Difficulty steering my 140 hp Johnson

[Dude]

I haven't used my boat for over a month and when got to use the boat today it was a bear to turn the steering wheel. The cable has a red plastic shield from the rotary connection (inside the cuddy) to the telescoping rod under the powerhead.
It looks like I have plenty of grease on the telescoping rod and I greased the grease fitting under the powerhead. What are my next steps? Thank you

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: Difficulty steering my 140 hp Johnson

Disconnect the cable from the steering link at the engine. Then turn the engine back and forth with your hands and see if it's binding. Then turn the steering wheel and see if it's binding. That will narrow it down to a sticking cable or a problem at the motor..

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Difficulty steering my 140 hp Johnson

when was the last time the engine was greased. trim all the way up and there is a fitting under there where the engine swivels.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Difficulty steering my 140 hp Johnson

Remove the cable and get back with the results like rick said.

Mark

 

[F_R]

Re: Difficulty steering my 140 hp Johnson

Greasing the Zerks on the tilt tube only lube the tilt, not the steering rod. The steering rod has to be removed to lubricate it. When was the last time you did that?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Difficulty steering my 140 hp Johnson

i was talking about the hidden one under the engine when it is tilted up. that greases the swivels on the midsection

 

[Dude]

Re: Difficulty steering my 140 hp Johnson

Thanks for your quick responces.
I have not used the boat much this year due to the replacement of rebuilt powerhead/lower unit. The zerk fittings were done in May. I have not touched the steering cable from inside the cabin. Prior to using the boat this trip the steering worked fine; its only after the lower unit was installed the other day that I incountered my steering problem.

 

[ezeke]

Re: Difficulty steering my 140 hp Johnson

If the steering is hard in only one direction, you may need to readjust the trim tab. If so, turn it in small increments in the direction of the resistance.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Difficulty steering my 140 hp Johnson

Well Zeke probably nailed it.

If you were ok prior to removing the lower unit and now you have a problem, you probably had to remove the trim tab to get to a screw holding the lower unit in place. Whomever put it back didn't put it back in the position it was in previously.

I don't think the rest of us thought about the fact that your steering was hard only in one direction; you didn't mention that. Course we don't know that it is......just seems that this makes sense as an answer to a possibly vague question. :%

We only know what we are fed. If we don't get all the details, we make the wrong decisions and offer the wrong info.

Mark

 

[Dude]

Re: Difficulty steering my 140 hp Johnson

Sorry for the lack of information. The steering is a bear in both directions whether the boat is moving or standing still.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Difficulty steering my 140 hp Johnson

disconnect at the engine and go from there, if the engine turns easily, and the helm doesn't, then it's a cable problem, and best to replace it. there is a number on the black part of the cable. thats what you need to order.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Difficulty steering my 140 hp Johnson

her's some instructions
http://www.teleflexmarine.com/cgi-bin/library.cgi?site=steering&type=us&library=1018