If you have the inner tiebar, I wouldn't use the exterior one too. Using both can put a tons of stress on the steering tiller, gimble rings when trim at different amounts. The lenght between the points where the ext tie bar mounts changes as the drives trim further apart, while the inner bar always remains the same lenght. Something has to give! Steel doesn't stretch or compress here.

I have Lathem steering that I will sell. Tie bar and two rams and everything to mount to transom and drives. Pm if interested.

Sorry I was wrong about not having a tie bar. I edited other post. Here are some pics.

Indy,


Very interested in your item. Curious on if I have the inner tie bar as this gentlemen is referring to? Not very educated on steering on what I may or may not have

You have to have an inner tie bar since you do not have the exterior one, otherwise your port drive will just flop side to side.
If you install an external hyd steering such as indywhsle has, then remove the inner bar. Hyd is the cats meow! You will need more parts at min. that's shown above to convert to an 'add on' system, but not many. Even more parts needed to go full hyd.

I also wouldn't advise removing the inner bar just to run an ext bar on your boatas it is now. Puts all the drive forces on the starboard gimble ring and tiller arm. With it as it is now, those forces are shared between both drives.


Indy, do you occasionally boat on Monore? I see your underwater LED lights and every so often there's a boat that will light up the dock at night with light such as those. Can't recall if red or blue though.

Thanks I'm starting to get it now. Where would the inner bar located? What steering do I have now if its not Hyd?

So your opinion is not to have both the inner and external tie bars at the same time. As well as you think just leave the way it is? Thanks again and sorry for sounding like and idiot

It will be a long bar (32" or so) running along the back behind the motors. Can't miss it. You have a standard power assist steering.

Yes, that is my opinion. If you are not upgrading to external hyd steering, leave it as is. But if you ever drive a boat with full hyd, you'll want one. It's not only easier to turn, it's safer and makes your drives solid. No slop. I'd consider it if you can.

Glad to have been some help. Idiot..... not at all.

Only thing you'll need to change to make that system work on your boat is to buy a hydraulic helm and have hydraulic lines made from the pump to the helm and back.

I agree once you have hydraulic steering you'll never go to cable steering again which is what you currently have with just a hydraulic assist cylinder on your tiller arm.

Some have asked about the stroke of the rams. It is "12 inches and US1 I went to Monroe a few times last year. I have a few friends that are there every weekend and have slips together on E dock I think.

You can get a saddle mount tie bar that hooks in where your trim cylinders attach to the rear of the drive from Eddie Marine for under $375. Or you can spemd more money & get one from Latham or IMCO that mounts to the rear cap on the drive for about a grand.
If you are going to go with hydraulic steering I would do it all at once & go with IMCO or Latham.