95 Yamaha 200 hard to turn....

[jjjtronics]

My V20 is giving us lots of fun, but the motor is giving me a big work out every time I use it. The flex-cable is "OK", because it feels soft when disconnected from the motor, but the motor, uffff !!! the thing is almost welded to the pivot point. I looked at the pivot area and can`t find any lube fittings, so I guess I am looking at the wrong place. Anybody done this on a Yami ? Ideas ? I have the feeling I will soon break the steering-box if I use it one more time.

[macojoe]

Use some Mouse Milk LOL

the grease fitting in on the mounting bracket shown in this picture, look at part 25, thats were the rod is and there should be one or two fittings on there.
Maybe they broke off?? look for the hole, might have to drill out and put new grease fittings??

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/i...RTBracket1.jpg

Someone else here had same problem a while back, keep spraying with WD 40, and turning it to work in, can put some heat to it (not a lot) and keep working it will melt the old hard grease and get things moving again, Then when all lose put some new grease in and keep it greased you will be fine!!
O yea take the cable off when doing this and turn by hand not to hurt the the helm.

Let us know how you make out

[jjjtronics]

Thanks Maco, will try all that.

[Monkey Butler]

JJJ,

I find the older I get the more hopeless I am at following written directions and I really need to have a visual to figure things out so in that vein I hope this helps...


Here is a photo left to right of the steering arm, the upper bushing and the tilt tube assembly




The bushing usually would go up right against the bottom of the tiller arm, right in the rust zone...



You can see that the steering arm is made of steel an will rust. The part that is usually inside the tilt tube would normally be encased in grease so it will not rust but if the greasing is not kept up with then the upper bearing will go dry and salt water will do its work. Notice the upper part of this arm is on its way, and this is even after some wire brushing. Once the upper part of the shaft rusts it will bind in the nylon bushing. You can work it back and forth and this will eventually ream the bushing but to prevent future seizing you need to work some waterproof grease up from the grease fitting on the tilt tube.

This is best accomplished with some heat and a good grease gun. Unfortunately the grease fitting is located low on the tilt tube...




So if your tube is mucked up the grease will tend to go out the bottom.
Best solution is to apply heat above the grease fitting to soften the crap that's in there then pump some new waterproof grease in until you see some oozing under the steering arm. You can get the middle pretty hot if you need to, just keep in mind that there are two similar bushing at each end of the pivot.

Just remember unless you can get some grease up to those bushings then it will rust up again and the binding will be back.

Steve P.

[jjjtronics]

Thanks M.B., great post. A picture says it all. I think this time it wont be easy, because that 200 of mine is heavy-heavy. I hope WD-40 PLUS a good grease gun will do, but I have the feeling this is going to be a tough one. THANKS AGAIN GUYS !!!!

[bradford]

Great post Monkey Butler!

[willy]

Yea, good job.