Re: 1988 Force 85HP verical steering tube sized
Listen to me! I have done this a couple of times. It is a witch (with a capital B) of a job but can be done. The kingpin is bushed in the yoke with a plastic bushing on each end. The yoke corrodes and since aluminum oxide has much more volume than mass aluminum it squeezes the plastic bushings. They in turn squeeze the kingpin which may or may not be rusted--usually it is though. No amount of greasing will free it. Depending upon the degree of damage, you may need to buy a used assembly. Some are just stuck too tightly to free up.
Obviously, there will be no support for the engine so either hold it with a hoist on the flywheel or lay it on its side on the floor
NOW: At the bottom of the yoke are four 5/16/ bolts (1/2 inch head) assuming a 20 inch engine leg. A 25 inch leg has 8 bolts. Remove the bolts and the cap. These bolts go into the lower motor mount and you may snap one so spray the hell out of them (from the back) with penetrant a couple of days before. Remove the air box, and the carbs. Below the carbs you will see the top of the kingpin.
Pry out the bottom until the kingpin is clear of the leg. This takes a bit of force. While pryed out, use a large aluminum or brass drift and hammer out the top of the kingpin. It won't be easy but you need only to go down about 1/2 inch or so.
Now, you need to press out or hammer out the kingpin from the now free yoke. Again, not an easy job, but with patience and the correct cuss words it can be done.
Remove the plastic bushings from each end of the yoke or the kingpin--one may be stuck to it. Clean out the inside of the yoke to bare metal. slather anti seize on the bare metal. RE-drill the plastic bushings to 1 1/8 inside diameter and replace them in the yoke. If the kingpin is not too bad, sand off the rust and again, slather it with anti-seize. If it is too bad, buy a hunk of 1 1/8 hardened aluminum round bar--not cheap, a 3 foot piece cost me 80 bucks.
Put everything together, and hammer in the kingpin to the lower shroud mount, and replace the lower cap and bolts. Don't forget to replace the brown disc top plastic bushing which takes the engine weight and I forgot to mention. Grease the assembly through the fitting until it oozes out both top and bottom. Sometimes it will only issue from one though. To prevent reccurence, add grease every couple of weeks.
That's it! Simple job that will take you at least a weekend if you have never done it before.
PS: I find it easier to do this on the engine BUT alternatively. you can remove the upper motor mount screws and rear shroud, remove the whole transon clamp/yoke/ lower shroud mount and do it on the workbench. OR----If you don't mind paying a stipend and shipping, send me a private message. I have a bunch of unused midlegs in my garage. That will be WAY faster and easier
