Steering becoming stiffer over time

[Aussie Mike]

Hello All
I have mechanical chain steering on my 1977 Clipper and the wheel seems to be getting harder to turn, especially to port. Any thoughts on how to improve it. I have greased the nipples on the bearing type joints but no apparent improvement.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. AM. Might be a section of stiff chain, somewhere. Lazerette, perhaps? Not terribly hard to remove but quite messy (what grease there may be).
Not to many places to bind unless the rudder post is seizing or bent.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

Can the rudder post be lubed?

pete

 

[jgwinks]

I had a rudder shaft stuffing box seize to it's shaft once. The only movement I got was the hose connecting it to the shaft log twisting and spinning on the log. Eventually it would have split the hose and flooded the boat.

 

[FF]

If you can loosen the tension on the cable and check that all the pulleys revolve easily.

Try to find the resistance in the system.The SS cable will work harden over the decades , check where it turns at each pulley.

If you need to lube the chain , remove the chain and soak it in diesel and flex all the pivot points .Wipe clean.

Get a tag sale pot that will accept the chain coiled and dump in enough water proof grease to cover the chain. Put your pot of chain & grease in a larger pot with water , you are making a double boiler.

Leave it boil for at least 15-30 min to melt the lube really thin so it soaks into all the chain links.

On removal, let the chain cool then wipe almost all the grease off ,leaving just a thin film to stop surface rust.The grease will be inside the chain , where its needed.