I am stuck here in Columbia on a beautiful day so I decided to take advantage of the weather and get my boat ready for a trip to FL in a few weeks. As I have to do about once a year, I had to beat the steering cable out of the tube and clean out the tube. 1st question:
What is the best lube to use on the steering cable/tube?
The other thing I did today was pull my prop off and inspect the shaft. I found a few feet of fishing line wrapped around the shaft but everything else looked good. 2nd question:
What kind of lube should I use on the prop shaft?
Last question:
Is the cover of the stator replaceable or does the whole assembly have to be replaced and, how hard is that to do?
I used some sort of nut/liquid oil that a company named Davit makes the last time I had to unfreeze my steering and clean out the tilt tube. It stays liquid and doesn't harden and collect dirt like the grease from a grease gun. You can buy it at West Marine. I must say, it has been over a year with no problems and my steering is as smooth as butter. I want to say it's called Max Lube or something like that. I just use bearing grease on my prop shaft.
Last time I replaced my steering cable (teleflex) I was struck by the lack of any instructions to lubricate that end of the cable. Subsequently, I had an experienced boater suggest that it is supposed to stay dry (non-lubricated).
While one data point does not a statistical population make.... For several years now, all I have done is try to keep the portion of the cable that extends out of the tube as clean as possible. So far, so good. I think I'm four years in on this cable and it is still slick as a whistle.
The theory is that lubricants collect dirt and then the volatiles in the lubricants leave. You end up with a sludge of the heavy portions of the lub and dirt. A little back and forth packs that up into the steering tube. Let it sit for a while and its stuck.
--------------------------- 17' Henry O Hornet 26' Palmer Scott
A Couple of Questions
Posted - 03/11/2012 : 3:45:14 PM
