Question Steering Problems

thedarkarcher · 07-03-2009, 08:17 AM

Took my boat out Wednesday after greasing all the zerts on my outboard I was expecting smooth operation. However, after I launched I discovered my steering wheel would barely turn and mostly just in 1 direction. The motor wasn't turning at all with the wheel. I fished all day with my trolling motor. Still have not had the chance to examine anything...but does anyone have an idea what the problem could be? Or why it would suddenly not work like that? Cable? Any suggestions....I'm an outboard noob.

thumpper · 07-03-2009, 10:06 AM

There was/is a previous post on similiar issue..

Experience.... on our boat it woudl only turn one direction VERY TIGHTLY and the other direction the radius was crappy.. Played with the wheel a lot and trying to 'work' it so it would turn more and all of a suggen 'pop' it shot out abunch of grease from one of the 'plugs'

After that the radius was the same turning left or right..

Is it possible you put to much grease in it and it's getting 'jammed' ?

thedarkarcher · 07-03-2009, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thumpper

There was/is a previous post on similiar issue..

Experience.... on our boat it woudl only turn one direction VERY TIGHTLY and the other direction the radius was crappy.. Played with the wheel a lot and trying to 'work' it so it would turn more and all of a suggen 'pop' it shot out abunch of grease from one of the 'plugs'

After that the radius was the same turning left or right..

Is it possible you put to much grease in it and it's getting 'jammed' ?

possible. i'll check it out...thanks!

steve5966 · 07-03-2009, 11:24 AM

I have a zerk on the shaft under the console, might check there.

smokeybear z · 07-04-2009, 06:15 PM

I had kind of the same problem earlier this year, here was deal;

Both cables (left and right steering cables) are ran through the same tubing. The tubing looks like hydrolic line, very stiff, and crimped on the end, that went into a cylinoid. The cylinoid has a bar on it that is connected to the motor and does the actual turning.

The tubing had a really sharp bend in it, where it came out of the boat and connected to the cylinoid, real sharp. Over time, the cables began to fray and pieces of the cable were rubbing had on the tubing until finally, the cable broke.

I found this out upon disection of the cable. The reason it would turn right smoothly was because the frayed cable was going with the tubing. Turning back left, the frayed cables "dug in to" the walls of the tubing at the sharp bend.

Does that make any sense?

07-03-2009, 08:17 AM	#1 (permalink)
thedarkarcher thedarkarcher is thinking inside the box, the tackle box. 2008 Buck Bash Archery Division Champion Join Date: May 2008 Location: Lincoln Posts: 3,377 Thanks: 2,520 Thanked 1,412 Times in 643 Posts	Steering Problems Took my boat out Wednesday after greasing all the zerts on my outboard I was expecting smooth operation. However, after I launched I discovered my steering wheel would barely turn and mostly just in 1 direction. The motor wasn't turning at all with the wheel. I fished all day with my trolling motor. Still have not had the chance to examine anything...but does anyone have an idea what the problem could be? Or why it would suddenly not work like that? Cable? Any suggestions....I'm an outboard noob. __________________ I still wish I could breathe underwater. -Ned Plimpton/Kingsley Zissou

07-03-2009, 10:06 AM	#2 (permalink)
thumpper thumpper has no status. Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 372 Thanks: 4 Thanked 47 Times in 38 Posts	previous post There was/is a previous post on similiar issue.. Experience.... on our boat it woudl only turn one direction VERY TIGHTLY and the other direction the radius was crappy.. Played with the wheel a lot and trying to 'work' it so it would turn more and all of a suggen 'pop' it shot out abunch of grease from one of the 'plugs' After that the radius was the same turning left or right.. Is it possible you put to much grease in it and it's getting 'jammed' ?

07-03-2009, 11:24 AM	#4 (permalink)
steve5966 steve5966 is wondering where the summer went Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: omaha Certified Youth Fishing Instructor Posts: 333 Thanks: 75 Thanked 108 Times in 60 Posts	I have a zerk on the shaft under the console, might check there. __________________ All fish in my pics have either been released unharmed or fried to a delicious golden brown.

07-04-2009, 06:15 PM	#5 (permalink)
smokeybear z smokeybear z is protecting the cat's tail from my 2 year old son's teeth. Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Norfolk Posts: 302 Thanks: 68 Thanked 39 Times in 23 Posts	I had kind of the same problem earlier this year, here was deal; Both cables (left and right steering cables) are ran through the same tubing. The tubing looks like hydrolic line, very stiff, and crimped on the end, that went into a cylinoid. The cylinoid has a bar on it that is connected to the motor and does the actual turning. The tubing had a really sharp bend in it, where it came out of the boat and connected to the cylinoid, real sharp. Over time, the cables began to fray and pieces of the cable were rubbing had on the tubing until finally, the cable broke. I found this out upon disection of the cable. The reason it would turn right smoothly was because the frayed cable was going with the tubing. Turning back left, the frayed cables "dug in to" the walls of the tubing at the sharp bend. Does that make any sense? __________________ "Lord, suffer me a buck so large that even I, in talking of it afterward, have no need to lie."

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