Whitlock Cobra steering systems
Bill Jarvis
Piccolo has a Whitlock Cobra 5R Deluxe rack and pinion steering system. Recently it has started to make a noise (squeak) and I decided to take a look to find the cause.
There is minimal play in the rod end connecting to the tiller arm. But there was a slight amount of free play at the wheel. I decided to inspect the other end of the drag link. What I found surprised me. First there are only bolts in two of the four holes in the bottom bearing housing. The shaft from the rack and pinion has noticeable free play in the bottom bearing housing. I looked up the disassembly instructions in the Whitlock booklet and it says to remove the whole pedestal and then grind off the weld for the lower arm in order to disassemble. That seems to extreme and over kill.
Has anyone tried to disassemble one of these by removing the drive pins connecting the shaft to the rack and dropping the shaft out from the bottom? It looks, from the exploded diagram that that should work.
My guess is that I need to replace the lower shaft bearing or the bearing and housing if the bearing has come loose in the housing.
You help/insight would be greatly appreciated.
Bill
Bill Jarvis
On further inspection the unit cannot be disassembled from the top. It must be taken out of the boat and the weld of the lower output arm to the torque tube must be ground away to free the tube to come out.
In doing this further examination I found that the upper bearing had also got excessive play.
I guess I’ve got a project ahead of me this week! At least the bearings are standard components that are readily available. I wonder if I should upgrade to SS or even ceramic bearings. There would then be no chance of corrosion.
The standard bearing is about $10 ea, the ceramic $215 ea.
Prior to getting it all apart I’m guessing that the housings are worn probably due to the bearings becoming corroded and seizing. Ceramic bearings epoxied inplace would be a lifetime cure.
Bill
Bill Jarvis
Well, having just spent five hours disassembling the pedestal it’s all in pieces. I discussed the situation with Lewmar, who make and market the Whitlock steering systems, and they agreed that ceramic bearings would be the best solution since they do not corrode or contribute to galvanic corrosion. I’ve ordered two and will be reassembling later this week.
I guess nobody else has worked on one of these. Maybe I’m just unlucky but both top and bottom bearings were totally shot and very heavily corroded.
Bill Jarvis
Well, that was a learning experience! The steering pedestal is back in the boat, complete with ceramic ball bearings. The rack and pinion is adjusted for zero free play and for the very first time the wheel is now square to the centerline of the hull. As B had made it originally is was about one or two degrees off. That caused no problem but always annoyed me.
Nothing really difficult but tedious. It was also hot with a “real feel” temperature of around 100.
Now I’m ready to take some boy scouts out sailing at the weekend.