Steering jerky after slight impact on sterndrive

[88FW200Horizon]

1988 OMC Cobra, 5.0L 230HP on FourWinns Horizxon 200.
When leaving the dock and cutting it too close to shore I was idling slightly forward and hit some rock. Impact stopped the boat (was going VERY slow 1MPH?). I noticed jerky steering and put boat back on trailer. The impact was was just above the rounded part of the lower unit skeg, completely on the front of skeg/lower unit. Before the steering was smooth left or right. Went home and tested with water muffs. Now when turning wheel the outdrive is very jerky and I see some jerks on the power steering cylinder unit inside transom. The jerks make some noise. Definately different than before I hit whatever. More jerks when wheel turning right than left.
No prop or skeg damage, power steering pump fluid is proper level. I greased zerk fitting on power steering cylinder, OMC triple lubed ram shaft. Still same problem. It seems that most of the jerking is located at the rubber boot where the grease is held on the steering Cylinder. I went back and forth with steering wheel to purge any air, no change. At home on trailer lifting lower unit seems to have same play as before, can't see or feel anything broken. Should I take it out and see what else I can find out after running for a while? What could I have done by this slight impact to change the feel and jerkiness of my steering?

 

[peacekeeper6]

Re: Steering jerky after slight impact on sterndrive

i had this problem once, was in my head. No seriously sometimes when you do something it makes u over think the siutation. if everything seems fine it pobably did that before. PROBABLY. I would keep an eye on the fluid levels, if they start to leak then rebuild the power sterring. The only advice that i can give (and its mediocure at best) until someone that is OMC friendly chimes in is to run it a good time, have someone watch the drive and the power sterring, when done check levels again. See if anything is lower higher. Then we can diagnose better.

 

[Don S]

Re: Steering jerky after slight impact on sterndrive

Turn the steering from lock to lock about 4 or 5 times without the engine running. Then start it up and see what it does.

 

[88FW200Horizon]

Re: Steering jerky after slight impact on sterndrive

After double checking PS fluid (cold) and trying what Don S suggested, the operation described in my original post is the same. Seems the banging noise is from the looseness of the assembly where the steering cable comes in from the helm. The cable is not loose, but with my hand I can easily move that whole assembly up and down (pivoting on the rubber boot where the grease is). I have way too little experience with this boat (had it 6 weeks and been out with it 20+ times already with no problems) and little boating experience overall (1st season as a boater). When I turn the wheel to the right, the steering cable input assembly bangs on the actuator valve assembly due to this looseness and something makes that part move.