Tight mechanical steering
Submitted by Tandawg on Fri, 2011-12-02 07:40
Hi all, I noticed this morning that my steering was a bit tight at certain angles. Although it did free up after a bit of a shove it wasnt as smooth. Sometimes it did free up a bit. Apart from hydraulics, are there any quick fixes, or if anyone can identify the problem?
My outboard is a 100HP 4 stroke.
Thanks in advance
Chris
fisherking
Posts: 730
Date Joined: 29/05/08
Turn the motor to expose the
Turn the motor to expose the steering rod, clean off any grease & rusty crap.
Apply heaps of CRC or lanolin spray & just keep working it back & forth (left to right) until it frees up.
DO NOT USE GREASE.
Hope this helps.
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." - Oscar Wilde
carnarvonite
Posts: 8673
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Grease
Why no grease? They don't fit grease nipples just for people to look at or knock skin off your knuckles.
Agree with the CRC and lanoguard to free it up but then stick grease back in it.
fisherking
Posts: 730
Date Joined: 29/05/08
In my experience, the grease
In my experience, the grease goes hard & creates more problems than it solves.
Just passing on my advice, no one has to accept or use it.
Have a great day
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." - Oscar Wilde
strike_zone
Posts: 403
Date Joined: 09/09/10
dont use grease on steering
the grease nipples you see are for the tilt on the motor not steering grease drys up and goes hard siezing your steering use a light oil and leave the steering rod exposed and try and turn it at least once a week and she will be apples
dodgy
Posts: 4578
Date Joined: 01/02/10
I'm not much of a fan of
I'm not much of a fan of grease in steering either. Seems to bind up and go hard after a while.
When I had cable steering I used to take the cable off every year and tip lanolin into one end till it came out the other. Stays nice and smooth.
By the time you get to 100 hp you are really moving into hydraulic steering territory.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
Bones76
Posts: 476
Date Joined: 03/11/08
sounds like you may have some
sounds like you may have some air in the line... should take a marine mechanic no time to bleed it
fisherking
Posts: 730
Date Joined: 29/05/08
That'd work well if it was
That'd work well if it was hydraulic, it says mechanical.
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." - Oscar Wilde
uncle
Posts: 9489
Date Joined: 10/02/07
the old freezing cable trick
yep plenty of oil at the motor connection and make sure you move the motor back and forth every week
all aggressive fish love bigjohnsjigs
Tandawg
Posts: 106
Date Joined: 13/02/07
Thank you
Thank you so much for the prompt responses guys.
I was hoping it was going to be something simple and lucky it is.
Don't worry, the boat gets used VERY frequently so theres lots of outboard movement.
Regards
Chris