Re: 4/1/99 - NFB Steering

Dale Hubbard (dfhubbard@erols.com)
Thu Apr 1 09:52:28 EST 1999

Mark: I assume you're justing putting the rig together, meaning you don't already have a steering cable installed. IMHO I'd go for it, their cost is only 10 - 20% higher than cable systems without the "No FeedBack" mechanism. If I had a rig that didn't have it, I wouldn't spend the money to upgrade to the NFB until the existing system crapped out, at least on a 25hp engine.

In case you don't know, the NFB mechanism stops or prevents torque from your motor from turning your steering wheel. Without it, if you take your hands off of the wheel, it will turn to the right (assuming a RH prop) due to the torque. With the NFB the motor cannot cause the helm to turn. On a 25HP motor, this might not be a big deal. You ought to try wrestling a 225HP with standard steering - whew! - built up my forearms 'til they looked like Lou Ferrigno's - finally installed a hydraulic system w/ NFB - best boat upgrade besides the new engine. Now I can turn the rig at throttle with only one finger on the wheel.

FWIW, when you install the new steering cable, clean out & grease the tilt-tube it runs through (shotgun cleaning kits work great)& consider adding a "Steersman" to the tilt-tube. This is a large stainless nut that goes on the end of the tilt-tube that the steering arm to the engines moves in/out from. It has 2 O-rings to seal out saltwater & has a Zirk fitting so you can re-grease it periodically. Steering cables are very prone to SW corrosion inside the tilt-tube during winter layovers. When I worked at E&B/Bliss Marine, we'd sell well over a dozen new systems every spring just due to steering cables that froze up. The Steersman cost under $25 and is cheap insurance. Email me if you have any further questions.



Reply to this Message

Subject:
Your name:
Your E-mail address:
Please enter the text of your message here:

This message is written in HTML


Reel Time
Home | Features | FishWire | Reel-Talk | Archives
Copyright 1995 Reel-Time