YAMAHA Steering shaft seizure!

[Roobone]

Yamaha 85AET steering shaft seized where it passes through tilt pivot, just realized that the gease nipples there don't feed the shaft, is this not a major design oversight, anyone have quick fix or ideas about ongoing easier lubrication method other than having to pull cable end rod out of motor pivot and lubing with grease, seems like a big pain in the!

[dnej]

Roobone,
Of recent times,there has been a heap of posts,relating to this very problem.
If you do a search,on "steering",many posts will come up,that should help you'
David

[Noelm]

one of the big problems is the grease used, NEVER use waterproof,Wheel Bearing or any other type of grease, when you get it apart (hammer/shifter/swearing/heat) the ONLY grease to use is true Marine Grease, I only ever use genuine OMC Triple Guard it is reasonably expensive but it will NEVER go hard or dry out in Marine Applications, failing that clean it really good and use (supposedly) Auto Trans Fluid regularly, I have never used that method, but have heard it works, the OMC Grease should be used on all the Grease Nipples on your Motor, I guess all Manufacturers have their own, but be sure it is good!

[dnej]

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=125849&highlight=steering
Try that one for a start
David

[pilchardjones]

i had the exct same problem recently on my yammie 90.
major pain to get it moving. the clearances seem very tight for sure.
i might have to look into the grease i used, maybe better quality marine grease needed.
steve

[Argle]

My steering was getting really tight and one of the Ausfish members SteveDemon put me onto the 90w gear oil on the shaft and work it in and out trick. It works a treat my steering is now back to what is was like when it was new - I would give this method a go before pulling things to bits.

Cheers and Beers
Scott

[Noelm]

the trouble with just getting Oil worked in, is the fact that the tube is full of crud and rust and will need to come apart, be cleaned out and then reassembled to be long term fixed.

[ozbee]

use gear box oil that you buy for your skeg it has all the properties you need will come back like new. couple drops each trip keeps it perfecto

[ozbee]

little trick noel is the gearbox oil will soften and diffuse the hard grease and you can just wipe it off when it becomes exposed, just wished i new this 20 years earlier.

[geoffmck]

Recently bought a boat with exactly that motor. Included were two receipts 4 years apart for work done on the steering. The first related to replacement of the steering cable as well as the rod at the motor. The 2nd receipt was related to pulling apart the seized rod and cleaning it all out. Apparently the mechanic had to apply heat to unseize it.

Written across the receipt was the instruction "Use light oil to lubricate the steering".

Might be something in that.

PS. What boat do you have your 85AET on? Could you please advise prop diameter and pitch, top speed and maximum revs achieved?

I am trying to sort out a prop that suits my half cab, 85AET combo.

Thanks

[sheridan]

I think this is what your talking about not sure on my Johno someone has put a oil feed as well as the grease nipples on the steering arm don't think it is standard it has a little bottle up high on the inside of the transom and a small tube down to the big nut on the slide hope these pics will help

[Roobone]

Sorry about the late reply fellas. I have had a bit on. I tell you what that is fantastic info you have all posted, thanks so much, I did pull it apart (I am a diesel fitter) and hone the bore, and grease it up and get it all going again, but I will def change to using oil and might even set up a nipple on the nut to inject the oil into, I am all into maintaining the old girl, I just missed this bit. Anyway that is great once again. Tight lines and catch you all later. Roobone.

[Roobone]

PS. What boat do you have your 85AET on? Could you please advise prop diameter and pitch, top speed and maximum revs achieved?

I am trying to sort out a prop that suits my half cab, 85AET combo

GDay Geoff, It is an old stacer centre console with 90l under floor tank, bimini removed, pressed ally sides, I will have to check on prop dia & pit, speed & max RPM, I will be out on the water at 1770 on 10 May at the earliest and will give you some specs, I can't remember what the old girl does on hammer down, I was on off the Goldy on easter monday on my own and i can't remember for the life of me but will work on getting you some info. I tell you, what ever the combo is on my boat is perfect, we have had it in big seas, up the river at Karumba, in and out the GC seaway a lot and it just performs perfectly. Anyway, tight lines and catch you later! Roobone.

[geoffmck]

Thanks for that, I'll look forward to your info when you can get it too me. From what I can work out I need about a 17p.

[Mr__Bean]

One of the best defences against this occuring again is to place a hicar rubber seal over the area shown in the picture below.

If you buy a fuel hose bulb and cut one end off it you will find that the small hole in one end is the perfect diameter for a good seal on the shaft, and the bulb diameter fits perfectly over the end of the engine pivot that the shaft goes into.

All you need is a stainless steel hose clamp to secure it to the pivot point.

Works a treat and looks very neat and tidy.

- Darren

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/attachment.php?attachmentid=24157&d=1207034114