gear and steer issue
 

Hey fellas !!!

having a couple issues.....when i put my boat in drive it will hesitate before going into gear....it will slide into gear after a maybe 5 to 10 sec..... is this a drive, trans, or linkage issue???
2nd.....sometimes my steering wheel sticks.....when this happens, i have to jerk it loose. there is also a lot of "play" in the steering.....same question.....linkage or drive ??
any help/opinions appreciated....thanks !!!

Hello rydda,
#1, you have some seriously potential safety problems there.
Stuck steering, even though you may know how to dislodge it, is only secondary to a stuck throttle.......
You probably have mechanical rack and pinion ride guide type steering. It does wear over time. The better units can be regreased, and rebuilt. It may not help much. They do degrade over time with wear. Sounds like yours is getting close. I would remove the entire system and have a good mechanic check it out. They are relatively inexpensive to replace.
The shifting problem could be dangerous in tight quarters like a ramp or dock. That could be a stretched, or out of adjustment cable, or shift control. It could also be in the drive. I would get someone who is familiar with this to help you try to adjust the shift cables. There are 2 on drive shifter. One from the control/shifter to the engine, and another from the engine to the drive.
I have a friend with a '96 Heat, and we see the same things on his from time to time. This is not unusual on a boat of this vintage. Good luck and stay safe.
Steve

thanx steve.....i was expecting a reply from you !! Your right ...defintely safety issues on both problems... The steering issue popped up my last trip out past monday (scared the s**t out of me)... gears started late last season, so i wanted to get a general direction to head in by time pre- season maintenance hits (NOW :eekdrop:) !!! taking her in next week, ill keep ya up to speed. thanx again ....you do our sport and Nordic good juju
Rydda1

I have the rack and pinion helm/cable that I removed from my 1997 Heat and will give you a good deal on it if interested. I have since converted to hydraulic. It should be a plug and play on your boat.