99 SeaRay Mercruiser 3.0L Hard Steering

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toddgregg

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Aug 9, 2010
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I have a 99 SeaRay 180BR with a 3.0L Mercruiser. Without turning there is about 2-3 inches of play at the wheel. Any turning while moving feels kinda like a car that lost the power steering belt. It makes it really hard to control at low speed, slow to react then over corrected. There is fluid in the reservoir and no signs of leaks. When I checked the play it looks like as soon as the wheel it moved the cable moves at the steering ram, but I'm not sure how those two interact. My next plan is to disconnect the steering cable from the ram and check the movement. Also my cable is the type that doesn't have a Zerk on it. Anybody with some experience that could give me some ideas here? would appreciate it.
 
Bondo

Bondo

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Re: 99 SeaRay Mercruiser 3.0L Hard Steering

toddgregg said:
I have a 99 SeaRay 180BR with a 3.0L Mercruiser. Without turning there is about 2-3 inches of play at the wheel. Any turning while moving feels kinda like a car that lost the power steering belt. It makes it really hard to control at low speed, slow to react then over corrected. There is fluid in the reservoir and no signs of leaks. When I checked the play it looks like as soon as the wheel it moved the cable moves at the steering ram, but I'm not sure how those two interact. My next plan is to disconnect the steering cable from the ram and check the movement. Also my cable is the type that doesn't have a Zerk on it. Anybody with some experience that could give me some ideas here? would appreciate it.
Click to expand...

Ayuh,... The low speed handling issue is probably the typical V-hull wander....
just correct less, less often,...
They usually come back by themselves...

For the Stiff steering,...
Pull the cable outa the aluminum tube at the transom, 'n Clean the corrosion out of it, 'n Grease it up...
 
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toddgregg

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Aug 9, 2010
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Re: 99 SeaRay Mercruiser 3.0L Hard Steering

Thanks,

I'm going to do that as soon as I can get to it.
 
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toddgregg

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Aug 9, 2010
Messages
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Re: 99 SeaRay Mercruiser 3.0L Hard Steering

I finally got a chance to work on my boat. I took the cable out and it is smooth as butter. The tube looks clean and the drive can be moved very easily with it all disconnected. The only thing I could find is that it is much harder to move the control valve in one direction than the other. With motor running on flush hose the ram responds instantly to input when turned to the left. When turning to the right it is much harder and I can tell from looking at the input valve that it does not move as much maybe 1/16th of an inch. It moves about an 1/8th inch when turning to the left. Is it time for a new ram or is there some way to free that valve so it can move through it's full travel?
 
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