93 Yamaha 115 hard to steer

[lexkyboater]

This steers much easier in idle than when it's running down the lake. If the steering cable needed to be replaced, seems that it would be hard to steer at idle as well? The previous owner didn't maintain it very well and I put grease into about 5 grease fittings related to the steering on the motor, and while that helped, steering is still pretty stiff. I greased the steering tube with the 4 grease fittings, but didn't remove the steering tube and clean it inside and out. One question is that I noticed only one grease fitting where the motor rotates on the stationary tube. When I greased it, grease only came out with a little water in the lower section. The upper section still looks like it needs grease. Any ideas? Is it possible the bearings in the stationary tube where the engine rotate are toast and need to be replaced? I'm wondering if when it's under power and harder to steer that it's binding those bearings and causing it to steer hard? Or, is that normal for the motor to be harder to steer when it's under power and I really do need a cable? Is there any way to grease the inside of the cable? TIA, Steve

 

[lexkyboater]

Re: 93 Yamaha 115 hard to steer

I believe the area on the motor I'm referring to is the steering pivot shaft. I have the Seloc manual but can't details on how to lube - it just says it needs to be done every 60 days or 100 hours.

 

[Ray Neudecker]

Re: 93 Yamaha 115 hard to steer

The description is one of a prop too large or other set up problem.

 

[zzzzz]

Re: 93 Yamaha 115 hard to steer

it may be the motor mounts worn and binding...there are no bearings per say in the pivot tube-there are 2 bushings=top and bottom that may be worn and binding...sounds like ya' need to do an "exploratory"

 

[lexkyboater]

Re: 93 Yamaha 115 hard to steer

Thanks for the replies guys. As far as the prop, the motor runs and accelerates excellent, by far the best motor performance I've ever seen in how clean it runs and planes the boat. On my limited budget anyway, so that may help in diagnosing the problem. It will run around 50 mph, but don't know for sure because I still haven't blown out the speed guage hole in the front of the motor. Not sure about other setup - are you saying it's possible the motor is too high or low in the water?

Sorry for the dumb question, but how do the motor mounts affect how the motor turns? As far as the pivot tube, I am concerned that the top bushing as you've described is not getting grease. When you say "exploratory" do you mean disassembly? I'm more of an automotive guy, and have the manual and am not afraid to turn a wrench, but how hard is it to explore all that? It sounds like you guys are ruling out the cable?

 

[Ray Neudecker]

Re: 93 Yamaha 115 hard to steer

A binding cable will normally show up at low speeds as well as faster. What RPM's are you turning the prop?

 

[zzzzz]

Re: 93 Yamaha 115 hard to steer

if you were to grab your lower unit and see if the engine will wiggle excessively in and out or side to side you will see how the vertical angle can change and change the horizontal angle of the steering cable and put it into a bind...this would mean your mounts are worn and need attention...the lower mounts are easy enough to get to-just pull the 2 covers and the mounts are visible..you can view parts diagrams at yamaha-motor.com...click on marine then parts and service then view parts catalog

 

[MGA]

Re: 93 Yamaha 115 hard to steer

I have a 150 that at top speed can't turn the wheel the top bushing on the pivot tube seems to be suffuring from galvanic corrosion along with a couple of othe parts in the same area. Due to dissimilar metals in the part of the engine. I had the motor off the boat recently and the pivoting action was not easy to do by hand.
Regarding the cable it is possible I have been told for the cable to wear only on one side on a curve and this only will show up under load.

At the end on this season I am going to do the "exploratory"

 

[lexkyboater]

Re: 93 Yamaha 115 hard to steer

Thanks for all the help and feedback so far guys. I printed the parts breakdown for Bracket 1 from yamaha-motor.com and that helped. The Seloc manual didn't have that particular parts list from what I could tell. I confirmed 5 total grease fittings, and I got them all a few weeks ago. I ended up taking off the steering cable at the motor, and the motor turns real easy, so that sounds like the opposite of MGA's motor. I checked the pull at the steering bracket nut where the cable goes with my cheapie spring-type fish scale and it takes 6 pounds of pull to turn to turn the motor to the left (to turn right) and 4 pounds to turn it to the right. I also greased the pivot tube grease fitting 4 or 5 times and finally a little grease started to seap out of the top bushing, so I feel better about that. I also greased the linkage better at the cable to steering bracket connection.

That said, the steering wheel is pretty tough to turn even without the motor attached. The cable housing isn't in great shape, but it looks all superficial, with no cuts or anything like that to potentially corrode it from the inside out. It almost looks like the rack and pinion at the helm might need to be greased, so that's next on the list. I hear ya on that cable though, MGA, and seems like it's a possibility. I wish I had more experience on this because I don't know what to tell you guys symptoms wise, but maybe I can isolate it enough to the point we can tell what's going on.

I've only had the boat a few months and on the water maybe 5 times and with the turning as it is, I've only ran it about 35 mph myself, but when I bought it the previous owner ran it up to around 50 mph, but I didn't check the tach at that point. I don't really know what the rpms are turning at full throttle. When I had the motor free I also tugged on it and side to side movement is tight and it seems to just engage the steering bracket. When the motor is down on the trim cylinders, I can lift it about 4 or 5 inches up but I'm assuming that's normal in case you hit a log or something. I also took the lower mount cover off the right side and the mounts look good from what I can tell. It had a rubber shock washer under the cover and what looked like 2 rubber washers in front, where the pivot tube is attached to the lower unit area off the motor. Looked like washers and mounts were in good shape. Also, do have a v-style hydrofoil on the motor, and that may be affecting it some. No jack plate, so can't easily raise or lower it. I took a look at a newer Champion boat with and '02 Yamaha 250 on it yesterday with a Sea Star hydraulic steering setup. I wanted to steal that cylinder real bad...

--Steve

 

[lexkyboater]

Re: 93 Yamaha 115 hard to steer

Also forgot to mention that turning it all the way to the left when the cable is pulled all the way in makes the steering start turning easier too. Starting at about the final revolution of the wheel it gets progressively easier to turn until the end of the cable is reached.

 

[lexkyboater]

Re: 93 Yamaha 115 hard to steer

More info on this. Looks like I was unclear about how easy the boat should be to turn at idle. Ended up removing the rack from the steering wheel and the wheel turns real easy. Since the motor also turns real easy without the steering cable connected, that only leaves one thing. Ended up getting the cable out of the boat, and found I could only move the cable about 1 inch every 3 - 5 seconds by hand. I was really surprised given how relatively easy the wheel turns at idle, but that torque steer seems to really put it in a bind. Seems that the exploratory was the way to go. Funny how clear/simple things become when you get it all apart.

 

[lexkyboater]

Re: 93 Yamaha 115 hard to steer

Confirmed that new cable has fixed this problem. Steers like it's got power steering at speed, and turns easily to the right even under power, but takes more effort to go to the left. The boat also now pulls to the right since the steering is so easy, so I'll be looking into adjusting the trim tab. From other posts, I believe it's turned to the left too much, so I should be able to adjust more in line with the rudder to fix this problem.