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SP-C duoprop is hard to swing

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Bluecollerboater

Contributing Member
I have a 1995 25' carver. It has a volvo Penta Gipmda and a SP-c outdrive. The steering is very stiff. I disconnected the steering cable and the wheel is very easy to turn and the cable moves flawlessly. With it disconnected I tried moving the outdrive from behind the boat and it is very stiff. I am not sure if it is the steering yoke at top or the steering tube in the intermediate housing that is stiff. I put some grease in the zerk at the top of the yoke, it went in but I was really straining on the grease gun. Is. There a way to grease the steering tube on this outdrive? Is there a way to know if it's the yoke or the tube? Last year a mechanic replaced the water inlet on top of the intermediate. Could this have done some damage? Thanks in advance.
 
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I unhooked pin 3 when testing the cable but I never unhooked pin 4 from the power assist is this why it was hard to turn the outdrive by hand?
 
I'd be willing to bet that this is being caused by the collar steering fork bushings.

These plastic bushings rest into the aluminum bores in the transom shield.
When/if they get wet between the bushing and aluminum bores, the aluminum corrodes and expands.
As hard as this may be to accept, the expansion has a great force in squeezing the bushings so tightly against the collar steering fork shaft, that no amount of grease will over-come the resistance.
I have repared many of these over the years.
In some cases, once removed and after the corrosion has been cleaned up, you could actually re-install the same bushings, and the drive will articulate like new.

Now... as for removing the steering fork..... you have a task ahead of you.
Remove the linkage, and loosen the spindle arm fastener.
You'll want the transmission and helmet out of your way.
Cut some wooden wedges that will be driven in between the top of the fork and transom shield.
Drive the wedges in until the fork begins to slide down.



.
 
So you have to remove the transmission to get the fork out? By the way I took the pin out of the steering cable but the pin that holds on the power assist cylinder was still in. Does that need to come out to swing the outdrive freely?
 
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Bluecollerboater said:
So you have to remove the transmission to get the fork out?
I would sure want the transmission and helmet out of my way.

By the way I took the pin out of the steering cable but the pin that holds on the power assist cylinder was still in. Does that need to come out to swing the outdrive freely?
As long as there's no spindle arm attachment to the steering cable or power assist actuator or any linkage........, the spindle arm could remain in place.
Click to expand...
 
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