Motorguide x5 dual steering

[KJW83]

Had to replace a steering cable on my x5 and can’t seem to get the cables routed to make it steer properly on the cam inside the head...any suggestions?

[Jonestrollingmotor]

Take the steering drum off, rotate the lower unit with prop forward. Twist the drum in your fingers til the heal is down on the footpedal. With heal down, prop forward, reinstall the steering drum.

[gettnet]

Mr. Jones. In your instructions to reset the X5 cable system does it mater what position the steering drum is to the lower unit?

[Bradrodfish]

It does not matter. Just make sure that the foot pedal has the heal all the way back and the motor is turned so that the prop is away from you. Then match the pinon gear teeth with with the wrap drum.

[gettnet]

Bradrofish I beg to differ with you. The variable wrap drum and the head must be adjusted so when the boat is moving straight forward the drum must be aligned so the flat portion of the drum is perpendicular to the trolling motor direction. And the head must be parallel to the trolling motor direction gong straight.

[Jonestrollingmotor]

Bradrofish I beg to differ with you. The variable wrap drum and the head must be adjusted so when the boat is moving straight forward the drum must be aligned so the flat portion of the drum is perpendicular to the trolling motor direction. And the head must be parallel to the trolling motor direction gong straight.

No, Bradrofish is correct. If you line it up, according to my instructions, when you "level" the footpedal the motor will turn to the straight ahead point causing the steering cables to be in the correct position for the cam to work. The head can be in "any" position when the motor is timed, but only that position thereafter will properly align the cable drum with the motor shaft.
John

[gettnet]

Mr. Jones, why in the X5 service manual, 90-8M012103 on the top of page 3B-8, it shows the flat side of the cable pulley perpendicular to the lower unit forward direction?

[Jonestrollingmotor]

These are the directions that you're refering to.

11. Install the wire bushing.
12. Ensure that the lower unit and the top housing align, and that the foot pedal is in the straight‑ahead position (pedal tread
level).
13. Install the cable pulley onto the column shaft splines.

While this will work, it will not "time" the lower unit to the footpedal as most fishermen that I deal with like. When you do #2, it means when the lower unit is pointed straight forward, the cable end of the head is going to be pointed straight back, or in reality, back at the fisherman on the front deck and the cable is going to be coming straight at you, will have to loop backwards and into the front of the footpedal. Also, in this position, when you stow it, the cables will force a bend on the deck of the boat which isn't good for cables. Now, you can move the head in the mount, to a position apx 90 degrees from the deck, then when you "ensure that the lower unit and the top housing align", a level footpedal will be going hard left, toe and heal down will be going hard right and straight back/straight forward will be somewhere between level and toe or heal down. This is not the timing most fishermen want.
The cam will work just fine following the instructions that I've stated and give the correct timing on the footpedal.

[gettnet]

Yes you are correct that most fisherman like to have the foot pedal adjusted to have equal movement to the left and right. I also prefer this adjustment. But you must also place the oval drum. that controls the VTS steering, so when the trolling motor is moving straight forward the steering is not so sensitive to pedal movement as when you are making hard turn.

[Jonestrollingmotor]

Yes you are correct that most fisherman like to have the foot pedal adjusted to have equal movement to the left and right. I also prefer this adjustment. But you must also place the oval drum. that controls the VTS steering, so when the trolling motor is moving straight forward the steering is not so sensitive to pedal movement as when you are making hard turn.

And if you place the cable drum over the steering pinion with the lower unit pointed straight back and the heal of the foot pedal in a down position, you will have that, plus you will have 360 degrees from heal down to toe down with straight forward halfway in between (equal steering right and left).