It will steer. Not frozen/seized. But just real tight (as it's always been--bought 2005, lots of "new" to it, decarbed, lower unit oil, winterized, has been used in fresh water only, maintained) and has always made sound from wheel (helm) in sharp turns. But say, slow, real sharp turn in a cove and it's suddenly tighter. It works, but it's really tight--just in sharp turns and the NOISE at helm is between a screech and a metal groan (at helm)--not much noise from back at tie rod/ram and cable.
No problems steering at WOT. (But then I don't make sharp turns at WOT.) Just replaced powerpack, compression is 140 and 145 without decarb, which is on my "to do" list next week when back is better from hauling a 245 lb. guy into boat after swim (with assistance from ladder stirrup. And cleat is STILL THERE! ha! I'm a buck 14: "the beauty of leverage." Really, he had rotator cuff surgery a month ago, so trying to pull himself up was not best idea. But trying to stop a guy hellbent on diving into water when heat index is 111 degrees and fish ain't biting is bad idea too.)
The steering cable is a Detmar. Cable reads "M6 11.0ft." Looks like a Detmar wheel--saw some on Ebay--camera is on loan--as my back should be
But still, sprayed some PB Blaster into what I suppose are tilt tube zerts (black gunk came out)--has two zerts--and sprayed PBB onto steering ram/tie bar fully extended at port side, climbed (painfully) back in boat, turned wheel and back--lotta black "junk" on that arm, wiped off, and repeated about 10X. Steering was much smoother turning to starboard, but still harder to get tie rod end to fully extend out to port. Pushed some of same lube I have for bearing buddies into those zerts. Haven't taken ram/tie rod end off to turn wheel and motor by freehand yet--my "big guy" is supposed to help with that next week.
The helm area confuses me. Cajun Demon with this Force, OEM. Has a steering shaft extending down with bar midway across to gunwale, but at end of shaft there is protruding large screw on shaft with bolt at end. Like (or is) worm gear. It had old grease in end of worm gear, which is all I can see) so PBBlasted it--grease wasn't hardened--and pushed some more grease in there. Smoother in turning but no difference in noise. Noise, I can live with. But it's just been my experience that noise = problem.
I suppose the question is/are what kind of steering is this? OLD rack and pinion? Should I load more grease into zerts? Keep blasting that tie rod with hopes/prayers it will go back to normal hard steering without as much noise? Also, what system would replace the Detmar? I don't know that the "11.0 ft." means much relative to new cable length if cable is the problem. Then again, those numbers might be right. Have not tried to get cable end off. I've read a few horror stories on here about cable being stuck in tilt tube. Thanks in advance for any help!!
No problems steering at WOT. (But then I don't make sharp turns at WOT.) Just replaced powerpack, compression is 140 and 145 without decarb, which is on my "to do" list next week when back is better from hauling a 245 lb. guy into boat after swim (with assistance from ladder stirrup. And cleat is STILL THERE! ha! I'm a buck 14: "the beauty of leverage." Really, he had rotator cuff surgery a month ago, so trying to pull himself up was not best idea. But trying to stop a guy hellbent on diving into water when heat index is 111 degrees and fish ain't biting is bad idea too.)
The steering cable is a Detmar. Cable reads "M6 11.0ft." Looks like a Detmar wheel--saw some on Ebay--camera is on loan--as my back should be
But still, sprayed some PB Blaster into what I suppose are tilt tube zerts (black gunk came out)--has two zerts--and sprayed PBB onto steering ram/tie bar fully extended at port side, climbed (painfully) back in boat, turned wheel and back--lotta black "junk" on that arm, wiped off, and repeated about 10X. Steering was much smoother turning to starboard, but still harder to get tie rod end to fully extend out to port. Pushed some of same lube I have for bearing buddies into those zerts. Haven't taken ram/tie rod end off to turn wheel and motor by freehand yet--my "big guy" is supposed to help with that next week. The helm area confuses me. Cajun Demon with this Force, OEM. Has a steering shaft extending down with bar midway across to gunwale, but at end of shaft there is protruding large screw on shaft with bolt at end. Like (or is) worm gear. It had old grease in end of worm gear, which is all I can see) so PBBlasted it--grease wasn't hardened--and pushed some more grease in there. Smoother in turning but no difference in noise. Noise, I can live with. But it's just been my experience that noise = problem.
I suppose the question is/are what kind of steering is this? OLD rack and pinion? Should I load more grease into zerts? Keep blasting that tie rod with hopes/prayers it will go back to normal hard steering without as much noise? Also, what system would replace the Detmar? I don't know that the "11.0 ft." means much relative to new cable length if cable is the problem. Then again, those numbers might be right. Have not tried to get cable end off. I've read a few horror stories on here about cable being stuck in tilt tube. Thanks in advance for any help!!