Alpha steering, what wears?
 

Have a crane on order to pull the motor. Inspection shows that the play is between the spline shaft and the tiller arms, not gimble ring. I am hoping maybe a washer on the pinch bolt will take up the 6" play in the steering but I am planning for the worst, spine shaft/tiller arm. What normally wears here, shaft or tiller?

Mine (prior boat, Donzi Z-29) were just loose. Was able to tighten the bolt/nut using the drill&plug kit from Merc. My play was much less than 6" though.

-Greg

The design of the Alpha and the Bravo are essentially the same. Both of the Bravo's I have (one on the boat, one in the garage) the spline and shaft both were a little worn. But adding a washer to the pinch bolt took ALL the play out. I had maybe 4" or so side to side. Check this first.

The shaft is stainless,
the tiller arm is aluminum,
the aluminum is going to lose
this battle.
Just like the gimble ring looses
the battle against the steering shaft.

Yeah, what jt29 said. What I saw as wear on the shaft may have just been debris from the tiller arm. Anyway, tightened it up, no more play!!