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steering problem

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NH TOONER

Contributing Member
I just picked up a 1980 26' searay with a 260hp chevy motor. Runs great but outdrive is not turning left or right. Where do I start looking?
 
it's locked solid? or steering wheel is freewheeling? can you expand
does the boat have power steering?
 
I unbolterd the power steering cylinder inside the engine compartment. The wheel turns nice and easy from stop to stop. So there is something inside the sterndrive that is jamming. The lever that the steering cylinder bolts to will move about 1/2" each way.
 
NH TOONER said:
So there is something inside the sterndrive that is jamming.
Click to expand...
quite common symptom after someone mixes and matches a lower unit and upper gearbox without following the shimming procedure. There are shims that go under the top cover of the drive (exhaust housing cover). Too many shims and the upper gearbox leaks oil and water. Too few and the cover actually clamps the upper and lower together as the bolts are tightened. Often all the shims fall out of the upper when folks have them apart and they don't know where they came from.
I think there's supposed to be about 10 thou float when shimmed correctly.
 
I took the top cover off and it seems like the worm gear is seized. I can wiggle the larger gear but the other one wont budge.
 
well that's possible too - You can take the cover off over the worm gear. Usually need an impact driver kit with the big philips head to safely remove those cover screws. There was a program back in the day for the horizontal worm gear walking backwards into the aluminum housing. There was some kind of reinforcement added to the housing.
 
Thats the cover I took off. There is a cover that bolts to the outside of the worm gear with 2 bolts. I took that off. should I be able to pull that retainer right out? Should I be able to turn it? I can only turn it either way about 1/8". But cant pull it out. BTW there was plenty of clean oil in there.
 
that rear piece was the update. If the horizontal part rotates, it's not seized. Still sounds like your seizure might still be down in the swivel bearing area. Maybe try a few shots of grease in the swivel bearing. The hole to access the grease zerk is on the front side of the exhaust housing just above the anti-ventilation plate of the lower unit.
Tapping the lower unit downward gently with a rubber mallet might be worth a try too.

So the drive is seized still? The horizontal steering shaft that comes out through the transom (intermediate housing) likes to seize up too - there's a greas fitting i think on the inside of the boat there- usually neglected.
 
well i took the stern drive off and the worm gear is ok. the intermediate steering shaft is frozen. also acouple teeth on the interm housing ball gear are a little worn.
 
If I take the intermediate housing off the motor will it slide right out or do I have to disconnect that shaft from inside somehow
 
slide the plastic cover off the rear cable drum. steer until the screw comes around. remove screw.
i can't recall if the drum bracket needs to be removed or not.
keep track of the 2 or 3 washers/shims that are on that shaft.
be careful reinstalling drum screw - it threads into soft aluminum
 
oh yeah..forgot about that. I have no idea how the ps box connects - never seen a p/s equipped omc stringer in person.
 
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