thompsondockside.com

how would i go about finding a steering wheel and cables,, 58 thompson 16.6 ft. last owner put in the single cable system,,, bummer mike

Go to swap meets, old boat shows, events of the Antique Outboard Motor Club (www.aomci.org), antique stores, flea markets, etc... The Antique & Classic Boat Society (www.acbs.org) has chapters all over North America. Find chapters close to you and go to their events. Start networking.

You will need: steering wheel, 4 pulleys, cable guides, two springs and two cable clamps and two tie downs. Plus wahtever is necessary to connect to the motor.

Do not use old cable. Go to any hardware store or big box home improvement store and purchase new 1/4 inch diameter plastic coated cable.

Andreas

My sister used to live in Redmond. I have an Attwood steering wheel with cable and I think the pulleys you would need. It isn't a Thompson, but it is from the 1960 Attwood cataloge.
Let me know if you are interested.
Bill

Seems like a logical place for this post. The steering wheel on my Cruiser's Inc project boat is frozen. Anyone experience this before ? What did you do to fix ? I'm assuming that the wheel assembly has corroded to the point where it won't turn and I will need to remove the whole works and clean it up. I know what the entire assembly looks like as I built several small plywood hydros in my youth. Given that this assembly is made out of aluminum or worse still pot metal, what tips can anyone provide as to loosening the main nut without stripping the threads or breaking the whole works ?

Thanks
Brian

Brian,

Remove the steering wheel assembly from the boat, if possible, and soak the shaft with a good penitrating oil and allow to sit for a few days. Re-oil if necessary while it is sitting. Then tap the shaft using a brass bar and a hammer on both ends to see if you can begin to turn the shaft. Also heating the shaft may allow the shaft to free up along with the oil. As to the nut oil again will help also if you can support the center hub of the wheel and rap the shaft with the brass bar and hammer you should be able to free it up enough to aloow you to turn the nut a little at a time back and forth to allow the oil to penitrate. Take it slow and easy and you should be able to free things up.

Also if the housing is aluminum or pot metal use a hair dryer set on high to heat the housing. It will cause the aluminum or pot metal to expand and yet will not be to hot where it will melt the wheel or the housing. You might need to do this a couple times and allow the oil to work it way in.

After cleaning up the corosion and re-assembiling I highly recommend using white lithium grease on the shaft, tapper and threads. You might even think about adding a grease fitting and a sprail groove in the bore or around the shaft. And every year pump a little white lithium or wheel bearing grease in to keep it lubed, especially in salt water enviroments.

Good Luck,

Phill