Mercury 125 steering question.

[tomxdana]

I have a mercury 125hp outboard motor on a 1802 Trophy. The steering was tight last year and over the winter I took a look at it. I disconnected the motor from the steering assembly and worked it back and forth and it moved freely. I disconnected the cable and lubed the cable good with merc teflon grease. I filled the cavity with grease and put it back together. I thought it made it better. When I dunked it this weekend it was very hard at either end of right and left. The middle part of the swing was not too bad. Could i have over lubricated it?

Here is my question.
If the steering cable was frozen or damaged inside the assembly back at the motor wouldn't I notice that when disconnected from the motor and worked it back and forth with the steering wheel?

 

[Maxz695]

Re: Mercury 125 steering question.

View attachment 90213View attachment 90212A worn shaft guide will bind and even freeze the steering shaft. It becomes oblonged and the weather rusts it in place I always keep my steering shaft as unexposed to rain(Turned to the left) scince then to avoid this happening. Although i do have a new shaft guide I havn,t had the time to replace it, but I do go out and turn the engine every now and then to keep this from refezing up. So instead of a round tight O you get a lose 0 causing the bind allowing in water to rust it in place. The picture shows how I keep the engine to avoid rusing and the new shaft to be installed

 

[j_martin]

Re: Mercury 125 steering question.

Long story short, grease will jam up the cable. It's a very common failure mode. (Got that from Teleflex suplport) They also told me that the cable was lubed for life and now that I forced grease into it, it has to be replaced.

I called BS on that, and created a lubricator to clean and lubricate the cables, making them like new.

http://www.screamandfly.com/showthread.php?188864-Steering-Cable-Lube

 

[Wingedwheel]

Re: Mercury 125 steering question.

Dang John, thats a great idea. I knew you couldn't grease them, but I never thought about using a tool to clean them out. Thanks

 

[Maxz695]

Re: Mercury 125 steering question.

If the new shaft dosn,t work take a plumbers torch empty the carbs of all gas heat the swivel arm that connects to the engine being careful not to over heat it and burn the motor mounts which will in turn almost melt old grese to a state where the unit will turn again this is a dangerous undertaking and should only be done by a qualified certifed Marine mchanic if possible. being that the motor (Unhook swung freely back and forth I doubt this is the problem)