if someone gets hurt or killed because the steering failed? You wanted to save a few dollars?
Just my opinion."
 
"think the existing arrangemen

"think the existing arrangement has two 5/16 stainless cap screws with nylock nuts that clamp the ring down on the square shaft if I'm not mistaken. The drive flops back and forth?

1)The real repair is to replace the pieces.

2)Not advocating pushing the problem on someone else, but the factory stainless (grade 3?) cap screws that clamp the ring to the quare shaft won't take any real torque before stripping. If the play isn't too bad, try installing some fine thread grade 8 bolts and wrenching down tight. That should take the play out of the mechanism. Forewarning... if you are dealing with a lot of play, you run the risk of cracking the gimble ring casting."
 
"Excuse me Charli, but who are

"Excuse me Charli, but who are you to read me the riot act when you don't know me. I said we were trading up,meaning going to a dealer, with full disclosure of the problem. In fact the dealer already knows about it, because he quoted fixing it for us. We're just trying to get through the next few weeks of the season."
 
"David, Thank you for your inp

"David, Thank you for your input. My plan was to pull the boat tomorrow and check the bolts to make sure they haven't loosened. If I can tighten them I will, and if not I have a few other ideas. Also, we decided if we can't find a bigger boat we like, we'll have this fixed over the winter."
 
Joe.
Excuse me but your post

Joe.
Excuse me but your post sure sounded as if you just wanted to fix this enough to stick someone else with the problem.
I can't tell you how many people that I come across that want to do as little as they can to sell a boat to some poor slob that gets screwed on the deal.
I did not intend to offend you in anyway but I am just tired of poeple that try to sell their problems to someone else and that is how your post came across to me.
You never stated that you were trading up or that the person receiving the boat knew of the boats faults. You just said that you were trading the boat in.
What I got out of the post was you did not want to spend what it cost to repair the boat the way it needed to be fixed so it was safe but instead wanted to hide the problem until you sold it.
I'm sorry but that type of crap does not sit well with me. I'm sorry if I did not understand what you were doing but again this was not clear.
 
"I know I have that situation

"I know I have that situation sitting in my drive way now. I do not think the pervious owner did it intentionally but it happened. So the boat shop had it for over a month and wanted 4,000 for a gimbal ring repair, gimbal bearing, engine coupler, and re-seal kit. I finally went and got the boat and will do the repairs myself.The entire time I tkink the water was entering the bilge from the exh. Tube. Then they tried to tell me with an oil change there was 3 1/2 gallons of water in it plus a gallon of oil. I do not believe that for one minute. The oil level on the dip stick was still in the safe range between full and add.The color of the oil was a very light brown like light chocolate milk. It is a 1992 7.4 Bravo II. I think there was water in the oil because I used my shop vac and back washed the exhaust. I pulled so much water through the system I hydro-lock the engine. I had got all the water out of the cylinders. I pulled the exh. manifolds had them boiled out at a machine shop and inspected. The raisers looked good. I replaced all gaskets and put back together. They changed the oil twice. I think I see traces of water in the oil still. I ran the engine hooked up to the hose and did not see any water in the oil except maybe a slight trace. If I look at the dip stick it looks like clear oil. It I out the oil on my finger it has a slight tint of a real light brown alsmost the color of a real light chocolate milk. I ran the motor for over 20 minutes to operating temp. and the termosate was open. The oil level on the dip stick never raised. I will pull the motor this weekend to do the coupler. With the motor out I will drain the oil again. This will be the thrid oil change. Thanks Tim"
 
"Back to Joe's problem. T

"Back to Joe's problem. The factory stainless bolts won't take the touque. Let me know how it works with high strength grade 8 SAE fine thread bolts. May take some looking to find them.

"bang it to fit, paint it to match, you're not building a church!"

(kidding)

There's a balance between the real repair and using some tricks of the trade to extend the life of those vehicles that are not worth the investment.

cheers"
 
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