Mercury 7.5 steering arm bracket help

[Dinglydel]

Hi I foolishly shipped my outboard to myself via courier and as expected, they dropped it and broke the steering arm bracket! I managed to find a new bracket and had it shipped to the UK. Is this a big job? i can just about see the nuts that hold it on but cant quite get to them. Do i need to strip the whole steering rack down? thanks

 

[tpenfield]

Welcome . . .

The short answer is yes, you need to take the whole thing apart, replace the steering arm, and put it all back together. You need to take the engine/shaft off of the swivel bracket assembly to get at the steering arm.

Here is my thread on doing similar work to my Merc 7.5 . . .

https://forums.iboats.com/threads/old-er-mercury-small-outboard-swivel-bracket-repair.737761/

 

[Dinglydel]

Welcome . . .

The short answer is yes, you need to take the whole thing apart, replace the steering arm, and put it all back together. You need to take the engine/shaft off of the swivel bracket assembly to get at the steering arm.

Here is my thread on doing similar work to my Merc 7.5 . . .

https://forums.iboats.com/threads/old-er-mercury-small-outboard-swivel-bracket-repair.737761/

Arrgh the dreaded answer! Lol. Was hoping for the quick fix, but luckily out of season I suppose. Thanks for replying

 

[Dinglydel]

So removing the engine from the swivel shaft is just those 2 big bolts or mounts on each side of the shaft with the circlips right?...

 

[tpenfield]

It depends on what vintage motor you have . . . the older motors have 4 rubber 'bushing/pads' that hold the engine/shaft to the saddle. There are screw caps that cover them, and the bushings are held in place by "C" clips. Not sure about the newer models.

If you Google the parts diagrams for you particular model/year you can get a better picture of the disassembly that will be needed.

 

[Dinglydel]

It depends on what vintage motor you have . . . the older motors have 4 rubber 'bushing/pads' that hold the engine/shaft to the saddle. There are screw caps that cover them, and the bushings are held in place by "C" clips. Not sure about the newer models.

If you Google the parts diagrams for you particular model/year you can get a better picture of the disassembly that will be needed.

Ok thanks it's a 1981/82 model I think. Will check it out before I get loose with a spanner!

 

[Dinglydel]

Ok thanks it's a 1981/82 model I think. Will check it out before I get loose with a spanner!

Ok so I'm at a bit of a loss here Im guessing I'm on the correct mounts here? So I have removed the circlip, and I'm just looking at a blank plate with seemingly no way to get it out without drilling a hole in the middle of it?

 

[Scott Danforth]

isnt it easier to pull the 6 nuts and remove the power head, then unbolt the steering arm, and get a new power head gasket than removing the mounts?

 

[Dinglydel]

isnt it easier to pull the 6 nuts and remove the power head, then unbolt the steering arm, and get a new power head gasket than removing the mounts?

Ok thanks, is that a better way to do it? I'm a bit of a newbie when it comes to outboards, So the 6 nuts, will that remove the whole top part of the engine as one piece, or is there other stuff to do with the engine before I can access the bracket?

 

[Scott Danforth]

to me it would be easier.

 

[Dinglydel]

to me it would be easier.

Thanks Scott, I'll have a look at that at the weekend. So the whole top part of the engine comes off? I must source a manual

 

[tpenfield]

You can move the shaft housing from side to side in order to loosen the bushings . . . It may take some persuasion and a few whacks with a mallet and wooden dowel to loosen them. They usually get stuck in place from corrosion.

I am not sure if removing the powerhead will get you very far . . . just going from my recollection of when I have taken my Merc 7.5 apart.

 

[Dinglydel]

You can move the shaft housing from side to side in order to loosen the bushings . . . It may take some persuasion and a few whacks with a mallet and wooden dowel to loosen them. They usually get stuck in place from corrosion.

I am not sure if removing the powerhead will get you very far . . . just going from my recollection of when I have taken my Merc 7.5 apart.

Cheers, so do they push through from one sidexto the other, or are they 4 individual bushings that need so somehow be pulled out individually? I can't see any way of actually pulling them out as there's nothing there to grip?

 

[Scott Danforth]

when I swapped power heads on my 9.8's to give me an electric start shorty for the hellion, once I had the power heads off, swapping steering stuff was easy.

 

[Dinglydel]

Update: have spent the last couple of hours tapping on the saddle with a rubber mallet, and nothing is popping out. I still don't know if these are plastic covers I have to pry off first somehow? Do I hit the opposite side with something thin to try to push it through? There is nothing for me to grab on to. Do I need to drill it? See pics. Thanks

 

[tpenfield]

Cheers, so do they push through from one sidexto the other, or are they 4 individual bushings that need so somehow be pulled out individually? I can't see any way of actually pulling them out as there's nothing there to grip?

4 individual bushings that are a combination of aluminum & rubber . . .

 

[tpenfield]

Here is an image from my rebuild, having removed the powerhead from the mounting base of the drive shaft housing . . . The steering arm is still not exposed. so, I believe the saddle/swivel has to be separated from the drive shaft housing to expose the top of the 3 bolts that hold the steering arm.

Here are all the pieces to the engine, if that helps. You can see the swivel bracket & steering arm in the lower right.

Here is the link to my rebuild thread . . .
https://forums.iboats.com/threads/mercury-7-5-hp-motor-refresh-1969-model-year.683798/

 

[Dinglydel]

Ahh that's perfect. Thankyou so much. I'll have another stab at the weekend and let you jnowchowvit goes

 

[Scott Danforth]

Ted, yours appears to be the earlier cowling. Mine were 1985 motors.

@Dinglydel what year is your 7.5?

 

[Dinglydel]

Ted, yours appears to be the earlier cowling. Mine were 1985 motors.

@Dinglydel what year is your 7.5?

I'm not sure Scott. I tried tracing the serial number, but mine starts with a 9 and he chart I looked at only went to 6