Tru-Course Steering Issues

[Nucknoilerfan]

My 1974 175 OMC with Tru-Course steering has what seems like a flat spot or kink in the cable. Steering is effortless through most of the range but requires a fair bit of effort to get past a certain spot and back again.

Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: Tru-Course Steering Issues

It might not be the cable. It could be in the drive (swivel bearing on the lower, or worm gear shaft in the upper) or the shaft that extends out through the intermediate. Some intermediates had a grease fitting hidden down on the side of the housing to grease that shaft and some didn't. The swivel bearing in the lower always has a grease fitting (through a hole in the front side of the exhaust housing - need a skinny tipped grease gun)
You can try lubing the cable, but I would disconnect it from the intermediate first and see if it still binds (I suspect it won't)

 

[Nucknoilerfan]

Re: Tru-Course Steering Issues

It might not be the cable. It could be in the drive (swivel bearing on the lower, or worm gear shaft in the upper) or the shaft that extends out through the intermediate. Some intermediates had a grease fitting hidden down on the side of the housing to grease that shaft and some didn't. The swivel bearing in the lower always has a grease fitting (through a hole in the front side of the exhaust housing - need a skinny tipped grease gun)
You can try lubing the cable, but I would disconnect it from the intermediate first and see if it still binds (I suspect it won't)

Thanks for that information.

How do I go about disconnecting it from the intermediate? And are there any precautions that I need to take such as it being under tension or affecting the steering wheel being centered? My steering wheel is already off center which is another issues that I'd like to address.

Lubricating the cable, is that done at both ends? Can I use a spray lube or is there a specific lube that is required for OMC steering cables?

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: Tru-Course Steering Issues

To remove it, slip the plastic sleevecover thing off and have someone turn the wheel until you see the drum screw come around. Take the screw out. Then with the outdrive off, you can slide the horizontal shaft rearward out the back of the intermediate (watch you don't lose the wave washer and nylon washer that are with the drum on the shaft).
Then you can unbolt the drum housing bracket and pull it out of there.


There's a thread on here somewhere about lubing the cable - I've never done it - OMC doesn't say anyhting about lubing it, but someone had a tutorial I recall on how to do it.

 

[wrench 3]

Re: Tru-Course Steering Issues

When I was running that system, I had weeds get compressed onto the bottom of the teeth on the gears between the intermediate housing and the upper gear case. But then, we have a lot of weeds!

 

[Nucknoilerfan]

Re: Tru-Course Steering Issues

Thanks again for the tips. I'll close look when I bring it out of storage real soon.

When the Ball Gear went on me the steering failed as well. I had a local guy who was familiar with these older units replace the ball gear and fix the steering. It was a couple of months before I used the boat again and that's when I noticed the steering issue. I know that I should have taken it back but I'm a professional procrastinater so here I am with spring around the corner wanting to correct the steering issue. I'll probably give him a call anyways just to see what he has to say about it.

 

[wrench 3]

Re: Tru-Course Steering Issues

When the ball gears fail completely, it's not uncommon for the steering gears beside them to receive damage also.

 

[Nucknoilerfan]

Re: Tru-Course Steering Issues

If the steering gears are damaged are they easily replaced? Or does it require quite a bit of disassembly and speciality tools?

The plan is to sell this boat this year and upgrade to newer so spending a whole Wack of coin just to sell isn't all that appealing.

 

[wrench 3]

Re: Tru-Course Steering Issues

They're not hard to change and the most special tool you need is snap ring pliers. You have to remove the drive to gain access. A twenty minute job. Getting parts might be a problem, but you may be able to file the old ones.