Got the boat ready for her 2013 launch, motor ran unbelievably well on on 8 month old gas. Launched it, drifted away from the dock, grabbed the steering wheel and it would not budge, felt like someone had poured cement down the steering cable. Trolling motor brought me back to the dock and got the boat home. Traced the problem to the steering tube on the motor, looks like rust and old grease had it gummed up. Now my question.
The zerk fittings on the outside of my steering tube apparently don’t grease the inside of the steering tube, I though that’s what they were for, but they grease the motor pivot on the steering tube, but not the inside of the tube.
Any pro’s out there that can give me some insight. Should I drill the holes through the steering tube so grease can get in there?
had the same thing happen on my boat a few times. the solution is to beat it (at the motor) with a hammer, until it is free. use a piece of wood or something to keep from dinging up your steering arm.
it is slow and tiring, but the only (free) way i know to fix it. keep spraying it with wd-40 during the process as well.
you are correct about the grease fittings on the steering tube, they don’t grease the steering tube.
Been there done that. I have to take mine apart at least once a year, clean and reassemble. I use a 12" x 1/2" carriage bolt to knock the steering linKage out of thE tube once it is flush with the tube opening. I then put a 12 gauge bronze bore brush on a rod, put it on my drill and clean away. I used to relube and put it back together. This year I tried something different. I added a Davis Cable Buddy Steering Lubrication System (http://www.davisnet.com/product_documents/marine/manuals/00420-151_IM.pdf). We’ll see how it works out. Right now, it is slick as snot on a door knob. Between that and new throttle/shifter cables I don’t know what to do with myself.
I usually test that stuff before I push away from the dock 
That being said, it’s just normal maintenance. Disconnect the tie rod from the steering rod, and disconnect the steering cable from the engine. Now get a friend to turn hard on the wheel while you frap repeatedly on the end of the rod with a big rubber mallet and a block of wood. Trying to beat it out without turning the wheel is an exercise in futility, as you are fighting against the gear ratio of the helm, so use it to your advantage.
Usually, once you get it moving it will come on out, but if the rod gets flush in the tube and still needs more persuasion, I use a wood dowel to beat it through. Then clean everything good, re grease and assemble. As DFreedom said, a 12 ga bore brush fits pretty good, but they make a special brush for cleaning it.
It’s good to take it out and clean it once a year, and keep it moving regularly. If my boat sits more than 2 weeks I crank it up, turn the wheel a few times, shift it, work the trim and tilt and keep all the moving parts moving. Salt water is tough on equipment!
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
Small craft surveying and repair
quote:
Originally posted by DFreedom
Been there done that. I have to take mine apart at least once a year, clean and reassemble. I use a 12" x 1/2" carriage bolt to knock the steering linKage out of thE tube once it is flush with the tube opening. I then put a 12 gauge bronze bore brush on a rod, put it on my drill and clean away. I used to relube and put it back together. This year I tried something different. I added a Davis Cable Buddy Steering Lubrication System (http://www.davisnet.com/product_documents/marine/manuals/00420-151_IM.pdf). We’ll see how it works out. Right now, it is slick as snot on a door knob. Between that and new throttle/shifter cables I don’t know what to do with myself.
top2bottom Russ helped me with this same issue last year and he def knew what he was doing…I also bought an aftermarket nut with a grease fitting on it similar to the one in DFreedom’s link above…learned my lesson and now make it a point to sit in the boat, drink a cold beer and turn the steering wheel every so often during the offseason…
The Morris Island Lighthouse www.savethelight.org
get it freed up then put the greasable nut on
www.teamcharlestonmarine.com
www.joinrfa.org
I’ve had this happen a few times and if you have a heat gun it will make it much easier to free. I go out at least once a month and just turn the motor for a few minutes to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Wishin I was fishin.
quote:
Originally posted by chris V
get it freed up then put the greasable nut on
www.teamcharlestonmarine.com
www.joinrfa.org
This, and I would like to add that I have been using Lucas xtra heavy duty grease, green in color, and it is a high quality product, no moly in it so you can get it out of your clothes as well. For marine and agricultural applications. This stuff doesn’t dry out, is extreme temp and pressure. Haven’t had the steering freeze up on my boat since I started using it.
11 Bowtech Destroyer
Remington 700 30-06
quote:
now make it a point to sit in the boat, drink a cold beer and turn the steering wheel every so often during the offseason...
You have to admire a man willing to sacrifice.
I have found that a pair of vice grips work well for this problem. Just clamp them on the cable end and twist the stearing rod back and forth. This will free up the rod much quicker than pounding on it. X2 to cracker about the wheel man. You can’t move the cable just by beating on it.
ZX
I installed one of these and have not had an issue since:
http://www.steersman.com/html/whatitdoes.html
Great suggestions on the lubrication nuts. I always check my motor, batteries and bilge pump, now I’ll have to add steering system to the list.