How to make steering easier to turn on runabout?

[nopEda]

I have an old Checkmate runabout and the steering has become very hard to turn. On the steering system is says: back mount rack system teleflex inc 3950210 and on the part where the engine mounts it says Evinrude 115999R. To me it looks like it's all one system but I guess it's really not. Anyway, I put greece on the exposed part of the shaft that moves in and out of the port side of the motor mount to turn the motor, and put greece in the greece fittings that are on the motor mount but they look more for trim than for steering to me. That didn't seem to help much if at all though. I didn't see anyplace else to lube or anyplace to lube up by the steering wheel. Is there some way to do it that I haven't been able to find?

Thanks for any help!
David

 

[Chris1956]

Re: How to make steering easier to turn on runabout?

Dave, You need to isolate the issue. Disconnect the steering link to the motor and see which one is hard to turn. Report abck and we can advise further.

 

[roscoe]

Re: How to make steering easier to turn on runabout?

Could be motor swivel, cable, or the rack.

Disconnect them and see which is hard to move.

 

[nopEda]

Re: How to make steering easier to turn on runabout?

Could be motor swivel, cable, or the rack.

Disconnect them and see which is hard to move.

Thank you guys for your suggestions! I finally disconnected the motor and it swivels easily, and while it was disconnected turned the wheel and it was still hard to turn. So now what? What is the rack, and how to check it?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: How to make steering easier to turn on runabout?

Time for a cable replacement. You need a steering cable. Look in here Boat Steering Systems - iboats

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: How to make steering easier to turn on runabout?

Yep-- time for cables. Not an expensive proposition. If you are just a little limber like a monkey it is not a difficult job either.

 

[roscoe]

Re: How to make steering easier to turn on runabout?

The "rack" is the part behind the dash of the boat.

 

[Watermann]

Re: How to make steering easier to turn on runabout?

One more thing to try before spending a bunch. Take off the steering cable from the tube on the motor end. It can be a bear to get the slack to remove the piston rod. See if it's still tough to move the steering wheel. A lot of times that tube and rod gets all gunked up inside and binds up. I used a shotgun cleaning brush with solvent and then clean patches to get all of the crud out of mine when it got tough to steer.

 

[V153]

Re: How to make steering easier to turn on runabout?

Like Watermann said sometimes the tilt tube gets a buncha crud in it.

Sadly you'll probably have to lift the motor off the transom to remove it. But you have to do that anyway when installing a new cable.

If you're able to free up the old cable great. Either way do yourself a favor & install one of the greasable nuts afterward. And juice it up every once in awhile.

I've never had a problem with a tilt tube binding since I started using these:

 

[nwcove]

Re: How to make steering easier to turn on runabout?

The "rack" is the part behind the dash of the boat.

....you sure the rack is located there.....and not in section j, row 5, seats 6, 7, 8 and 9?

 

[V153]

Re: How to make steering easier to turn on runabout?

No, I think those are skanks. With racks ...