[Itsdashark]

i am getting a 1975 manatee with a 115 eveinrude. the steering is not turning at all. the boat sat for 6 years. worked before, not now. any easy fixes for this?

 

[TheAdamBomb]

On a mechanical steering rod, tap on the end of the steering assembly back by the motor with a hammer. This will get it going, and you should then be able to move the wheel back and forth to get her going good.

 

[Get it wet]

I think that's a snigle side arm on that steering. Is the arm all the way in? Or is it out all the way out or a little. If it all the way in you might be able to pump in some new grease and get it to work. This doesn't mean the seals would leak. The arm should be rusted from sitting. You could try some penatrate fluid on the exposed arm. Then clean with a scotch bite pad. before trying to move the arm.

Good luck!

 

[makorider]

Had to deal with this every year with the 17 mako.

HOPEFULLY some of the arm is protruding. If so, put a pipe wrench on the very end before the swivel and ROCK it back and forth to get it freed up. You may have to take an emory cloth to the shaft if toolmarks are left. Once freed up, you can work it in and out with a penetrating oil to work out the salted up/dried up grease.

Make sure you store it with the rod OUT to make life easy next year.

Hitting things with hammers is for monkeys.

 

[Itsdashark]

thanx guys................ill give it a whirl

 

[TheAdamBomb]

Hitting things with hammers is for monkeys.

Hey now! I said tap!

 

[makorider]

I know, I know, I wasnt talking aout you. As long as you're not tickling your armpit with a banana in the other hand....

I was cutting the posts off at the pass that recommend a block of wood and 5 lb hammer.

 

[Jacksmack290]

Shoot it with some blaster or liquid wrench, then put a block of wood on the end of the ram if there is any left, then beat on it. I did this on my 77 70 house johnson. Think i used a 3 lb mallet. Just remember that after you free it up wipe the old grease off and put some new on, if there are grease zerks on the front shoot them up with some grease

 

[THE PAZMAN]

Hammers...LMAO

Me too...Block of wood and hammer...And i'm a Mochanic...LMAO...The Barn will never be what it once was Adam..Love too see it but there always too many pissing contest arnd here dn't get it...human nature i guess...Terry THE PAZMAN

 

[Guatemala Dave]

First mske sure what is frozen up. If you disconnect the steering rod you willfirst make sure that you can move the motor.

Motor moves, OK, check #2 disconnect the nut from the steering tube. if you turn the wheel and the nut moves on the cable you are definately stuck inside the tube. From there you can fill both sides with penetrating lubricant and work on it as above.

I have found that the first move is usually using a twisting motion to break loose the oxidation and if you have room on the transom to pull the entire shaft out you can use a dowel to tap the entire shaft out and clean the shaft and tube. If there is a bend in the cable and no room to pull the entire shaft be very careful not to push the shaft inside the tube because you may be pulling the motor to get it free.

If back at #2 you find that the cable does not move when you try to turn the steering wheel, your problem is inside the cable itself and you are most likely going the route of changing the cable.

 

[fdformicola]

I had that problem with an old 65hp merc I had years ago, the shaft in the engine would freeze up if I did not use it for a while, the grease fitting was at the top of the shaft on the engine and was not getting no grease down the shaft towards the bottom, would have to work the engine back & forth to get it to loosen up, sometimes heat will help, once it is loose penetrating oil & fresh grease, if you can add a grease fitting on the housing where the shaft is in the middle to get more grease towards the top or bottom

 

[barrell]

I finaly got fed up with steering problems and installed a Hydraulic Baystar system on my boat last week. Best $450 I ever spent on the boat.

 

[zar2754]

First mske sure what is frozen up. If you disconnect the steering rod you willfirst make sure that you can move the motor.

Motor moves, OK, check #2 disconnect the nut from the steering tube. if you turn the wheel and the nut moves on the cable you are definately stuck inside the tube. From there you can fill both sides with penetrating lubricant and work on it as above.

I have found that the first move is usually using a twisting motion to break loose the oxidation and if you have room on the transom to pull the entire shaft out you can use a dowel to tap the entire shaft out and clean the shaft and tube. If there is a bend in the cable and no room to pull the entire shaft be very careful not to push the shaft inside the tube because you may be pulling the motor to get it free.

If back at #2 you find that the cable does not move when you try to turn the steering wheel, your problem is inside the cable itself and you are most likely going the route of changing the cable.

exactly, before you start hammering away on the steering rod, make sure that the engine isnt siezed, if you can manually move the motor back and forth once you disconect the arm, then remove the tube.

 

[bluefishbones]

After you are sure it is the tube and the shaft near the motor, get the propane tourch out. Remove the gas line and make sure there is no gas around at all. Heat the tube carefully making sure not to destroy any cables or wires, I reccomend tying them out of the way. heat the tube untill it moves. Remove tube and clean both pieces, a gun cleaning kit works well. Then reassemble and install a Davis lube kit.
Tom

 

[Guatemala Dave]

If you use heat becareful of the bushings in the tilt mechinism