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AQ290dp Steering Fork Stif?

B

bicounty

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I am repowering a 1991 AQ290 drive with a 2005 OSXI 350. I took Transom shield out of the boat. The steering fork is so stiff that the only way I can move it is by hitting the spindle arm with a hammer from side to side. I took the trim pot switch out and the spindle bolt out and tapped a chisel into the slot on the spindle arm to open up the spindle. I can't figure out how to get the steering fork to slide out. Any ideas?
 
Hammer/heat.Try WD-40 and tap with a hammer and spray repeat.Your gonna need new bushings and seal, maybe a new fork.That metal on the fork is soft so if it ain"t had any grease the grooves on the shaft are probably corroded and might be gone.
I think this is one of the bad spots on any Volvo.But regular greasing would help.Get it apart and clean it up and post a pic.Jerry
 
I was under the impression that the best way to remove the fork was to pry from below using wedges. If the shaft mushrooms, it may be impossible to push it through the arm and transom shield.
 
I got it appart useing a combination of heat,the wedges, a chisel in the spindle arm slot and some washers on top of the fork shaft and tapping with a fat punch. I will post some pictures when I can.
 
I'll bet that you found corrosion between the black plastic bushings and the aluminum ears that support the bushings.
I see this often.
The corrosion grows like chrystals, and expands and compresses the bushing down too tight on the collar steering fork shaft.
Been there/done that many times.

Glad that you got it.

Don't forget that V-ring seal.

.
 
The shaft on the steering fork was pretty crusty. There are hole drilled and bored into the steering fork shaft for the disbursement of the grease into the bushings. Those holes were pluged and needed to be dug out. I also hear crunching noise when I swing the intermediate housing back and forth. I guess I am looking at a pivot tube bearing replacement. I will do a search on that one or start a new thread if I can't find anything on it. Thanks Don
 
Yes, the grease port can become totally clogged with dry old grease. Poke a wire into the holes.
Cover one hole with a piece of rubber and hose clamp while you pump grease into the zirk.
Do same to the other one.
However, greasing these these bushings.... as we should, btw...., does nothing for the corrosion chrystalls that I mentioned above.
Try to prevent sea water from reaching this area, and definitely replace the V-ring seal.

As for the pivot tube and needle bearing.... I'll bet you are right.
Use caution when removing the pivot tube..... these are fairly soft, and it's easy to damage either end of one.
A bit of heat on the Intermediate housing expands the aluminum some.... often allowing the tube to release a bit easier.
I have good used pivot tubes should you need one.
The needle bearing cage and seals are replaceable.

.
 
Looks pretty bad.Try cleaning it up and see if it still makes a good connection with the arm.
Grease on the gears(lightly) and see if it stays in the grooves.Stays in=bad.J
 
Yep, if this won't clean up, I'd replace it.
The spindle arm relies on these aluminum splines in order to remained indexed correctly.

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Not sure why anyone would have drilled the third hole there.
This is definitely not OEM.

th_CIMG4218.jpg


FYI and BTW..., whether you have the long or short spindle arm, the split in the spindle arm that allows for the "pinch", is not adequate, IMO.
If you were to increase the length of this split some, it will allow the pinch bolt to squeeze the spindle arm more tightly against the collar steering fork splines.
The spindle arm appears to have adquate integrity to allow for this, IMO.

2702995363994040_17.jpg

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However, Volvo makes no mention of this in any literature. Do so at your own descretion. It will work!


Be sure to replace your water neck fitting and special "beaded" gasket, while in this deep.
Easier now with the transmission off and out of your way, than later.

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NOTE: not that anyone asked...., but the steering stops are a function of the spindle arm and transom shield..... NOT the fork!
This means that the spindle arm must be indexed correctly with the collar steering fork for dead ahead alignment.
It's very easy to get this off by 1 spline only.
Off by only 1 spline can make a huge difference in the Port/Stbd stops, causing a shortened, or more full turn, one way or the other.

Just an FYI on that.

.
 
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You don't think there should be 3 holes in the steering fork? Which hole is not supposed to be there? Will the arm be indexed correctly if the grease fitting hole in the arm s lined up with the hole on the steering fork shaft? The shaft is pitted but it's not as bad as the picture is making it look. I will try cutting the split a little deeper like you suggest .
 
bicounty said:
  1. You don't think there should be 3 holes in the steering fork? Which hole is not supposed to be there?
  2. Will the arm be indexed correctly if the grease fitting hole in the arm s lined up with the hole on the steering fork shaft?
The shaft is pitted but it's not as bad as the picture is making it look. I will try cutting the split a little deeper like you suggest .
Click to expand...

  1. Well, I don't recall seeing the center hole before. It's probably not a deal breaker as long as the other two grease ports for the bushings are clear and free.
  2. What we do, is align the spindle arm dead ahead, and then align the collar steering fork as to position the drive dead ahead. Like said, it is very easy to be one spline off. I've corrected these before where someone has been off by only one spline.
Increase the length of the split at your own descretion. It works, I just can't tell you to do this as per any Volvo Penta suggestion.

.
 
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