Damper Plate Failure - Why?

[blk93jeepzj]

Sorry just seeing this thread had questions.  Absolutely, just like @Steve B. and @formulaben stated you must replace the bell housing to actually correct the issue.  Below is the most current damper plate Malibu/Indmar are using.

https://www.bakesonline.com/indmar-drive-dampener-plate-all-gm-motors.html

[MalibuVRider]

Thank you all for the help. After all the confirmation on this post about the correct part numbers we ordered the parts after telling the mechanic we were going to do so, with his permission. Shortly after that Larry from Indmar responded back to my inquiry for information and also confirmed the part numbers. The work on the boat has since been completed (at a much lower cost than I expected after the hassle we had with the mechanic) and it was mobile again after our test run, with no vibration. There had been some minimal vibration prior to the damper plate going out, possibly a sign of the complete failure that was soon to come. We have yet to pull a rider with it. That test comes tomorrow.

However, I have a new "issue" that has since been detected after we got the boat back and took it for the test drive. I drive the boat 90% of the time and immediately felt that the steering was much stiffer than it had been in the past, almost like how the boat runs with the wedge down. I'm not sure how our replacement of the damper plate and bell housing could have had any effect on the steering other than if something happened to the steering cable during the repair. I find it odd that on the evening the damper plate failed the boat steered "normally" and I instantly noticed a difference upon getting the boat back. Is it possible that something could have happened to the cable or with something changed with the realignment of the engine after replacement of the parts? Tonight we disconnected the cable from the rudder and the rudder moved much more freely than when it was connected while the steering wheel still turned with more effort, so I feel there is an issue with the cable. I just find it odd and a strange coincidence that the cable would fail or be going bad during a time when the boat was not being operated since it was in for repair.

Any input would be appreciated and thank you in advance!