tight steering.

[sehrguht]

My steering is quite tight to turn to the right and easy to turn to the left, pretty sure its stock cable steering for a yamaha 60hp.

Should i pump that grease nipple full and see if that helps or is it likely that the whole lot is dieing fast?

Its a 2007 model with 230ish hours done.

[marty]

The grease nipple is generally only for the motor tilt.

Once the steering starts to get stiff it will only get worse. Time to pull the steering rod out of the tube and clean out the tube. I use some threaded rod just smaller than the tube and remove any rust buildup - use it like a file. Then wrap some rag around a smaller rod and 'polish' the inside of the tube. Also check the steering rod and lightly sand off any build up.

Your cable should run easily in and out when not hooked up the to motor - if not might be time to replace.

Lubricate the tube and rod and put it all back together. I prefer to use auto trans fluid over grease.

Marty

[aussie123]

Check to see where the issue lies first Jeremy before you go through the hassles of cleaning the tilt tube.

Grease the motor up and see if that solves the issue and if not disconnect the steering cable from the motor and turn the wheel side to side and also manually turn the motor side to side.

If the steering wheel is tight one way you need a new cable.

If the motors tight you need to either get grease into the tilt tube or go to the effort and clean it out and re grease it.

[rayke1938]

If the diagnostics prove its the cable i have 4 between 5.5m and 6 m long if its the size that you need free pick up from redland bay.

Cheers

Ray.

[sehrguht]

Cheers guys, ill try diagnose the problem tomorrow!

[sehrguht]

motor moves side to side pretty easy, steering is fairly tight to the right and firm to the left.

is that time for a new cable or should i try greasing this one up?

[aussie123]

Time for a new cable Jeremy.

It will be rusting inside which causes internal swelling and friction and it will eventually break and you will lose steering.

Murphies law it will break during a bar crossing.

[Keen-as-fisho]

Mines doing the same, but found out today its actually hydraulic :woohoo: just need to find out what sort of hydro oil it needs.

[sehrguht]

do you pull the inner from the thick black outer casing or do i pull the whole floor and get to it? currently runs under the gunnels then crosses over under the floor to the console

the next question i suppose is it worth switching to hydraulic? is a cable just going to do this every 4 years or so?

[aussie123]

You will need to remove the cable from both the engine and behind the steering wheel,pull it out and fit a new cable.

You can fit hydraulic steering but its not cheap.

What size and make is the engine as I do have great special on a hydraulic setup at the moment but it may not suit your motor.

[sehrguht]

60hp yamaha four stroke 2007. attempting to pull it out this afternoon.

[Keen-as-fisho]

So was it the cable that was shagged?

[sehrguht]

Well, i jsut had another look, with the outboard end of the cable slid out of the outboard and free it spins side to side really easy, so now im thinking the cable might not be the issue?

Then i slid it back in and it was still tight with new grease, there is a lot of bend in in it i was thinking could having too much bend in the cable be an issue for it?

[bootyinblue]

Perhpas.... On the Haines half cab the cable did a right hand turn from the helm then another right hand turn from the starboard side to the stern where it attached to the motor. When new it was nice and smooth, but due to the turns it didnt take too much before it started to bind up.

Did you take the cable right off the motor end and have someone spin the wheel to see if it moves free? Replicate the bend without attaching it to the motor and see if it starts to bind up. If not then I would be looking at your motor mount.

[sehrguht]

With a similar bend in it and not being connected to the motor is has half as much resistance, turning left is still easy.

Pretty sure its going to be a new cable, will try get it out tomorrow and measure it.

[sehrguht]

replaced the cable and is smooth now.

Cheers for the help guys.

[aussie123]

Thats great Jeremy.

Cables are the easy solution,cleaning tilt tubes is a real hassle.