Jackplate+hydraulic steering+raised transom=interference

[seabob4]

Ryan, getting the motor further aft will do the trick in regards to allowing the cylinder to clear...but you probably won't be able to tilt all the way up (as I stated earlier) with the JP all the way down.  Raise it an 1" and you'll be fine...

[SaltH2OHokie]

Bob's Machine Shop's only recourse they could offer was a bigger setback jackplate or they offer various spacers from like 5/8" to 2"...said if one of those would make the clearance, then I was in business.  I didn't think 2" would do it, so I wrote off the idea and settled on dropping the plate off the boat for the moment.

Went out of town for my best friend's wedding, and after being out of town from Thursday night until 5:30pm tonight, I'd cleared my head enough over the past few days      to convince myself it was worth a shot, so when I got home I grabbed some scrap wood and made 2" spacers, got the wife to help me unbolt the motor from the jackplate, slid the spacers in, grabbed longer bolts and bolted her down.  

The good news:  Looks like my steering cylinder will clear with 2" more setback.

The so-so news: Looks like I'm going to have to rotate or otherwise offset one of the two fittings on the cylinder to get the hydraulic hose pointed in the correct direction to avoid interference with the transom at full lock.  Manual said "call us if you need to rotate fittings on cylinder" or some such warning, but they appear to just be pipe thread fittings, so I'll give em a call tomorrow and see what the story is.

The bad news:  The threaded hole in the tiller arm doesn't want to take a bolt.  I wouldn't even say I'm cross-threading it...can't even get a full turn on it before I feel like I'm getting turned way off axis.  Stopped trying before I messed anything up too terribly bad.

Should I attempt to squeeze the appropriate tap up there and chase the threads?  Cable helm was previously theaded into the forward hole...I'm correct that the hydraulic cylinder bolts to the aft hole on the tiller arm, yes?

[SaltH2OHokie]

To answer one concern, pulled to motor for the 8th time, chased the threads in the tiller arm with a 3/8 fine thread tap  bolted up cylinder, and ran out of daylight....

Two inch spacers arrived, so aside from the inevitable missing nut/ bolt / electrical connector, I should have everything to finish the Merc to Yamaha conversion with jack plate and hydraulic steering added in for additional expense and frustration. Problem being I'm working 7 days a week at the moment.

I say again, SeaBob  I'm envious... stuff ain't as easy as it looks, least not to do it correctly.

[wingtime]

Ryan,  Did you ever get this to work with the spacers?  I'm considering upgrading the steering on my 170 to a Baystar sytem but since i have a 5" manual jack plate I'm in the same boat as you.  I think a 1" spacer may help me.

Thanks

[RickK]

Good question Wing, I acquired a CMC 6" jackplate because my sole ended up being where the lower bolts would normally go (DOH!!) so the jackplate solves this by mounting it lower and then jacking it up, but maybe not from what Ryan ran into.  I will have to measure and see what I have to deal with.

[wingtime]

Here are a few pics of my current install with the 5" Bob's Machine manual jackplate:





In this pic you can see where the steering arm has damaged the top inside of the transom when the motor is tilted all the way up:

[RickK]

Here's an update: I have a seastar hydraulic steering on the 170 and I measured today and it needs 7-7 1/4" of setback for a jackplate.  I have 5 1/2"
So it looks like I need to buy a 2" setback also.  Glad to find this out now instead of when I mount the engine.  Thanks Bruce for reviving this thread