Lower unit and steering maintenance

GTMODawg

Cadet
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
28
If I am going to be out of commission for three weeks while Permit are going crazy all over GTMO I need something to keep my mind off the fact that I ain't catching them. What kind of lower unit and steering maintenance do I need to consider? I have not got a lot of experience with keeping a boat in salt water and for those of you who don't either let me tell you it is a NIGHTMARE!!! I have always been of the opinion that a boat, for all outward appearances, is not meant to ever get wet. If you think rain and fresh water are tough on your boat you have no idea what kind of havoc salt water, spray and just salty humidity can do to one. It will even corrode plastics and fiberglass!!! Not to mention the fact that the sunlight here is like 100 times worse than south Florida!

I do not appear to be having any lower unit or steering issues but that is the point of doing maintenance and not making repairs. What should I do? Any suggestions would be great because I may go looney waiting on a fuel bulb and hearing about everyone else catching 4 or 5 15 t0 25 pound Permit on every trip. UGGGGHHHHHHH........
 

Haffiman

Commander
Joined
Dec 17, 2009
Messages
2,454
Re: Lower unit and steering maintenance

Drop the unit and change impeller and gear oil and lubricate the upper driveshaft splines!!.
Pull the steering cable out of the tilt tube, clean the tube inside with a bottle brush, lube the cable end properly with marine grease an replace the wiper nut at the exit side.
While the lower unit is down, hook up a hose on the water tube and really flush out all salt from engine!!
 
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