Rack steering

steplift20 · #1 06-01-2016, 09:26 PM

Does anyone have a rack steering on there steplift cuddy? Do you think it would fit behind the console and would it be easier to turn the wheel.

THEFERMANATOR · #2 06-02-2016, 11:41 AM

Not on av, but I've had them on other boats and really liked them. Steering had a more solid feel to it vs a rotary cable helm. The neighbors 270 searay with twin i/o's also has rack steering.

steplift20 · #3 06-02-2016, 08:03 PM

Do you think it would fit behind the console?

phatdaddy · #4 06-02-2016, 08:55 PM

ferm, how does it compare to the nfb system?

THEFERMANATOR · #5 06-03-2016, 01:34 AM

I believe you can get a NFB rack system now to, but not certain. The rack steering just has a more solid responsive feel to it to me. I know it is reccomended on higher HP rigs, and it seems I/O's also have them(but they have power steering to). As to wether it will fot, they really don't take up that much more room than a standard rotary helm.

bradford · #6 06-03-2016, 08:44 AM

Interested to hear what you choose and how it works/installs, only done rotary replacements so far. My dad had a 3.0 Mercruiser I/O when I was growing up with a rack system, seemed like a durable/consistant feel from what I remember. Phat I have a NFB on the skiff and a regular rotary helm on the V that I replaced several years ago. To me there are pros and cons of each, mostly just what you're use to. I find with the regualr rotary helm it seems like you're dong a lot less steering, you will steer her around a bend and hold the wheel and slowly let her straighten herself back out letting the wheel slide through your hand. On the NFB you have to physically turn the wheel to the direction you want her. NFB is nice when trolling because it will hold position. Something else, when you're off the boat in the driveway you can't physically turn the engine from one side to the other with the NFB like you can with the rotary or rack and pinion systems.