Pre-delux steering failures rash in Sweden...

[tribologist]

I been following the Swedish Facebook group Albin 25 ägare this summer. Pretty fun actually. Go and check it out. The average Albin owners there are in the mid 30ies... All kinds of cats, dogs and kids... When they put a windlass on they put it on the swim platform. This year has been very fun with all the new owners getting into all kinds of issues. The prices there on A25 is amazing. Nice repowered A25 goes for under $10k... A lot of them are still running AD21. Also quite a few" I got water in the oil, what can be wrong?...)

Anyway. Just this summer I seen three cases where the steering clamp failed and they lost steering on pre-Delux A25's. In one case they were going in reverse and the rudder took up a fight with the prop....

If you have a non delux with old white ball joint you should really fix it. You might remember that mine failed two years ago. The plastic is super brittle and the geometry is wrong on the installation so its just a matter of time before it fail.

Here is how mine looked like and also one I found on Albin 25 ägare on Facebook.

[nebulatech]

Nice looking out! A little preventative maintenance goes a long way.

[DesertAlbin736]

My 1971 pre-DeLuxe steering looks nothing like that. Don't have any photos & it's too darn hot out (over 112 every day, 100 by 9 AM) to go over & take one. Add 10 to 15 degrees to ambient & that's what it's like inside the boat. Will say if steering cable failed some previous owner came up with an emergency stub hand tiller that be attached & crew could work from the aft cabin on directions from the skipper.

[Bob Noodat]

it's too darn hot out (over 112 every day, 100 by 9 AM) to go over & take one. Add 10 to 15 degrees to ambient & that's what it's like inside the boat.

Someone once said that if he owned Hell and Texas, he'd live in Hell and rent out Texas. Seems that AZ might fit into the same category.

Up here in Alberta we get an "Extreme heat warning" at 85°F. Mind you, you probably would not like our January -40's

[nebulatech]

Will say if steering cable failed some previous owner came up with an emergency stub hand tiller that be attached & crew could work from the aft cabin on directions from the skipper.

That's a good idea! I used to have a Dolphin (Sunfish knock-off) whose tiller had an articulating extension. Something like that might actually allow you to stand in the cockpit to steer...

I'm hoping to get working on my aft cabin soon. Right now, my steering gear is buried from what was removed from the forward cabin, cushions, and basically junk. As a COMPETE aside, I found a rectangular canvas yesterday that came with the boat. It's about the size for the wheelhouse canvas cover, so I'm going to use it as a first pass and to make a template for my new canvas. I can also use this one for storage so my new white one doesn't get stained. This is to say Steve, I'll finally be using the part you sent me soon.

[tribologist]

Happened again, thit time a follow up from a previous ”repair”. Someone wanted go-kart steering

[WillieC]

Please refresh my memory on where to find the fix. This may become a winter project on the WillieC. Along with cleaning and lubing the cable.

Didn't somebody here make new metal parts to replace the aged plastic?

[dkirsop]

My plastic ball socket failed soon after I bought my boat. I found an off-the-shelf replacement made of steel that needed a shim to fit the smaller diameter cable housing but otherwise works fine. Albin Motor used to sell one too but I can not find it on their new web page. I went to the boat to take a picture but found I would have to remove the starboard aft bunk support for access. I'll post a picture later this week. It was an easy fix.

[dkirsop]

Here is a replacement for the cable clamp that I used. Throw away the standoff it comes with and just use the clamp. New cable housings are slightly larger than the one on the Albin, I shimmed it using some heater hose and have had no problems with the installation. I seem to recall I paid a lot less than what West Marine is asking so shop around.
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/seastar- ... ecordNum=9

[WillieC]

Thanks, Mr. K. Can't wait to visit with you all again, in person!

[tribologist]

http://www.albinowners.net/aog/viewtopi ... 28&t=12455

[dkirsop]

Here are a couple of pictures showing the clamp replacement. It's an easy bolt-in. The stand-off and ball is the original.

Clevis Installation.jpg

Clevis clamp.jpg

[tribologist]

Thats a very elegant solution!!!

[patclem]

Mine did the exact same thing. I epoxied it back together and made a 1/8” stainless plate to reinforce the back. I posted photos on the Facebook group. If I can figure it out I’ll add them here.

2AA8770A-7449-489D-AAC0-B307B721A29E.jpeg

[tribologist]

I would put a plate on top also. Or a at least big fender washers in case the top gives in.