Mercury grease zerks (the tilt tube)

[Tjames09]

Putting the boat away for the winter and was greasing the zerks, I found three on my mercury outboard. One of them is on the tilt tube where the steering shaft goes in. Im wondering if you just put enough in until it comes out the end. Ive noticed the steering rod is kind of covered in the old grease and its a bit sticky, causing a bit of stiff steering. 

[DRIFTER_016]

Yes, fill until it starts to just squeeze out.

I usually turn my steering all the way so that the shaft is all the way in.

After filling work back and forth a few times.

[Garnet]

Do you have cable steering. That's a big one for stiff boat steering it will be cable replace in time.

The bearings could be shot. Take your motor down by prop and pull up and down look right where that grease comes out top and bottom bearing.

Some movement is normal problem if excess. Hugh repair cost.

[Tjames09]

On 11/4/2019 at 7:22 PM, DRIFTER_016 said:

Yes, fill until it starts to just squeeze out.

I usually turn my steering all the way so that the shaft is all the way in.

After filling work back and forth a few times.

Thanks drifter. do you clean the steering rod with anything to get the old dry grease off?

[DRIFTER_016]

1 minute ago, Tjames09 said:

Thanks drifter. do you clean the steering rod with anything to get the old dry grease off?

Spray some WD40 on it and give a wipe.

[Tjames09]

25 minutes ago, DRIFTER_016 said:

Spray some WD40 on it and give a wipe.

That worked.

It actually looks like the zerk is only for the tilt tube, not the steering rod. I guess my model you cant grease the steering rod, theres no zerk for it. 

[OhioFisherman]

https://www.wholesalemarine.com/steersman-aluminum-steering-guard-7-8.html#

Many years a go I put a product like this on my steering cable, it was really easy and never had any steering issues, but my motor was only 35hp.

There seems to be a number of similar products out there, as I can recall I got mine one fall on  closeout from Walmart for a couple of bucks.

[DRIFTER_016]

5 hours ago, OhioFisherman said:

https://www.wholesalemarine.com/steersman-aluminum-steering-guard-7-8.html#

Many years a go I put a product like this on my steering cable, it was really easy and never had any steering issues, but my motor was only 35hp.

There seems to be a number of similar products out there, as I can recall I got mine one fall on  closeout from Walmart for a couple of bucks.

Yep, those work well on cable steering.

Keeps the cables from corroding.

[ecmilley]

I usually grease them.untill all water is squeezed out. As for steering mine now hydraulic don't miss cables

[DRIFTER_016]

2 hours ago, ecmilley said:

 As for steering mine now hydraulic don't miss cables

I switched out mine this spring.

It is nice.