steering spindle lubrication

[andrewterri]

I am still waiting on the manual to get here from mercruiser and I can not figure out how to grease the steering spindle on a alpha 1 gen 2. The zerk fitting that use to be on top of the bell housing above the gimbal ring on the previous gen's is not there. Mercusier must have removed it in there infamous wisdom but there has to be a way to grease it. I have checked everything else I can for my hard steering and am betting this is my problem. Looking from the outside, there appears to be not signs of grease anywhere. Anyone have any idea's on what I can do? Maybe wd-40 to see if that eases the steering to confirm my suspicion?

 

[alldodge]

Mercusier must have removed it in there infamous wisdom but there has to be a way to grease it

Yes they did, and Bt Doctur has a thread showing how to reinstall one if desired to

The short term I would use motor oil before WD40 because WD is not a lubricate, its a water displacement (WD) chemical

 

[andrewterri]

Thank you alldodge I have been fighting this issue for days. I have never seen his thread by searching do you know the name of the thread or an easier way to find it? Is the best way to just put motor oil in a oil can so you can squirt it upward? that is the only way I can see to get oil up there where it contacts the housing. I am still learning my way around this drive.

 

[alldodge]

I found the thread but being photobucket the pics are not there. BT will be back but probably tomorrow or at least soon

https://forums.iboats.com/forum/eng...stall-the-miissing-grease-fitting-bravo-alpha

Here is the issue, you drill I think a 1/8 hole into the upper area slowly. You will see aluminum and then bronze. After you go thru the bronze (oil soaked) you reach the steel pin. Don't need to go any further once the steel is reached.

Now tap for a zerk fitting, screw in and pump the grease in. You can probably guess as to where the hole should be based on where the bushing in located

 

[Bt Doctur]

let me get the pics and then make it a sticky

 

[Bt Doctur]

Basically locate the center and use a 5/16 hex nut for a gauge. Drill a hole a 1/4 inch deep using a #3 drill bit and thread for 1/4 x 28 thread (grease fitting thread size)
Then drill a 1/16 inch bit SLOWLY watching the filings. First aluminum, then brass/bronze, then steel then STOP
Install grease fitting and grease
This process is the same for the Bravo drive

 

[Bt Doctur]

A cutaway of a typical housing showing the location of the bushing and seal

 

[Bt Doctur]

http://s57.photobucket.com/user/BtDoctur/media/DSCN2574_zpsd58d26ef.mp4.html?sort=6&o=718

 

[andrewterri]

awesome thank you Bt Doctor

 

[andrewterri]

Makes me nervous drilling into a new housing but if anyone is doing it, it is me. How are they designed to stay lubed? Are they internally sealed like the newer gimbal rings? I can not imagine mercury would just put a little grease on the outside and that's it.

 

[Bondo]

Mercusier must have removed it in there infamous wisdom but there has to be a way to grease it.

Ayuh,...... I believe 1984/ 1985 were the Most greasable transom shields Merc ever used,....

Less fittin's before then, 'n Merc has been deletin' 'em ever since,....

 

[Bt Doctur]

How are they designed to stay lubed? Are they internally sealed like the newer gimbal rings? I can not imagine mercury would just put a little grease on the

By removing the grease fitting they are lubed by the water that gets by the seal, then the rust starts and removes the remaining parts of the seal and then you notice the water leaking in the boat from the steering arm.
What you see in the cutaway is all there is

 

[zellerj]

Have you ruled out the steering ram - which can be stiff with old grease - as the culprit? My steering got stiff last year (1988 Larson 4.3 with power steering) and I had to clean out the steering tube and re-coat with grease. Works fine now.

 

[andrewterri]

There does not appear to be any grease on it. It looks like the dealer did not do the proper delivery to the original owner. Everything but one pivot point is missing grease. there is even still a tag on the back of the engine where all the computer hook-ups go into the engine. The tag even says remove before delivery. I was going to turn the wheel hard to port to expose the ram and coat some grease on it to help along with adding a zerk fitting. I am going to do them separately to try and isolate the problem.

 

[zellerj]

My guess is that it is the steering ram. The absence of a zerk fitting indicates that the spindle does not need lubrication, while the steering ram is supposed to be lubricated every year as part of the maintenance schedule. I have only lubricated my steering ram once since 1994 thought.

 

[andrewterri]

Like I said I am still waiting on the manual so I do not know what I need to do to lube it. Do I just turn to starboard I think that is the way to expose the ram. Then wipe grease on the ram? I have trailer bearing grease, can I just use that?

 

[zellerj]

Yes, Yes, and Yes. Since my boat was pretty old, I had old stiff grease inside the tube that holds the ram that I had to flush out with WD40, then I used wheel bearing grease on the ram. You might not have to do this - but just wipe some grease on the exposed ram and see if the stiff steering goes away. .

 

[andrewterri]

We are loading the boat up now to go cruise the lake today. I will do that and report back. here's to hoping...

 

[andrewterri]

I greased the power steering ram and the cable rod that is exposed past the guide tube. It made the steering much lighter. There is still some resistance so I think another round of grease on the cable rod will do it. When I put the grease on the cable rod it was completely dry. I don't know if it is suppose to be greased from the factory but it wasn't.

 

[Bt Doctur]

In most cases that I get to fix tight steering I use a propane torch to heat the tube to free everything.Then once its moving I grease the snot out of it. Greased at the end of season yearly will prevent a frozen steering cable.Atleast it does in the I/O`s that I service.