Suitable helm replacement??

Uflex was the manufacture that used to make the cables for teleflex before they(the teleflex name) were bought by Morse. I've used plenty of U-Flex without any complaints. Its not the "red jacket Morse" quality but its prety good. Go back to the home page for that sysm you have listed, on that page they offer the teleflex no feed back for a little more. The no feed back is worth the extra money
 
I got the steering wheel off without too much fuss. By the time my buddy got over to help me I had sprayed it 3 or 4 times w/ PB Blaster. I pulled on the wheel and he hit the shaft w/ a hammer and it came right off after a minute or two.
I started to remove the helm, first two hex bolts came out fairly easliy, but the third stripped out. All I had was standard size hex but it was actually metric. Gonna try the correct size metric tomorrow and hopefully get it out w/o having to get creative. I knew before I did it I should just wait until I had the metric, but stupid me tried it anyway.
After I get the helm off tomorrow I'll know exactly what was in it and go from there. Sounds like unanimously I should get the NFB. The thing is, I don't think I had it before and I could literally go ten minutes without touching the wheel on a 1-2 ft seas day.
Another problem, as I mentioned earlier, is I'm pretty strapped for cash right now (stupid Christmas presents), and I'd really like to get it fixed ASAP. The great powers that be have decided that we don't need to catch any grouper during Feb and March because they'll all die and become extinct if we do. Pretty much that means I won't be diving during Feb and March so I need to get my fix before then. (I know I sound like a crackhead, but trust me, spearfishing is very addictive).

Thanks again to all of the helpful responses. This site is AWESOME. Wish I would have found it sooner.
 
phatdaddy said:
gofish, this is my set up, 84 cuddy, and i have replaced mine without moving the engine. i take out the rod box on the starboard side and pull the slack in the cable to the middle of the boat. then do the same for the helm area. i know its always mo money mo money witha boat, but if you can change both and go NFB. i think the cable length is 17.5 ft. just a guess but you can get some prices with that figure.

that other system looks like a replacement, but i'm pretty sure the system you have is a teleflex helm & cable. i have never used or seen the roflex utech system, but it looks like knock off of teleflex.
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Hey phatdaddy, I recognize your V now that I see that great-looking Mariner on the back. I've said hello at the PC Marina ramp a few times.

Here's my rig:
 

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whats the most you can spend?? This give us something to go by when looking.
SafeT is about $180 (same you have now) NFB is about $250 not that much more and a all around better system.
 
Well, finally got the helm off today only to realize that it is in fact the cable that is broken. I'm going to order new helm and cable here:
http://www.boatstoreusa.com/product..._Rotech_Rotary_Steering_System&ProductID=1016
It is the exact same setup that I currently have (uflex rotary w/ planetary gears). I know the NFB would be nicer, but it's also more than double the money. And like I said before, I was completely happy w/ the way my V steered when it was working.
Thanks again to all who gave some great advice. Once I get the parts in and do the install, I'll post a report.
 
spareparts said:
did you see this? http://www.boatstoreusa.com/productdetail.asp?ProductID=127 Even comes with a new wheel. Not sure about the 140hp part, Ive never seen a hp limit on single cable, I know they usually recomend dual cables on high speed set ups, but you won't need that for the V. Ferm, have you seen a hp limit on single cable? I know they use a hp limit on baystar hydraulic, but not on a cable
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Wow, no I didn't see that. Thanks, may go that route now.
 
gofish, is that the v that was on colorado ave in lynn haven, down the street from the yellow one. your wife worked at the school with mine? welcome aboard... before you order, at least call jimmy at boat works and get a price on the nfb. its been a couple of years, but i think i got mine for less than 200. if not i have a port supply acct i' can get a price. its usually not very much but you never know.
 
phatdaddy said:
gofish, is that the v that was on colorado ave in lynn haven, down the street from the yellow one. your wife worked at the school with mine? welcome aboard... before you order, at least call jimmy at boat works and get a price on the nfb. its been a couple of years, but i think i got mine for less than 200. if not i have a port supply acct i' can get a price. its usually not very much but you never know.
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That would be the one. The house on Colorado was actually my dive buddy's house (doesn't live there anymore). Me, him, and another buddy originally went in together and bought the V, and then a year later he decided to buy a Wellcraft 230 Sportsman, so I ended up buying him and the other guy out of the V. (His 230 is out of commission right now as well, he bought it in Destin without a trailer and borrowed a trailer to haul it home. We used it a few times and then he had to get the trailer back to the person he borrowed it from, so it's up on blocks right now)

I haven't called boat works to see what their price is yet, I will definitely do that before I order anything. Gotta at least give the local guy a shot to come close to, or match, the deal on boatstoreusa.com for the Teleflex NFB helm and cable (and free steering wheel, which I don't really care too much about, I kind of like my rubber-gripped wheel.)
I'll let you know what he quotes me.
 
Keep in mind that your old steering cable may have been binding up, giving you a "NFB" feel to your steering. Either that or you already have NFB.

All the non-NFB systems I've ever used, you had to keep a grip on the wheel or do doughnuts.....(mmm, doughnuts) while up on plane.
 
Just got finished replacing my helm and cable. Wasn't too bad at all. I was a little worried about unbolting/moving the motor but that went just fine. My buddy has a boom (crane) truck for his outdoor advertising business so we used that instead of an engine hoist. I can't really comment on how it would be w/ no hoist/lift, but just a board under the skeg. I would say if you're going to do that you would want to have three people present.
Thanks to all for the great advice, now I just have to wait for the wind to calm down some and it will be back to grouper slaying for the ole v20.
 
macojoe said:
:thre:
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Sorry MJ we were up against the clock (wives) to get the install done. Didn't really want to fool around with a camera when my hands were covered in grease either.
Basically I did an exact replacement of what I had before. Uflex ROTECH system. It ended up costing $135 shipped from boatstoreusa.com. It came w/ a new steering wheel as well, but I chose to use my old wheel.
I am planning on adding a grease buddy nut to it soon, maybe I'll get some pics of that.
 
starting mine in a couple of hours, at least it's good weather to work on boats & not good enough to go out in them:) see ya at the ramp.
 
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