Logo
FULL SITE MENU

Steering stiffness ??

D

Donewright

Regular Contributor
Greetings,

I hope the is a simple question. Should steering my 150 hp v6 feel like I'm trying to turn a car without power steering? I finally got my engine running and was able take it out on the lake this past weekend. The lake I was at only allows me to run the big engine at idle so I was wondering if the steering got easier when the boat gets on plane? But I'm not sure that would have any affect.

There are two push rods at the engine and I leaned them and put some lube on them, but it still feels the same. Is there perhaps another location that I need to lubricate.?
 
Are you running hydraulic steering (sounds like it) or cable style steering (pulleys with exposed cables onto push rods - cables sometimes connect to outboard with rods, or, cable inside a hard plastic sheath - this usually only has one push rod)?

Steering a boat should not be like a car without power steering, some just have large turning circles. Depending on steering configuration could be a number of issues to look at.
 
There are two cables running from the wheel back to two tubes which connect to two link rods (I think that is what they are called) which then connect to the engine steering arm. I located some grease fittings near the transom and I filled them with grease, but it is still stiff. I could not locate any fittings at the wheel, how does one lubricate the pinion looking assembly at the wheel?

Turning is like an arm over arm approach, can't just turn with one hand very easy. Reminds me of my turning my 1971 Oldsmobile Omega with manual steering at 5 mph.
 
Last edited:
It would be advantageous to try and isolate the problem. Remove the connection/s from the outboard. Try pivoting the outboard back and forth (sideways) in its cradle, it should move relatively freely. If it doesn't swing nicely it could be seized bearings/corrosion/etc of the cradle pivots. If it does the problem will be with the helm (steering wheel) of cable operation. Once you know where the problem is (cable gear or outboard cradle pivots) you will be able to further diagnose the issues you face. There are a number of grease nipples on outboard cradles, you may or may not have found the one/s for the steering pivots. Some are used to maintain the tilt tube operation allowing the outboard to be raised and lowered and you may have applied grease to these already but they are unrelated to steering problems. The two cables from the helm (if I am on the right track) pass through rollers or pulleys which may have also seized or not be rolling smoothly. There is also the issue of lubrication of the helm as you have already identified. Without knowing specifically which system you have I can't help, others here have much more knowledge of such things and may know exactly what is going on, someone will speak up soon :)

My daily driver is a 1972 Australian Chrysler product, I am familiar with the arm-strong steering system, at low speed it only gets worse if the tyres are under inflated, at least you know when you need to add air :).
 
Last edited:
Sounds like a dual rack and pinion set-up.----Common for high performance fast boats.-------------Disconnect the motor to determine if it is the steering system / cables or pivots and beariings on the motor that are the problem.
 
Back
Top