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  1. #1
    Member chaseerry's Avatar
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    HPDI - Loose Steering Bracket

    Hey all. Noticed the last few outings that the outboard was making an additional noise when trimming all the way up to put the toter on. Looked into it today and I can wiggle the steering bar thing up and down pretty good (where my hand is). The steering bracket bolt seems to be tight already. Any ideas?

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  2. Member chaseerry's Avatar
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    #2
    Okay let me ask this...anyone with an HPDI - can you grab the black Seastar steering brackets (the thing my hand is on in the picture) and see if you have up/down play?

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    #3
    I'll look when I get home from work.
    04 Ranger 520VX
    17 Mercury 225 Pro XS

  4. Member Ranger519VS's Avatar
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    #4
    There is supposed to be some play in there since your motor pivots on this point however yours may be excessive. That's a shoulder bolt so it will only tighten down so much. I would unbolt and check for wear on the bolt and the hole it goes thru. this connection holds up really well considering what its doing but you sure don't want it to wear through.
    Butch Derickson
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  5. Member chaseerry's Avatar
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    #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Ranger519VS View Post
    There is supposed to be some play in there since your motor pivots on this point however yours may be excessive. That's a shoulder bolt so it will only tighten down so much. I would unbolt and check for wear on the bolt and the hole it goes thru. this connection holds up really well considering what its doing but you sure don't want it to wear through.
    Will do. If I take that bolt out, the motor isn't going to fall off the back, right?

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    #6
    Quote Originally Posted by chaseerry View Post
    Will do. If I take that bolt out, the motor isn't going to fall off the back, right?
    Yep! but only to the floor. No you will be fine. If I remember correctly there is a bushing in there also. It has to have some play to work correctly but not side to side. The bracket you are holding on to is adjustable at the engine with a threaded tube and locknut. That may need to be adjusted. Fix your control cable cover, it is split. CJ
    2002 X19 200HP OX66 HO Vmax,HPDI lower, it lives, thanks Hydro Tec.

  7. Member chaseerry's Avatar
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    #7
    Quote Originally Posted by CJ1 View Post
    Yep! but only to the floor. No you will be fine. If I remember correctly there is a bushing in there also. It has to have some play to work correctly but not side to side. The bracket you are holding on to is adjustable at the engine with a threaded tube and locknut. That may need to be adjusted. Fix your control cable cover, it is split. CJ
    Thanks. How can I fix that cover anyway? I've just dealt with it since I bought the boat.

  8. Member chaseerry's Avatar
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    #8
    Quote Originally Posted by CJ1 View Post
    Yep! but only to the floor. No you will be fine. If I remember correctly there is a bushing in there also. It has to have some play to work correctly but not side to side. The bracket you are holding on to is adjustable at the engine with a threaded tube and locknut. That may need to be adjusted. Fix your control cable cover, it is split. CJ
    Oh and the play is only up/down. It does not wiggle side to side. So maybe it's normal?

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    #9
    Ah been a few years since I had mine apart but I believe you can carefully cut the tube back and the end will unbolt from the engine and unthread from the old piece of the tube. Thread it back on the fresh cut off end and bolt it back in the lower tub. As far as the play, I believe there should be a fiber washer in there but some play is normal. I cant open up SIMs parts info so I don't know what is in there at present. CJ
    2002 X19 200HP OX66 HO Vmax,HPDI lower, it lives, thanks Hydro Tec.

  10. Member chaseerry's Avatar
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    #10
    Quote Originally Posted by CJ1 View Post
    Ah been a few years since I had mine apart but I believe you can carefully cut the tube back and the end will unbolt from the engine and unthread from the old piece of the tube. Thread it back on the fresh cut off end and bolt it back in the lower tub. As far as the play, I believe there should be a fiber washer in there but some play is normal. I cant open up SIMs parts info so I don't know what is in there at present. CJ
    Thanks. I'm going to take that bolt out later and see what the deal is and check on the fiber washer. According to Seastar's diagram there shouldn't be one, but I want to make sure.
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  11. Member chaseerry's Avatar
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    #11
    Talked with Andy at SIM Yamaha (those folks are awesome) and he said a little up/down play is normal so steering doesn't bind. Side-to-side play on the other hand is an issue, which is not the case for me.

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    #12
    Yep, Andy is about as good as it gets. I have done a bunch of steering systems lately. I think the bushing is something that I am remembering off of the Alison Merc combo that I had to do to get rid of side to side play. [not a good combo at speed] Anyway sorry for misleading you. My Yam does not have this, just a sholdered bolt and washers. CJ
    2002 X19 200HP OX66 HO Vmax,HPDI lower, it lives, thanks Hydro Tec.