Steering stiff

[snowman51789]

I have a 96 Mirage 257 with a 98 454 mag Gen 6 engine and bravo 1 outdrive. I've had the boat for 8 years and after driving a friends 25' outlaw with a 496 i notices his steering was much easier then mine, his compare to a car with power steering. mine is not terrible but has never been so easy that i could turn it with one finger.

First, I have some time and wanted to see if there was anything i could do to make mine better. the steering has not changed over the 8 years I've had so im thinking my seering cable is not bad. so my question is, would changing the steering cable make much of a difference? if so, is there any better/higher quality brands that would be better then a mercruiser cable? or would an after market steering pump be better?

Second, there is about an 1/8th turn of "slop" in the steering wheel I'm 90% sure that it is in the steering block is there an any adjustments that can be made in the steering block? i have easy access to the back of it but i did not see any adjustment screws.

thanks in advance,

 

[Chris1956]

Is the steering stiff underway, standing still or both? If standing still is hard to steer, disconnect the steering cable at the engine and retest. You need to isolate the stiffness to the cable, steering rod or motor pivot. Those steering rods often get corroded, although that usually manifests itself as stuck steering in the spring.

If the steering is stiff underway, there could be other issues. Those MerCruisers steer very hard when underway, but the power steering masks that. Make sure the P/s belt is not slipping, and the P/S fluid is full.

You could install a zinc fin anode, if you do not have one on now. With adjustment they can help control the torque of the motor.

 

[snowman51789]

the steering is stiff under power and when docking. i notice is much more when docking but only because that is when im turning the wheel the most. i would say it takes the same amount of effort when docking as it dose when im up on plane.

i just realized that since i have a tilt steering wheel. there must be u-joints there. so that is were im going to start with the slop issue.

i forgot to mention that it is a bravo 1 out drive, i added that to the original post

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... That tiny bit of slop is the motion the P/S valve needs, to work,....

 

[snowman51789]

Ayuh,..... That tiny bit of slop is the motion the P/S valve needs, to work,....

ok, i see what your saying. bondo you seem to be the expert among these forms. i dug into this issue a few years ago and everything seemed to be fine. I'm doing it again to make sure I'm didn't miss anything I'm pretty sure that im going to find that everything is fine.

my question to you is, im seeing aftermarket higher performance p/s pumps. if i added a better pump would that make my steering any easier? or would i need a new ram and everything to notice a difference?

im refering to a pump like this:

Mercruiser Replacement Style Saginaw Power Steering Pump - Hardin Marine

Mercruiser Replacement Style Saginaw Power Steering Pump

www.hardin-marine.com

Thanks

 

[Bondo]

ok, i see what your saying. bondo you seem to be the expert among these forms. i dug into this issue a few years ago and everything seemed to be fine. I'm doing it again to make sure I'm didn't miss anything I'm pretty sure that im going to find that everything is fine.

my question to you is, im seeing aftermarket higher performance p/s pumps. if i added a better pump would that make my steering any easier? or would i need a new ram and everything to notice a difference?

im refering to a pump like this:

Mercruiser Replacement Style Saginaw Power Steering Pump - Hardin Marine

Mercruiser Replacement Style Saginaw Power Steering Pump

www.hardin-marine.com

Thanks

Ayuh,....... That's just a rebuilt P/S pump, maybe with bigger vanes,....
This is from yer link,....

The main boring housing is machined to a larger diameter to clean up wore surface.

What I'd do is some Testin', to see where there might be a problem,........

Are you Sure it ain't the helm/ cable dragging,..??
Pull the return hose off the pump, 'n direct it into a catchcan, to see how much oil flows at idle,.....
Have someone slowly turn the wheel lock to lock, while you pour fresh oil into it's tank.....
You can flush out all the oil, 'n see if there's crap somewhere in the system,...
Hook a pressure gauge to the output port,.... What pressure is it deadhead,..??
The only difference 'tween an '80s P/S from a Chevy, 'n a Merc., is the pressure relief valve,... The outlet port,.....
Merc is a different pressure,....

 

[snowman51789]

Ayuh,....... That's just a rebuilt P/S pump, maybe with bigger vanes,....
This is from yer link,....

What I'd do is some Testin', to see where there might be a problem,........

Are you Sure it ain't the helm/ cable dragging,..??
Pull the return hose off the pump, 'n direct it into a catchcan, to see how much oil flows at idle,.....
Have someone slowly turn the wheel lock to lock, while you pour fresh oil into it's tank.....
You can flush out all the oil, 'n see if there's crap somewhere in the system,...
Hook a pressure gauge to the output port,.... What pressure is it deadhead,..??
The only difference 'tween an '80s P/S from a Chevy, 'n a Merc., is the pressure relief valve,... The outlet port,.....
Merc is a different pressure,....

i checked the cable about 2 years ago and it was good. i did not flush the p/s oil. i will double check the cable an flush the power steering.

do you have much experience with hydraulic steering? im thinking that i will convert to hydraulic steering if all this checks out good. dose hydraulic steer improve the steering over a properly working cable steering system?

 

[bobyouruncle1]

I posted in an old thread and was deleted so I will post here. No offence taken.
I bought an older boat, 1994 Searay express cruiser 250, 5.7 liter with Bravo 2 leg. This boat has the old style corvette actuator.

The age isn't really an issue as the boat had only 325 hours on it and was garage kept and serviced every months. I got it at an estate sale.

This was like brand new. Many of the hours were from him running it after changing oil and such over the last 25/26 years, that is how long it was in his garage.

After full servicing and checking everything was working. I did have to put some power steering fluid in it.

I used it for about 70 hours or so and the steering got stiff and then immensely hard quite suddenly. If I move the wheel very slowly it isn't as hard, but any faster and it hardens right up. Engine speed makes no difference. Hours are now at 413.

Things I have checked;

The leg moves freely and easily if the clevis pin is disconnected from the actuator assembly
The steering wheel moves with hardly any pressure when the cable is disconnected but still going through the assembly tube.
Both pins removed and the steering wheel and drive both move without effort.

The power steering fluid is full and not leaked any at all, no leaks on any lines. Hoses are all straight, no kinks.
No obvious noises coming from the power steering pump but I will check that again.
I figure it is the actuator or power steering pump BUT I just not totally sure.
The actuator has like a joystick connection that moves.

I have narrowed it down to the pump, which I inclined to believe it or the actuator.

Once it goes hard it stays hard until I back off then it is a little easier again if I move it very very slowly and only a little bit, sometimes it just stays hard. It doesn't matter which way I turn it either.

So I am going to change the pump first, it's the easiest and there are lots around.
Here is a question, will the pump pressure make a difference? Can I use a higher pressure pump? I understand it will only produce what pressure is needed up to a maximum.

The next might be the pressure hoses if they are deteriorating inside and acting as a reed valve.

After those then maybe the actuator but they are harder to find the exact same type. Actually did find corvette actuators online but I would need to dismantle the assembly. This is the older corvette type on the boat now would the newer units that have like a plunger movement in the cable connector end be fitted in easily.

Did I miss some really easy thing?

 

[cyclops222]

It sounds like the ...Neutral Dead Band.... has become too small. Some P S systems have a adjustment to reduce or increase the neutral dead band amount.
Also
Low fluid level. Slipping belt. Worn out pump. Also a sticking Pressure Relief Valve. I forget a lot now.