Steering system

ben5883 · 20 July 2006, 12:32

well i have finally got round to help my mate out with his driver boat with a 75 mariner on the back, the engine was seized so ive sorted that but now the steering system seems to be seized up, on the right hand side of the engine (i.e) not the cable, could someone let me know how i can unseize it and is it easy enough to take to pieecs to rebuild it?? cable and pinoin etc was new last season. Any helpor advice greatly recieved

Tim M · 20 July 2006, 12:49

Do you mean the bar that goes through the tube on the engine is stuck? I had this on Cormorant at the beginning of the season this year. I freed it by removing the drag link from the bar, sticking a screwdriver in the hole where the threaded bit was and rotating it. It didn't take much to break the seal. After that try and get some grease into it; turn the wheel so bar goes all the way out, then grease the nipples on the tube on the engine. This should push grease onto the inner part of the steering bar (inside the tube). Give the wheel a good few turns and then put the drag link back on....

Pete7 · 20 July 2006, 13:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim M

then grease the nipples on the tube on the engine. This should push grease onto the inner part of the steering bar (inside the tube).

Err no it doesn't, the grease nipples you see on the saddle (front of the engine) just grease the sadle bearings. There is a tube that runs through these which the steering cable then passes through. Grease will not get to the steering cable from the saddle grease nipples.

Greasing a steering cable is difficult and since its quite an important part of the boat why not just replace it, they last about 5 years with normal use then just go ove the winter period through lack of use.

Pete

Tim M · 20 July 2006, 13:08

Quote:

Err no it doesn't

It didn't look like there was anywhere else for it to go (Mariner 40)

Pete7 · 20 July 2006, 13:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim M

It didn't look like there was anywhere else for it to go (Mariner 40)

Correct there isn't, over fill the nipples and it comes out between the saddle bearings.

Pete

ben5883 · 20 July 2006, 14:10

ta for the adivce, the steering cable was new last year but some monkey when installing it used car grease not marine grease, would thius have made a difference, at the end where the link rod goes from the bar to the engine, is this alright to twist, it won't damage anything?? as i tried this last night with a screw driver and it seemed solid so i didnt want to try to hard in case of breaking it ta for your responses

slimtim · 20 July 2006, 14:48

This is what I did...

Get a length of hose slightly bigger diam than the steering rod bit, insert it over the rod up to the thread on the engine tube. Then seal this the best way you can with ducktape/self amalgamating tape. Bend the end of the tube upwards fasten somehow. Fill with plusgas and try and tip the boat up somehow with a jack so that the plusgas will work its way into the tube.

Leave for a few days at gas mark 6