XR2 offshore steering/tilt tube

[martynwilley]

hi all,

i just bought a new offshore mid as my old 1 had seen better days.
the new mid i bought was runnin latham steering so the saddle has no steering/tilt tube thru it.

i have tried to get the tube out of my old mid to put it on the new mid, but with no luck (think its never seen any greese in its lifetime!!) and have now virtually destroyed it trying to get it out.

i am running hydrolic steering that bolts to the front of the saddle so was thinking of just getting a piece of s/s bar made to suit with threads on either end for the nuts.

can anyone tell me the diamiter bar i should be using? just saves me carting my heavy leg all the way down to my local engineering shop
or if anyone (pref on guernsey) has a spare one sat round i could buy?
this is the last thing i need to get it all together, and the sun is shining an sea is flat HELP ANYONE??

[larby]

Why don't you just buy a steering tube?? Anyone else's is gonna be just as stuck, and a stainless bar is gonna weigh a freakin tonne! I'd imagine you'd have to heat the saddle big time to get one out.

If you just order one, it'll be here mid week and you're good to go

James

[martynwilley]

larby- thanks 4 statin the obviouse but tried goin down that route an i can only find 1 place in the uk that has 1 in stock and at a little over 100quid!! i think id rather get somethin made up and spend the remaining money towards licences/entry fees that i need to race. its ok for you, you got pleanty time to save money 4 yours!!

but i still have the problen that i dont own a outside diameter caliper/micrometer (whatever u wanna call them) to take a reading of the diameter tubing i need

if anyone has any bright ideas or knows anywhere i can try 4 a new item cheaper would appriciate any input

[larby]

I wouldn't think it'd be far off that once you've paid for a stainless bar (or preferably tube if there's a size close enough?), and machining. I get confused with my yams, but don't the merc have a 'nut' shaped part as part of the moulding to hold the tube in place in one side of the saddle? How are you gonna replicate this bit? Do you know the exact thread spec for the tube? I doubt there's enough thread on the nut to get a decent measurement of what it is, iirc there's only a few turns?
Despite what you seem to think, I'm only trying to help out here, I honestly think the cheapest, easiest route is buying one. Bespoke machining is rarely cheaper than a mass produced part.
Have you spoken to Offshore about it? They can be very helpful and may have one on a shelf in the back that you can have for a few quid? They've saved my ass a few times before this way!

On a seperate note, have a look at 50 secs into

this video

... Dunno if you've seen it before?

James

[martynwilley]

yeah seen the vid. its cool. thanks

yeah the threads would be a problem but was almost thinking, as i dont need the tube to be rigid as i dont have any steering bolted to it. i could almost go down the lines of 2 big made up washers and split pins?

it is only a spindle for the saddle to tilt on after all. correct me if im wrong

[scooby_hugh]

Originally Posted by martynwilley

yeah seen the vid. its cool. thanks

yeah the threads would be a problem but was almost thinking, as i dont need the tube to be rigid as i dont have any steering bolted to it. i could almost go down the lines of 2 big made up washers and split pins?

it is only a spindle for the saddle to tilt on after all. correct me if im wrong

why not thread both ends, put a castlated nut on each end and split pin them both, mild steel bar might be better as stainless may seize in there because the saddle is ally, i cant see it being a hard task for a machinist to thread a bit of bar and if its the wrong size to turn it on a lathe, plus you will have it faster than ordering it from england, unless offshore do have any kicking around

[Tony Davis]

FWIW, Barrus have 5 in stock 110 less 15%.

[baj666]

i have one

[Atec]

ive made a few up normaly fixed one end and a nyloc the other

cant remember the size of the top of my head but think its 3/4 or 7/8

all in 316 stainless although you get the electrolitic between ali and steel this is less than steel rusting.

got plenty of bar and probly got the sizes if need be