# Stiff steering



## Creek Runner (Sep 1, 2011)

Disconnect the steering from the engine, pull the cable out of the steering tube, clean the inside of the tube with brake cleaner and a long wire wheel attached to a drill put some new grease and hook it back up

While it is disconnected also turn the wheel if its still hard then u need a new cable!


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## nightfly (Jul 7, 2011)

Thanks. Will it be a PITA to fish the cable back in the tube. Where can I get the brake cleaner and wire wheel at. What size diameter wire wheel? Also what kind of grease to put back ? Sorry for all the dumb questions. Just don't want to take it apart and pay somebody else to put it back together


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## nightfly (Jul 7, 2011)

The more I think about it. Sounds like your saying I don't need to disconnect anything from the steering wheel, just the little tube back on the engine. Might be easier then I thought


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## Creek Runner (Sep 1, 2011)

Correct just back on the engine, wire wheel will be the size to fit in the steering tube on the engine. Brake cleaner can be purchased at any auto parts store. Any marine grease will work, also it may be necessary to remove the engine to get the steering cable out just depends on the boat.


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## nightfly (Jul 7, 2011)

> Correct just back on the engine, wire wheel will be the size to fit in the steering tube on the engine. Brake cleaner can be purchased at any auto parts store. Any marine grease will work, also it may be necessary to remove the engine to get the steering cable out just depends on the boat.


Thanks hope I don't have to pull the engine. Don't have the tools for all that


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## bw510 (Sep 1, 2011)

mine did that once but it was in the wheel itself.
the shaft rusted and was binding up i took it apart sanded it and greased it up and it fixed it.


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## jladdsmith (May 14, 2010)

Man, let me tell you what worked for me, like a CHAMP.  Very little work involved.  

I have a stick steer unit on a Johnson 40 and was having the same problem.  Actually, mine had pretty much locked up after sitting for a couple of years.  What I did was unhooked the steering cable from the steering stick side and tilted the boat up as high as I could get it. 

Then I squirted a little PB Blaster into the tube (didn't pull the cable out or anything), until it wouldn't take any more.  It would soak it up and then I'd repeat every hour or so for a few hours.  It wouldn't take much at all.  Like probably an 1/8th of a teaspoon at a time.  About two days later it was better than new.  Actually a little too free moving, but it normalized after a few hours on the water.  

No problems with the steering since then.  The motor on the other hand....


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