Steering too Tight?

This may have happened to you, it has to me: get the boat ready, put it in the water, start the engine and grab the steering wheel - it won’t turn.

Try a littler harder - still won’t turn.

Really put some muscle into it - the engine turns with some effort, or it spins easily, but the motor doesn’t change position.

This is a description of one of the most common problems related to steering on outboard applications. What happens is the steering tube on the motor is made of iron, and it rusts on the inside. There is very small clearance between the tube and the portion of the cable that passes through it. The tube rusts and the cable is stuck. (Most hydraulic systems do not have parts that move inside the steering tube, so most of the following does not apply to hydraulic systems.)

Once the cable binds up, there is often little that can be done short of replacing or removing the cable, cleaning the tube, and applying good corrosion control grease.

The other major cause of the tight steering might be tightness between the engine mounting bracket and the vertical shaft, which the engine rides and turns upon. Once the rod that connects the steering cable to the engine is removed, try turning the engine by hand to see if it turns freely. Regular application of grease to the fittings on the engine will usually prevent stiffness in this connection. If this turns out to be the problem, it may be a bigger job than you want to tackle. Refer to the repair manual for your engine for necessary steps.

How to remove the cable from an outboard tube



1. Disconnect from the part of the engine that turns.

2 Unscrew steering cable nut from steering tube.

3 Now the hard part:

a. Depending on the boat setup, it is sometimes necessary to un-bolt the engine from the transom.

b. Do not hammer on the port end of the cable shaft, hoping to back it out. There is a 5/16” hole near the end of the cable shaft and even a small impact from a hammer will expand the cable shaft and lock the two parts together.

c. Work penetrating oil between the parts and gently tap the cable shaft, which may start it moving.

4. Depending on the boat setup, it is sometimes necessary to un-bolt the engine from the transom.

5. Do not hammer on the port end of the cable shaft, hoping to back it out. There is a 5/16” hole near the end of the cable shaft and even a small impact from a hammer will expand the cable shaft and lock the two parts together.

6. Work penetrating oil between the parts and gently tap the cable shaft, which may start it moving.

Fix it:
1. The stresses placed on the steering system by the stuck shaft may permanently damage the cable or steering head. After all the energy expended in removing the cable, it may be smart to replace the entire steering system.

2. If you are not replacing steering:

a. Make sure the tube is very clean and free of rust.

b. Grease end of cable thoroughly with a good marine grease like the one used on trailer bearings.

c. Re-assemble…

3. Boathouse offers the “top of the line” U-flex cable steering package for $159.95. This package provides everything you need to update your steering in one kit. Mention this email, and receive $5.00 off the kit, for $154.95.

4. Follow instructions that come with kit to install new kit.

If this project sounds like more than you want to tackle, the Boathouse service department in Melbourne can do the job for you. In the Jacksonville area, there are many good service firms that you can use. The Jacksonville Boathouse staff can recommend one.

Happy Boating!

Chuck

Water in Fuel

Water in fuel has become a major problem for boaters during the last couple of months. The staff of one retail marine store reported five boaters came in with water in their gas one Saturday, and that was just before noon.

I don’t know where the water came from but it was there. Potential culprits include:

• Condensation,

• Water leaking into tank through a hole,

• Leak around fuel tank filler or sender,

• Water coming in through vent line, and

• Bad gas from gas station.

Many boaters are blaming ethanol, but who knows?

What to do about it?

Of course, the first objective is to find the source and remedy the problem. But after that the next objective is to remove the water. There are several ways to do this.

• If you have a portable tank, it is easy to remove the contaminated fuel, flush out tank, dry it, then refill and enjoy boating.

• For a built in tank the solution is not so simple. The popular buzz slogan is “fuel polishing”. This does not require a buffing machine as the name suggests. It requires a special high volume filter system and a high volume pump. The fuel is repeatedly circulated through the filters until no water or sediment appears in the filter.

Another solution will work if the volume of contaminants is small, using a fuel/water separator with a see-through base. This can work if you keep a close eye on the see-through base and empty it as often as necessary. Yamaha recommends 10 micron of finer filter. The major marine suppliers of this type of separator are Racor and Moeller. They can be purchased through most boat stores or through WWW.MarineSupplyHeadquarters.com.

Boating is supposed to be fun, but if your day on the water is spent with an engine that won’t run, it’s not nearly as enjoyable Make sure you can fix the problem before you hit the water.

Ultimate Catch

Now that the weather is cooling off up north, you may be making plans to visit Central Florida for some fishing this winter. Before you leave, be sure to watch Ultimate Catch TV. Captain Eric covers both saltwater and freshwater fishing from the Gulf to the Atlantic. You can watch on the internet to know what gear to bring and what fun awaits. The fish fear you already!

Maiden Voyage

Hello Boaters!

Who says they can't teach an old salt new tricks?

I'm Chuck Fisher, the president of MarineSupplyHeadquarters.com and I never thought I'd be a blogger too. I'll be using this blog to write about new and interesting developments in the world of boat parts and marine supply. If you are as excited about bilge pumps and I am, and believe me, it's way too exciting if a bilge pump isn't doing its job when you need it to, then I hope you'll find something interesting here.

While I'm getting this thing launched, you can always check out my online store at MarineSupplyHeadquarters.com.

See you on the water!

Chuck