Tight Steering

[dav5]

I have a 95 150hp Mercury and when I'm out on the water with it the steering is really tight. At both low and high speeds its the same, just real hard to turn. In the drive way it feels fine, turns back and forth with out a problem. My other boats have always been real smooth on the water, but this is also by far the biggest outboard I've owned. So I was just wondering if this sounds like a problem, or is this just normal and I'm going to have to live with it?

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: Tight Steering

Does it ease-up when the motor is trimmed? The 150s have a good bit of torque you are fighting against, but should be much easier when you are trimmed. I just installed hydraulic steering for that very reason.​

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Tight Steering

You might disconnect the steering shaft from the front of the engine and see how it feels. Both engine and cableshould move back and forth freely. The engine should have grease zerk(s) on the swivel pin (seen from the port side) and you can go to morse-teleflex (www) and find how to service your cable.

Don't know what you mean by low speed. If talking idle it should be easy if it's easy out of the water. If you are trimmed in and planing out, it usually is stiff and directional, but as studly said, once on plane and trimmed out it should limber up.

I just replaced the cable in my boat for stiffness.....cable was only 3 years old and used in fresh water too.

Mark

 

[dav5]

Re: Tight Steering

At idle speed and when I'm trimmed out it will be hard to steer, but every once in a while, it will free up for just a brief second and will be easy to steer. But like I said before, in the driveway, it feels great, not hang ups or stiffness at all.

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: Tight Steering

With the boat out of the water, try to pull the lower-unit towards you; you should have very little play. If you have play here then you have some issues with the yoke tube.​

 

[Windykid]

Re: Tight Steering

Dav,
Try and spray some WD40 on the cable and see if it moves better if it does, service cable like Mark said.

 

[hammyloz]

Re: Tight Steering

and get in there and grease all the zerks
i had real stiff steering problems but as soon as i greased greased greased i can now steer with me little pinkie