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Bravo 3 steering stiff

UKGary

New member
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Hello. I hope someone can help me please. I am fairly new to boating. I have a Rinker 242 that has a Bravo 3 outdrive. I noticed that the steering has gone a little tighter. It has power assist steering. The boat is still in the water. I have taken a look at the problem, and removed the pin that connects the hydraulic ram to the Bravo3 steering arm. I can not turn the outdrive by hand - that is, I can not move the outdrive by pushing or pulling the steering arm, even with the pin out. 

So does this mean that the bearings on the Bravo3 are seized and need replacing? Or is the outdrive meant to be hard to turn by hand?

But strangely even with the pin removed (and the engine running so the power steering pump is active) the steering wheel is still fairly stiff to turn - why would this be please? 

I have also disconnected the 2nd pin that connects the steering cable to the hydraulics - with this disconnected, the steering wheel is free - so I guess this proves that the cable and rack are both free and OK.

Many thanks for your help
 
Steering cable.

Hello - thanks for your reply. I don't think its the steering cable thats at fault - when i remove the 2nd pin that holds the cable to the hydraulics, the steering is free.

Also should the Bravo3 be too tight to turn by hand on the steering arm when the cable and hydraulics are disconnected?

Thanks
 
Grab the drive and see if you can move it. That is how you check it. Hard to move by the short steering arm inside the boat hull.

A bad cable will feel fine when there is no pressure on them.
 
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