Steering hard

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by steplift20

The motor has to come off to remove the cable so I am just going to try to clean it up and hit it hard with penetrating oil, you use wd 40 wouldn't penetrating oil be better?

WD-40 and PB Blaster are both considered penetrating oils. Kroil, if you can find it, is also a great penetrating oil.

Once you get that issue resolved, replace the end nut on your engine thru-tube where the cable goes with a Steersman nut. This will allow you to grease the end of the cable where 90% of the corrosion/rust takes place and keep it from happening. Also, carefully inspect your steering cable outer jacket for any cracks or cuts or basically any holes that will allow moist air and water onto the metal cable inside. those will kill a steering cable faster than anything. Carefully run your hand along the plastic sleeve feeling for any bumps or swelling. If there are any, that's where the rust and your problem will be.

[phatdaddy]

are u sure it's the steering? remove the cable from the steering rod and see if the motor is binding. there should be some zerk fittings on the pivot shaft for the motor.

[DUKE]

I just went through a similar problem, when I tried to remove the steering rod it did not line up with the existing side wall hole that the cable and gas line run through. It missed the hole by about an inch, so I enlarged that hole and the rod was able to be pulled through the new larger hole straight out into the starboard rear hatch.
I then cleaned everything with Gunk carburetor cleaner and emory cloth, re-packed everything with White Lithium Grease, working fine now.

[bradford]

Here's the link for the Steersman nut that Destroyer spoke of.

http://www.steersman.com/index.html

Stinky Hooker did a thread a short while ago detailing how he cleaned up his steering.

Here it is, pics are missing though.

http://wellcraftv20.com/community/sh...ad.php?t=19972

[Striper80]

Originally Posted by Destroyer

WD-40 and PB Blaster are both considered penetrating oils. Kroil, if you can find it, is also a great penetrating oil.

Once you get that issue resolved, replace the end nut on your engine thru-tube where the cable goes with a Steersman nut. This will allow you to grease the end of the cable where 90% of the corrosion/rust takes place and keep it from happening. Also, carefully inspect your steering cable outer jacket for any cracks or cuts or basically any holes that will allow moist air and water onto the metal cable inside. those will kill a steering cable faster than anything. Carefully run your hand along the plastic sleeve feeling for any bumps or swelling. If there are any, that's where the rust and your problem will be.

I've actually read that the best penetrating oil is a 50/50 mix of ATF and acetone. I've never tried it though. I've had good luck with grease and starting fluid in a pinch.

[smokeonthewater]

Acetone and ATF kick donkey!

[steplift20]

Acetone or mineral spirits with ATF ? I heard mineral spirits on you tube

[smokeonthewater]

pretty much any thinner works... have even used gasoline n atf before.... just need a thiner to carry the atf into the problem area

[steplift20]

Gotcha now I understand