stiff steering any suggestions

(jmunday) · (jmunday) **Join Date: Mar 2006** 02-05-2007, 9:46 AM

Hello everyone, I know that this question has been asked many times, but how about once more. My older ski boat has developed stiff steering, I know that the cable is probably starting to rust or bind, but my question is what are my options. I would like to go one more season without replacing it and i was wondering if i could lubricate it somehow?

(etakk7) · (etakk7) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 02-05-2007, 9:52 AM

if you haven't been greasing it - then that is why it has gotten stiff.

On my boat, once the steering got stiff, no amount of grease could save it or make it significantly better

(peter_c) · (peter_c) **Join Date: Sep 2001** 02-05-2007, 9:53 AM

If you drill a hole almost all the way through, then use a die grinder to finish making it big enough, you can then install a zerk fitting into it. Do not nick the cable itself though. That would be into the metal part right before the plastic sheathing at the back of the boat. Then you can pump grease into it and work it back and forth. It will free up nicely.

Edit: Putting grease on the other side of the wiper seal won't do a darn thing.

(Message edited by Peter_C on February 05, 2007)

(acurtis_ttu) · (acurtis_ttu) **Join Date: May 2004** 02-05-2007, 9:56 AM

Sterrign cables are cheap to replace. Save yoruself the trouble and replace it. You said it's old. Feel lucky, my sterring cable only lasted two years in a brand new boat.

It really sucks to have one break on you in the middle of a lake. Trying to steer with wakeboards is not fun and hard as hell.

(stanfield) · (stanfield) **Join Date: Mar 2004** 02-05-2007, 10:07 AM

Funny you mention that Adam, I've gone through 2 steering cables in the same new boat. I'm beginning to think there is a problem.

(peter_c) · (peter_c) **Join Date: Sep 2001** 02-05-2007, 10:14 AM

Water in the bilge will kill them everytime.

(yosquire) · (yosquire) **Join Date: Jun 2005** 02-05-2007, 3:23 PM

I only got 98 hours out of my steering cable when it broke. Consider wither or not being stranded on the water is a problem for you?

(wakejunky) · (wakejunky) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 02-05-2007, 4:11 PM

I just brought my boat in with stiff steering. Shop pulled the cable off the tiller (the little do hicky that steers the boat) and the cable was fine. The rudder port (the little do hicky that the rudder sticks through) had basically washed out all the grease and was stiff.
So, a basic rudder port re-grease was all that was needed.

Chris
Get the Grip you Deserve
www.wakejunky.com

(bakerds) · (bakerds) **Join Date: Feb 2004** 02-05-2007, 4:40 PM

I disconnected the rudder from the cable to make sure I wasn't replacing a good cable. It was the cable. $160 and about an hours work and now good as new. Well worth it for the peace of mind and avoided pain trying to get a few more hours out of it.

(jmunday) · (jmunday) **Join Date: Mar 2006** 02-06-2007, 9:28 AM

thanks for all of the suggestions

(tdiggity) · (tdiggity) **Join Date: Dec 2006** 02-07-2007, 7:34 AM

yeah second david baker just bite the bullet and replace it for less than $200 you cant go wrong. Props to david baker for doing it iin "about an hour" took me and my friend 4 hours to do mine but there were numerous "Refreshment" breaks if ya know what i mean, oh yeah josh if you have tilt steering make sure you tell the person who orders the cable for you we didnt and had to modify the original steering bracket(read pain in the ass) and tilt column
good luck

(peter_c) · (peter_c) **Join Date: Sep 2001** 02-07-2007, 8:03 AM

When mine went bad the first time, I replaced it with a higher quality Morse cable which was 1/3 thicker than the POS Teleflex.