Outboard Steering

I have noticed the steering on my Webster with 60hp Y amaha 4 stroke is atarting to get stiff, I regularly remove the rubber seal and backing nut on the steering rod near the motor and coat with automatic transmission oil and replace the seal and holding nut. I have been advised in the past not to use grease in this area as the grease only hardens up and presents problems. Seeking advice on what other s are using and is this a common problem???

The boat gets used very regularly so is not sitting unused for amy length of time, what is the best maintenance method?

Merry Christmas and a safe and successfull New Year to all..........

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OLD BANGA


Posts: 812

Date Joined: 09/10/06

 Clean the tube out the best

Wed, 2016-12-28 17:15

 Clean the tube out the best you can. Use moly lube. Its a lithuim based grease that wont go hard.

Posts: 1522

Date Joined: 09/03/13

yep as above white lithium

Wed, 2016-12-28 17:24

yep as above white lithium grease.

OLD BANGA's picture

Posts: 267

Date Joined: 02/04/10

Steering

Wed, 2016-12-28 18:34

Cheers, thanks guys..............

 

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OLD BANGA

Swompa's picture

Posts: 3887

Date Joined: 14/10/12

 Inbox regularly does it for

Wed, 2016-12-28 20:01

 Inbox regularly does it for me.

piston broke's picture

Posts: 776

Date Joined: 05/11/08

Inox ?

Wed, 2016-12-28 20:34

 

Swompa's picture

Posts: 3887

Date Joined: 14/10/12

 Ducking iPad 

Thu, 2016-12-29 06:40

 Ducking iPad 

ranmar850's picture

Posts: 2702

Date Joined: 12/08/12

It is often not a cable fault

Thu, 2016-12-29 07:24

 I've seen cables replaced, and did it myself , once, when it was mistakenly thought the cable was seizing up.The actual removal of the cable was a problem, didn't want to pull through the tube. The issue is buildup of rust and old grease in the actual tube, which is only made of mild steel. All the manufacturers are the same , to my knowledge, no-one does a stainless tube. After belting on the end of the cable to push it through, a heap of crap will come out with it, and you will likely then find that the cable itself moves freely. So a cleanout of the tube, and coating with the white lithium grease, reassemble, and you should be good to go until the next time it does it.

I've taken to using the Marine Inox on mine, after recommendation from an experienced marine mechanic, and it's been good so far.

Posts: 202

Date Joined: 08/09/11

Grease compatibility

Thu, 2016-12-29 08:26

 I haven't had much problem myself, but  when I was in the business, we sometimes had stiff or jamed cables resulting from mixing different types of grease. Certain greases set like epoxy glue when mixed. I have always used the same water proof lithium grease. Google grease compatibility, it's interesting reading. Ranmar has pointed out the issue most commonly encountered. Regards, Marrisy. 

OLD BANGA's picture

Posts: 267

Date Joined: 02/04/10

Steering

Fri, 2016-12-30 09:29

Does the lithium based grease have to be white, I have a Penrite litium complex grease (green) that I use on the trailer bearings, is this the same or is the white grease a different product??????

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OLD BANGA