Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering

[Nial]

Hi there

I have a 1976 Merc 850 (85hp) that has developed some very stiff steering. When turning the wheel to the right it seems ok (still a little tight) but when going to the left it gets really hard (to the point it requires both arms and a fair amount of strength).
I've taken the bolt out on the linkage arm that connects to the motor and the motor turns freely by itself so my problem lies somewhere within the steering system.
I see there are 2 grease nipples on the cylinder where the steering rod goes in and out of (not sure what this part is called but i suspect it is the cause of my problem). I greased these nipples a few years ago to the point where fresh grease came out of the area just under the nipples. I am going to try re greasing them tommorrow when i get a hold of a grease gun. Do i need to have the steering in a certain position when greasing ie the steering rod all the way in or all the way out?
I've read some old posts about the part getting corroded up, i'd say this is my problem and am willing to pull it all apart and give it a good clean out but i'm at a loss at how to get it apart?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Cheers
Nial

 

[achris]

Re: Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering

Nial,

On the starboard end of the tilt tube (the tube that the steering cable goes into) is a large nut that locks the steering cable into the tube... Undo that and try and pull the steering cable out.... If you get it out, try and turn the steering again... Still tight? problem is probably the cable itself...

Chris......

 

[joe2403]

Re: Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering

I'm assuming this is when your operating boat if so its not a grease problem. Right above the prop is the trim tab you have to adjust one way or the other its kind of like a rudder. Theirs a bolt right above the trim tab that you loosen to move it.

 

[ENSIGN]

Re: Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering

Remove the cable as mentioned and check to make sure it's straight,even a very small bend will make it bind.If it's ok clean the inside of the tilt tube really good and reassemble with plenty of waterproof grease.

 

[Nial]

Re: Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering

Thanks for the replies. The steering is tight no matter where the boat is (in the water or on the trailer). I'm assuming the tube is clogged up inside as it gets harder when i turn to the left and the stainless part goes back inside the tube.
I had a go at getting it off but looks like i'm going to need to go purchase a bigger shifting spanner as the one i've got doesn't stretch wide enough to fit over that nut. It must be nearly 2 inches wide i reckon so i'll need to buy a pretty big shifting spanner. I did managed to get my shifter over the cable (the bit a few inches to the right of the big nut), but it just spins the whole thing around. To get it off will i need to hold the cable with one shifter and undo the large nut with a bigger shifter? I've also heard of people using heat to free things up a bit, I've got an old blow torch i could use but i'd want to know exactly whats parts i need to heat up first.

 

[Nial]

Re: Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering

Some pics of my steering setup

 

[Nial]

Re: Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering

Can's seem to have any luck getting this cable steering to come off or apart. Any ideas...

 

[Nial]

Re: Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering Solved

Re: Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering Solved

Managed to fix my problem and my boat steers like new again.
I did managed to undo the large nuts holding the tilt tube on and was able to get to the cable. Although I couldn't get the cable fully out (without removing the boat from the motor) I could pull the cable out a few inches to expose some of the corroded part. I sprayed it full of WD-40 and it because the street was on a bit of a slant to the left it worked its way down towards the end of the cable. After a few turns of the steering wheel it loosened right up and feels as good as new again. I pumped the 2 nipples full of fresh grease and its good to go again.
While i had the motor lowered right down i did realize i must have a leaking carby somewhere because this dark black oily liquid began dripping out of somewhere. I did notice this a while back as well but the engine hasn't skipped a beat so i'm gonna leave that job for another day.

 

[Willyclay]

Re: Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering Solved

Re: Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering Solved

I pumped the 2 nipples full of fresh grease and its good to go again.

Glad to hear you got it fixed. However, those two grease nipples only service the OUTSIDE of the tilt tube to make it easier to tilt the motor up. You have to get some good waterproof grease INSIDE the tilt tube to lube the steering cable telescopic ram. There is an aftermarket nut that has a grease nipple available in the U.S. that a lot of forum members like. I'll try to find you a link to it. I personally like to lube the tube and ram up really well and then cover it with a boot shown in the link below. Maybe you can find one "down under". Good luck!

http://www.iboats.com/Steering-Cable-Boot/dm/*******.528723521--**********.098007427--view_id.39716

EDIT: Here's a link to the "nut" mentioned above.

http://www.iboats.com/Seachoice-Ste...007037033--**********.831871905--view_id.2952

 

[Nial]

Re: Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering Solved

Re: Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering Solved

Glad to hear you got it fixed. However, those two grease nipples only service the OUTSIDE of the tilt tube to make it easier to tilt the motor up. You have to get some good waterproof grease INSIDE the tilt tube to lube the steering cable telescopic ram. There is an aftermarket nut that has a grease nipple available in the U.S. that a lot of forum members like. I'll try to find you a link to it. I personally like to lube the tube and ram up really well and then cover it with a boot shown in the link below. Maybe you can find one "down under". Good luck!

http://www.iboats.com/Steering-Cable-Boot/dm/*******.528723521--**********.098007427--view_id.39716

EDIT: Here's a link to the "nut" mentioned above.

http://www.iboats.com/Seachoice-Ste...007037033--**********.831871905--view_id.2952

Thanks for your reply mate, that nut looks really good I'd like to install that one however I'm guessing it has to go on the starboard side of the engine and I don't think I can could that nut off without lifting the engine off the boat. I could put one on the port side but not sure if that will really do anything???

 

[Willyclay]

Re: Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering Solved

Re: Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering Solved

I could put one on the port side but not sure if that will really do anything???

Most owners install it on the port side to replace the plastic nut and it seems to work for them. I have never used one myself because I prefer the boot. Good luck!

 

[Nial]

Re: Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering Solved

Re: Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering Solved

I like the idea of that boot and its pretty cheap too. Does it just fit over the stainless steel part that slides in and out? could it be filled with grease or oil and then seal with a clamp instead of a cable tie then i guess it would never corroded up...?
After my stainless steel rod goes in (full turn to the right) and comes back out (full turn to the left) the rod is covered in a muddy brown colour grease. I pumped it full of fresh blue grease but is this muddy colour just all the rust inside? I noticed when had it apart and I could see the actual cable, not the stainless part it was very rusty and corroded.

 

[Willyclay]

Re: Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering Solved

Re: Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering Solved

Yes, it does just fit over the SS telescopic ram with the big end secured over the end of the tilt tube. The clamps are probably a good idea as I have had experience with nylon tyraps failing. However, because the ram fully retracts into the tilt tube I believe filling it with grease or oil will be unworkable and likely will cause the boot to split due to internal pressure. The "muddy brown colour grease" is the product of water and rust in the tilt tube. That's the challenge of one of these steering systems: Keeping the water out and the grease in!

 

[dwco5051]

Re: Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering

A 34 year old motor with stiff steering. If it has the original steering cable and a few shots of WD40 cured it count your blessings. Do you keep this boat in the middle of the desert and never put it in the water??

 

[j_martin]

Re: Mercury Merc 850 Stiff Tight Steering

If you don't have all the rust out of it yet, I'd find a side hill or curb to park on so it's tilted to port, and do what you're doing with WD40, or SeaFoam till it's pretty clean.

Don't force a lot of grease in it . A light coating of 2-4-C is all you want. If you put on the zerk-nut, grease it very sparingly. If you force grease into the cable assembly itself, it'll jam up just as tight as that tube was. They are lubricated with a fairly light (5W) oil.

I almost wiped out the cables in a Dual Rack NFB system with lots of nice clean grease. I managed to clean them, but that failing would have cost me a couple hundred dollars.

hope it helps
john