1996 BigFoot 50Hp Fourstroke:
Since the day I purchased my pontoon boat the steering is stiff and the shifter is hard to move. (Camparing to to my neighbors) This year I intend to fix both issues with your help !
1. I never tried to fix the shifter issue but I thought there was some type of
drag adjustment under the handle. (Console Mount) How to you adjust the
drag or should I be looking at something else ?
2. I have messed with the stiff steering for a couple of years with no fix to date.
a. No Sharp bends in cable.
b. Disconnected the steering linkage from the cable on the motor.
Wheel moves with no drag and the motor moves freely.
c. In my investigation I noticed the ball joint on the arm that connects
the cable to the motor is almost impossable to move. I tried working
it with WD40 in a vise but it never freed up. Was convinced I had a
bad link and purchased a new one on EBAY but when it arrived
it as just as stiff as the original. After installing the new steering link
there was no change.
Is the ball socket on the link supposed to move free ? My neighbor has a older merc 50HP on his boat and the ball moves very free. I cannot move the ball with my hands at all, it requires putting a screwdriver in the center and with much force pushing on it. When I work the ball with the screwdriver it actually gets quite hot ! Did mercury have an issue with this linkage and somebody get the bad parts and sell them on Ebay maybe ?? Any help would be appreciated !
Thanks
Since the day I purchased my pontoon boat the steering is stiff and the shifter is hard to move. (Camparing to to my neighbors) This year I intend to fix both issues with your help !
1. I never tried to fix the shifter issue but I thought there was some type of
drag adjustment under the handle. (Console Mount) How to you adjust the
drag or should I be looking at something else ?
2. I have messed with the stiff steering for a couple of years with no fix to date.
a. No Sharp bends in cable.
b. Disconnected the steering linkage from the cable on the motor.
Wheel moves with no drag and the motor moves freely.
c. In my investigation I noticed the ball joint on the arm that connects
the cable to the motor is almost impossable to move. I tried working
it with WD40 in a vise but it never freed up. Was convinced I had a
bad link and purchased a new one on EBAY but when it arrived
it as just as stiff as the original. After installing the new steering link
there was no change.
Is the ball socket on the link supposed to move free ? My neighbor has a older merc 50HP on his boat and the ball moves very free. I cannot move the ball with my hands at all, it requires putting a screwdriver in the center and with much force pushing on it. When I work the ball with the screwdriver it actually gets quite hot ! Did mercury have an issue with this linkage and somebody get the bad parts and sell them on Ebay maybe ?? Any help would be appreciated !
Thanks
