Frozen Boat Steering

[OneLastCast]

How does one keep your boat steering from freezing up. This has happened to me every year after the boat sits for awhile. Even when I try to move it every month it still seems to freeze up. I have tried every lubricant to no avail.

OneLastCast

[Hammer Bob]

OLC, is it your steering cable or the steering rod at the motor which is seizing?

To keep the cable from freezing up I disconnect each end of mine and add some penetrating oil lubricant down each end. Work the cable back and forth after reconnecting and you shouldn't have a problem.

For the steering rod you may need to use a brass drift or brass rod (available at a metal recycler pretty cheap) to remove the seized steering rod. Once removed clean both the rod and the channel it rides in. Reassemble with a very light coating of marine grease. To much grease attracts dirt and that is part of the problem. If you do this at the end of the season you should not have any problems. If I don't do it to my boat the steering rod will seize every time while the boat sits.

[mudsucker]

try parking your boat inside out of the weather..... this may help the problem after you get it cleaned and greased..

[Trout,myster]

WD40 is a way out. Stick the plastic nozzle in by the rod attached to the motor and saturate it. If you're able to get it free,look in Cabela's catalogue for the lube attachment and lube for OB steering sytems. That, which is fairly easy to install should cure your problems.

Another thing to watch if you have a Merc is the main motor shaft. Grease zercs on those seem to lube the lower part of the shaft, but not the upper. Warm the housing and grease with good quality marine grease. Lubritech is hard to beat.


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Troutmyster

[OneLastCast]

Thanks for the responses

HammerBob, it is the steering rod that seems to get hung up. I do have a couple of zirk fittings put even pumped with grease they don't seem to help. The wife won't let me bump her rig out of the garage so the boat is partially covered by a carport/woodshed structure. I have tried WD-40 to no avail. As well as some of the Teflon Lubricants. I usually have no problems getting it loose after a couple of hours of playing around I just want to find a way of keeping it from happening.
Trout,myster I will check Cabella's for what you describe since I can't be far from their $100,000 dollar club. Jeez I love that magazine. Christmas every month.

OneLastCast

By the way Hammerbob, I really appreciated your information on the sex changed salmon. Well written and very interesting.

[Hammer Bob]

OLC, the zirk fittings you are refering to only grease the pivot point for tipping the motor up they do not grease the steering rod. If the steering rod is frozen tight make sure you only use brass to knock it loose so you don't ding things up. I too am going to look into the Cabela's adapter it may save us both a lot of trouble!! Good Luck and thanks! HB

[This message has been edited by Hammer Bob (edited 12-22-2000).]

[Viking]

Onelastcast
Try replacing the rod & the tube it slides in
with stainless steel. They all seem to freeze up from time to time. You might want to ask Rick Dart, for a solution. I finely
went to hydraulic steering, that cured it.
Good luck.
Viking

[Pilar]

Onelastcast, I have had this problem on motorcycles, boats and other things that need constant repair. The only thing I know of that works is an injector rig I got at the dirt bike shop.

Twice a year I break down the throttle, shift and steering cables and inject them with cable lube till it squirts out the other end. The steering rod gets it too.

This stuff is called 'Cable life' and it comes in a green aerosol can. I got mine at St. Johns honda. The injector clamps on the cable end. The injector and can of stuff cost $14 the last time I bought it 3 yrs ago.

Its a pain to break the cables loose at both ends but preventive maintenance prevents costly breakdowns. Also try exercising the shift and steering cables once a week. Lock to lock a couple times ought to do it.

I simply use my boat once a week. Whenever I stop doing that everything starts to break down. Oh well.....


The bend is your friend!

[OneLastCast]

Mudsucker

Somehow I think you know where my boat is parked....so you need to talk to my wife.
Good to see you jumping in.

OneLastCast

[QwikSticks]

Years ago we had an 88' BostonWhaler with an 88' evenrude 120 on the back of it. Every winter the steering rod would freeze up and it would take hours to get it out, cleaned, re-lubed and back together. This boat was stored in the garage so i don't think it matters where its stored it gonna happen. Our only solution was to remove the rod at the end of the season while it was still easy to do so and clean it. This seamed to solve the stuck problem.

[mudsucker]

onelastcast ..... yup you could be right and i don't think you are going to get inside parking unless you build a boat shop...... and if you do include space for my boat to....