Mercury Drag Link

[Danbo]

Can you buy drag links that connect the steering to the outboard in different lengths? I need one a bit longer for my 50 HP Mercury to connect it to the front hole of the Outboard. I am using stick steering.

Any ideas??

[papasage]

i have several but i think they are the same length . just a different shape . will check tomorrow . what is the lengh of yours . can you send me a pick
have 2 in the shop 11in long may have some more . they came from a evinrude dealer .

[henpkd1]

Hello Danbo,
Does your motor fully turn farther one way than the other? If so, you may need to adjust the tilt tube on the motor.

[Danbo]

It does but I also want to move the drag link from the rear hole to the front hole of the motor. I hope this will help make the steering easy at low speeds.

I am going to look at any adjustments today. Thanks for the idea.

Hello Danbo,
Does your motor fully turn farther one way than the other? If so, you may need to adjust the tilt tube on the motor.

[papasage]

with a 50 hp it will steer hard to the left at take off with the torque of the motor i had to run my johnson with the trim tab all the way and it ran streight at WOT . but taking off i had to keep it streight .i could not be turning right and streighten up with out letting off on the throddle . they do make a stick for bigger motors that might work better . lightwirehooker has stick on his boat with a 65 hp. ort maby a 60 not sure .

[henpkd1]

Hello Danbo,
Go to ezyglide.com and click on "steering setup". You may want to check the items listed to see if they are set right on your boat.

[Danbo]

This is good. I want to have my drag link as shown in pic but when I do the stick is off center.(Not straight up)

Hello Danbo,
Go to ezyglide.com and click on "steering setup". You may want to check the items listed to see if they are set right on your boat.

[henpkd1]

Hello Danbo,
Let me guess, If your motor is turned straight and you are facing the stick, it is at approximately the 1 oclock position. I think this is the way they are designed to be. I have a 16 foot Fisher boat with a 1982 40 hp mercury on it. I currently have my power head pulled off and am waiting for parts. My boat has always turned farther to the starboard side than port. So I am trying to correct this while I can get to the steering system on the motor easily. I began by centering the motor, removing the drag link and the grease wiper cover on the stick steering rod. I marked the center position of the stick steering rod with a sharpie where it comes out of the tilt tube on the port side. I then pushed the stick fully port and starboard again marking each way the position of the steering rod at the tilt tube. I then ran the steering rod all the way out (fully starboard) and measured the travel distance each way from the center mark on the rod. The measurements were

[henpkd1]

Well, it obviously didn't send all of my last post. I'll pickup where it left off. The measurements were 3 1/2" to port and 4 3/8" to starboard. This 5/8" difference in rod travel equates to a greater difference in turning radius from one side to the other. I took another stick unit I had in the shop apart to see if this difference could be adjusted in the steering box. I found that it is fixed and cannot be adjusted. I then re-adjusted the tilt tube on the motor 5/8" to starboard. This allowed the motor to turn almost the same distance both ways. The problem with this is the tilt tube is moved to starboard beyond the threads on the tube. I am going to fabricate a bushing to go over the tilt tube to compensate for this distance so I can tighten the nut on this side. I have not experienced the problem you are having with turning at low speed. I will speculate and say that it is either the position of the cavitation plate on the motor in relation to the bottom of the boat or the tilt position of the motor. I have my tilt pin in the fourth of the 5 adjustment holes moving up from the bottom. I have found the boat planes out better with two people in it in this position. If you have trim and tilt on your motor, and use it, this is not an issue. I, like Papasage, am not aware of any drag links longer than 11" though they do come in different bend configurations. I don't know if any of this be be of help to you but, if I can help you, let me know.

[Danbo]

I got the drag moved and adjusted. Now I need a field test?????

Thanks