OFT steering locator

[SledFreak]

I am thinking you may have binding down at the bottom steering block... possibly not quite bent far enough forward/down...Is that flat piece on the steering shaft near the bottom block rubbing?

I just did mine and everything is as tight as I can go and my steering is still free....

Did you make sure to put the longer bushings in the top mount? Don't know if that would affect it but I know the instructions make a point about it...

I just installed mine and it is very stiff. Both Blocks on the bottom slide perfectly on the bolts too. Tall Bushings on the top and short ones on the bottom. But when I tighten it up, it's really stiff. Here's a pic of what happened to the OFT. Not sure here.... Scott is sending me a new one... Anyone else have this problem? Any help...

 

[sgilbert]

what are we seeing here?

 

[SledFreak]

The steering shaft is rubbing on my OFT. I don't think it should be doing that. Hense the reason it is so hard to turn.

 

[kopenytro]

OFT Locator

Thanks for the heads up on this.
I just installed mine a few days ago and was mildly concerned about the stiffness of my steering after the install.
I will have to check the clearance on the steering post now as well.
I am assuming you had the correct olite bushing up top?
Kope out.

 

[SledFreak]

Re: OFT Locator

Thanks for the heads up on this.
I just installed mine a few days ago and was mildly concerned about the stiffness of my steering after the install.
I will have to check the clearance on the steering post now as well.
I am assuming you had the correct olite bushing up top?
Kope out.

Yep, the long ones are supposed to be up top and short ones on the bottom. Now, I know you should try and tighten the bolts when the sled is on the ground, since the weight of the motor can bind it a bit. I snugged it up a little at a time on the floor. Now, Once the bottom were tight, it was pretty good, but as soon as I tightened the top is where it seem to be really tight. I loosened it 4-5 times and it was the same everytime.

 

[thetruck454]

Re: OFT Locator

Thanks for the heads up on this.
I just installed mine a few days ago and was mildly concerned about the stiffness of my steering after the install.
I will have to check the clearance on the steering post now as well.
I am assuming you had the correct olite bushing up top?
Kope out.

Yep, the long ones are supposed to be up top and short ones on the bottom. Now, I know you should try and tighten the bolts when the sled is on the ground, since the weight of the motor can bind it a bit. I snugged it up a little at a time on the floor. Now, Once the bottom were tight, it was pretty good, but as soon as I tightened the top is where it seem to be really tight. I loosened it 4-5 times and it was the same everytime.

Thats what mine was like. I backed off the top cap screws about a 1/8 turn and it was better.

 

[SledFreak]

Re: OFT Locator

Thanks for the heads up on this.
I just installed mine a few days ago and was mildly concerned about the stiffness of my steering after the install.
I will have to check the clearance on the steering post now as well.
I am assuming you had the correct olite bushing up top?
Kope out.

Yep, the long ones are supposed to be up top and short ones on the bottom. Now, I know you should try and tighten the bolts when the sled is on the ground, since the weight of the motor can bind it a bit. I snugged it up a little at a time on the floor. Now, Once the bottom were tight, it was pretty good, but as soon as I tightened the top is where it seem to be really tight. I loosened it 4-5 times and it was the same everytime.

Thats what mine was like. I backed off the top cap screws about a 1/8 turn and it was better.

Yes, but I'm not sure I want to back it off. I want it tight, so I can have confident that the cap is not going to pop off. You should be able to have it good and tight. I can have the stocker tight.

 

[**sj**]

Andy...call me..

 

[Littlehoe]

could it have something to do with the powdercoating? mine is just silver and it worked great... mine you I didn't have the skis suspended, my sled was on the ground the whole time...

 

[sleddingfarmer]

hmm, this is kinda strange. When I installed mine, I noticed a nice tight steering post, no real increase in steering effort.

Something isn't right.

OFT will make it right. I wouldn't worry about that one bit!

 

[sgilbert]

if I had to guess, I would say the variable is the fact that the lower studs have to be bent, allowing the possibility of different results from person to person. again, anything like this should be studied and tested each step by installer and quite possibly some help from a diegrinder with porting sand paper

 

[Groomer08]

aha

looking at that relocator, id say the steering colum wasnt lined up with the way the locater wanted it to be positioned. he had it bound up somewhere.
bending may have been off, blocks not sitting flat on frame. like gilbert said.

 

[Littlehoe]

did you put the bottom block with the base piece going from thick at the top to thin at the bottom and with the angled piece flush on that bottom mount...?

Just thought of it...

 

[thetruck454]

Yep did that, double checked it because I thought that was what caused the stiffness

 

[NsNyTro]

I am thinking you may have binding down at the bottom steering block... possibly not quite bent far enough forward/down...Is that flat piece on the steering shaft near the bottom block rubbing?

I just did mine and everything is as tight as I can go and my steering is still free....

Did you make sure to put the longer bushings in the top mount? Don't know if that would affect it but I know the instructions make a point about it...

I just installed mine and it is very stiff. Both Blocks on the bottom slide perfectly on the bolts too. Tall Bushings on the top and short ones on the bottom. But when I tighten it up, it's really stiff. Here's a pic of what happened to the OFT. Not sure here.... Scott is sending me a new one... Anyone else have this problem? Any help...

Mine has the Same marks..let us know what the problem with yours was.Does anyone have a copy of the installation instructions they could post on here? i want to make sure i installed mine correctly but my instructions have gone missing.