Tight Steering

[poms202]

I know there have been other questions like this but your talking to a rookie boat owner and not extremely mechanically inclined . Please try to make your answers as simple as possible. I looked at the steering on my 17' Larson bow rider with a Johnson outboard. There is an arm attached to the moter. There was grease at the joint of this arm. A hose lead from there up to the steering column. On the underside of the steering the round column met with a long retangular metal box. It was mounted similar to the wings of an airplane. The cable attached to the end of this box. Is this the tube that should be removed and filled with penetrating lube?

 

[Hooty]

Re: Tight Steering

Howdy poms202,<br />What you described is in fact the steering cable and yes it can be removed and filled with penetrating oil but I wouldn't bother. If you're going to the trouble of removing the cable, replace it with a new one. Losing steering because of a bound-up cable can be hazardous at best. Do it right and replace the cable. You'll feel beter.<br /><br />c/6<br /><br />Hooty

 

[Franki]

Re: Tight Steering

Sounds like you have a "rack and pinion" steering system.. <br /><br />Why is it tight? is it lack of use? or age and misuse? if its the later, then hooty is right, you should replace it.<br /><br />However, lubricant can get hard when left sitting, (grease I mean) and that makes the steering harder as a result..<br /><br />you can slide the cable out of the rack, (there are probably two bolts at the cable end of the rack)<br /><br />But first, have a really good look at the cable, what sort of nick is it in? if the casing is at all damaged replace the cable. if it looks new like mine, and corrosion has not shown its ugly head anywhere, then the lubing trick may work wonders for you..<br /><br />How tight is your steering? is it just firm or does it require two arms and a foot to turn??<br /><br />if you disconnect it (the cable) from the motor, how hard is it then?? if its easy, then you need to get a grease gun and lube the mounting bracket grease nipples on your motor. (mine gets stiff if not used for awhile.)<br /><br />regards<br /><br />Frank

 

[poms202]

Re: Tight Steering

Could be a little bit of all of the above. The boat is a 1994. We just bought it about a year ago. We use it about every 2 - 3 weeks or so. Appreciate your input. Sounds like a new cable may be the best option.