How to: Fix wheel slop in your Telflex adjustable steering

[SilentSeven]

Here's a relatively straight forward fix for the up/down slop in older (90's?) models that use the teleflex wheel system. In essence, the problem is due to a worn nylon flange bushing that shims the wheel shaft to the housing. I was able to get a very similar part from Granger that worked with just a little trimming. Telflex doesn't offer any parts to R&R the unit but is happy to sell you a new one for about $200 or so. This fix was about $15 and mostly due to shipping from Grainger.

This simple fix removed a HUGE amount of sloppiness in my steering. There is still a bit but it looks like it's somewhere in the tilt section of the assembly, not in this section.

Link to Granger part . If the link breaks, it's a 3/4"ID 13/16"OD with a 1 1/18 inch flange diameter.
Edit: The part is made by 'Igus' and the product SKU is 'MYI-12-12'. You can find other suppliers via search.

Here is a series of pics on what you need to do.

Pic 1 - packet of flanges
Pic 2 - steering wheel pulled, you can see where the bushing goes. Note that you'll need some snap ring pliers to remove the snap ring under the steering nut.
Pics 3 - old flange removed
Pic 4 - comparison of new and old bushing. I cut away the extra depth on the Grainger item with a razor blade
Pic 5 - new bushing installed

Tools needed: SAE hex wrench to pull the steering wheel. Socket to remove the steering nut. Snap ring pliers to pull the snap ring that secures the shaft. Some sort of sharp needle like tool to tease out the bushing. I used a machinists scribe.

Hope this helps someone else!

[s_kelley2000]

Great write-up, thanks for sharing. There is no slop in my wheel (not sure I have the same style as yours) but I am sure this will help some people out.

[SilentSeven]

ah...next time I have the cover off, I'll add a picture of the console. Should be simpler to ID the unit it applies to. Good one.

[shag]

SO that link to the grainger part was the correct one? I need to do this...

[SilentSeven]

Yup. Need to use a razor blade to cut a bit of the back off but other than that, worked great.

[wake_fun]

Very nice!

[jhersey29]

After an attempt at the single bushing replacement and other things I went deeper into the system. There are 2 of those bushings. The video here might help some of you. Go into the Teleflex Helm Assembly folder.

http://1drv.ms/WnUh9A

[SilentSeven]

Interesting and great job. Can you post another vid on how much play you have in your old unit? I still have some play and am wondering if I shouldn't dive back in to replace the aft bushing. Didn't do that the first time. I got a fair amount the play out when I did the front one....maybe mine is not as loose as yours was.

Interesting on the improvements in the new unit. Sounds like they knew the design sucked and fixed it. Guessing this is why they don't/won't sell parts for the old unit as well. Maybe not really repairable....

The teleflex in my 82 mastercraft was stout. No play whatsoever. Wish this one was like that.

How's the new unit? Feel good or ??

[jhersey29]

The new unit is perfect other than the angle issue. No sloppiness. The steering wheel has more flex than the tilt helm mechanism. The old unit had about 1 inch play in all directions. I'm too far along to put the old unit in the boat again to make a video.
Sent from my RM-877_nam_att_205 using Tapatalk

[MrFitz]

I know this is an old post but I just wanted to take a moment to say thanks you saved me a Ton of cash.
I just bought a boat with this exact problem and used it as a bargaining tool knowing I could fix it for 10 bucks.
The guy took an extra $ 500 off the price so I could have it fixed.
I did one better and replaced those plastic bushings with brass ones.
I will post pics later

[SilentSeven]

Cool. Love to know where you got the brass bushings and the associated part numbers.

[MrFitz]

opened the existing bore from 13/16 to 7/8 with a step drill and hole saw.
Bought two. 3/4 inside diameter x 7/8 outside diameter brass bushings.
Used a belt sander to shave down the height of bushings and reduce the shoulder thickness.
Lubed it up and assembled!
Yahtzee no slop 1/32 end play !

[MrFitz]

In appreciation of this site and how you motivated me, I will disassemble the unit document the entire process with pics tonight.

[SilentSeven]

That's neat. Did you do just the outer bushing or both? BTW, this is what the factory should have done regardless.

[MrFitz]

I did both. It was cold last night and my work shop is an unheated but I still have not put the assembly back in the boat.
I will definitely take it all apart and set it up and photo all the steps.
There are no part numbers on the bushings. You can buy them in any good hardware store like a True Value.
They are 3/4 "id x 7/8" od x 1" tall. They were in the Midwest fastener drawers in the nuts and bolt section.
I used a stepped drill bit from Harbour Freight to start the bore because it self centers. It gets you started and bores a 1/4 " deep hole before the next step.
I then finished the bore with a standard 7/8 hole saw in the drill press. You could try without the press but there is not much room for error.
The 1" height of the bushings was too long so I cut 1/4" off the end of each and squared the ends with the belt sander.
The original plastic bushings were only about .0018" thick at the flange so the brash bushing flange must be ground down. Again I put it on the belt sander and took it down to about 1/16" thick. Any more and it would have broke. This left me with too much bushing for the length of the shaft by about 1/8". Simple solution...there are two washers on the top ot the shaft a very thin one and a 1/8" thick one. The 1/8" washer appears to be a spacer to make up for end play in the shaft so I just removed it as the new thicker brass bushing flanges at 2 flanges by 1/16" make up the difference.
In response to " that's what the factory should have done"', I have no Idea what they were thinking except keep it cheap. Most boats don't live as long as Nautiques, perhaps they under estimated its life expectancy.
I bought my first Nautique at age 20 it was a 1983 2001, now I am 48 and this is only my second boat. I would still have the 83 but I knew I would not be able to use it for a few years so I sold it rather than watch it rot in the back yard.