Steering question

corrirod · 06-07-2003, 10:32 AM

I have a 20' Trophy w/120hp Force outboard. My question is, why is my steering so hard? Is it just mine or are all outboards this size hard to turn without some sort of power steering assist? I mean it is really hard to turn. At speed I could turn it with one hand but I've really got to pull hard and at rest there is no way I can use just one hand.

Any suggestions? I've heard of re-graphiting the cable but I think I've got more issues than that, but I don't know.

salmurai · 06-07-2003, 10:41 AM

Corrirod, disconnect your steering cable at the motor and check to see if the resistance in in the motor, the cable, or the rack and pinion. It is most likely the cable itself, which may need regreasing or replacing. No time to scrimp. I can tell you from first hand experience that a broken steering cable is no fun. How old is your outfit? Saltwater? Good Luck..... Sal

06-07-2003, 10:54 AM

It usualy is a corroded cable. Do the above checks. If you can aford it convert to hydraulic stearing.

Beer Waggin · 06-07-2003, 12:56 PM

Just consider it a work out!
Reeling up from 600 feet, pulling in hand lines and steering the boat! Nobody said this fishing thing was gonna be easy.

corrirod · 06-07-2003, 01:25 PM

NorRivDave, a few more years of fishing with this boat and I'm gonna look more like Popeye(cartoon) than Bruce(Ifish Popeye)! :grin:

Skein, don't you worry. No steering issue will keep me from going out, even if I have to ride on top of the motor and wrestle it right and left! Hey, maybe I could find one of those big old wooden tiller/rutters and just bolt it right to the top of the outboard! :tongue:

The motor actually turns hard all the time, well except when we're at speed, but even then I need both hands to make a sharp turn.

Thanks Salmurai, I'll give it a shot. It's a 96' Trophy and it sees alot of salt. I'm pretty sure the cable is sealed at both ends so I'll probably have to buy a new one if it needs fixing. My problem is, I don't know how hard is too hard?

If I do need a new cable I'm sure Keta can dig one out his barn! :tongue:

otter · 06-07-2003, 02:15 PM

corriod,
I have a 1995 Trophy, 18' with the same motor & tflex rack & pinion steering. Mine is very easy to steer at any speed.

Fishplay · 06-07-2003, 05:49 PM

Yep. Been there had to do that. My steering cable actually began pumping water onto my feet one day while crabbing. Made a heck of a mess. Black graphite all over.

Ofcoarse I knew it was just a matter of time until it froze up I waited until I just couldn't take it any more before I changed it. In 100 degree heat

in Ilwaco no less :shocked:

Not what I had invisioned for my vacation. :blush: :depressed:

Swapping cables is easy stuff on outboards. Not so on the Maxweld sled.

skein · 06-07-2003, 11:08 PM

Lots of those steering cables are sealed, i.e. there's no way to lube them. If they get a slight crack in the sheath and some salt water gets in, ugh. I agree with Salmurai, if you can, disconnect it from the motor and see if it slides freely. If it's in the cable itself, you're probably in for a new cable.

Another place to look is the arm on the motor that the cable attaches to. There's usually a couple of zerks to grease the shaft, but if it gets dry it can make it hard to steer. Does it "chatter," sort of a give/stick/give/stick, or is it stiff all the way from lock to lock.

I want your steering to work, because one-a-these-days I'm gonna get to go fishin' wid ya.

Skein

BOTTOM TIME DIVER · 06-08-2003, 08:41 PM

Take the steering cable out of the motor and it should work freely as you turn the wheel. The tube that it fits in is more than likely full of corrosion. hone it out with emery cloth on a bent rod using your drill motor. Reassemble with marine grease. in off season service as needed same way and at least give the wheel a turn frequently.

this is not new for me as you can tell!

good fishin'! :grin:

Miss B Haven · 06-09-2003, 12:50 PM

Rod- When you grease the pivot tube on the motor, do you get lots of grease out of both the top and bottom of the tube? I have an older 85 merc that the grease got all gunky on. It got hard to turn and I took the cable off and figured out it was the motor not the cable.
I tried greaseing the snot out of it and it didn't help. It was hard to get in and then would only come out the bottom of the tube. Took it to Stevens and they took a torch to it with a heating tip (flamethrower basically). They got it good and hot and then greased it and it worked good for a little while then started freezing up again.
Now that I knew the issue I took it over to my neighbor who had a torch and cooked the heck out it. Stevens had the right idea, but they just didn't get it hot enough for long enough. When I did and started pumping new grease in it was like opening some festering sore. I could not belive how much ugly white grease full of salt crystals (looked like pus - yeech

) came out of there.

Felt like I had power steering after that!

corrirod · 06-09-2003, 01:15 PM

That could be the problem also Mel. I definately have the whole "grease shooting out" problem.

Thanks to everyone who posted. I will starting tearing things apart, hopefully in the next few days.

Mello-Yello · 06-09-2003, 01:23 PM

We're gonna have to start calling you "Corrodedrod"...

corrirod · 06-09-2003, 03:02 PM

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

[img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

BOTTOM TIME DIVER · 06-09-2003, 07:15 PM