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With all the knowledge out there, this should be an easy one. Got a 1976 Evinrude 35hp Mod. No. 35652G, remote steering. Motor runs like a top. Problem is, it's stiff as heck to turn. Disconected steering cable completely and removed it from tilt tube. Still can barely turn motor from side to side. Tried new lub fitting and lube, tried loosening steering tension screw on side of motor, sprayed with WD-40, silicone, and every other lube I thought might help.
Anyone know anything else short of tearing motor apart from foot that might help??

The bracket should have a rod of some sort that will sit on a bushing or bearing...it may be bad.

To replace that, it would most likely mean pulling the power head wouldn't it?

The old Mercury's used to have that problem and I can tell you how I had some success freeing them up.
On the Mercs the zerk for the grease gun was half way down the pivot shaft. When you pumped lube in, it would always go to the bottom bushing, but never get to the top one. A mechanic in Tampa taught me to wrap a rag tightly around the outside of the housing at the bottom bushing to keep the grease from coming out as much as possible. Then heat the housing around the shaft and pump grease in, attempting to get it to the top bushing. I was able to free a couple of motors up this way.

I am not sure where the grease zerk is located on your Evinrude, but it sounds like the same symptoms.

- Steve Stinson

Depends on the engineer that designed

Did you lube the fitting that is on the back of the bracket? You normally have to tilt the engine up to see it.

"Don't use lube, use spit"
Jenna J.

Steve Stinson wrote:The old Mercury's used to have that problem and I can tell you how I had some success freeing them up.
On the Mercs the zerk for the grease gun was half way down the pivot shaft. When you pumped lube in, it would always go to the bottom bushing, but never get to the top one. A mechanic in Tampa taught me to wrap a rag tightly around the outside of the housing at the bottom bushing to keep the grease from coming out as much as possible. Then heat the housing around the shaft and pump grease in, attempting to get it to the top bushing. I was able to free a couple of motors up this way.

I am not sure where the grease zerk is located on your Evinrude, but it sounds like the same symptoms.

- Steve Stinson

I had to do the same thing to an old Merc of mine, worked like a charm

Had the same problem on an Evinrude 70. Lots of heat freed it up. We're talking welding torch heat.

The fitting is at the upper part of the shaft. Applying heat dosn't bother any other seals or rubber parts inside the housing? When I put the grease in it dosn't extrude out on either end of the shaft seals. It was actually backing out of the fitting, so I replaced the fitting. Chalk, don't have a fitting on the inside/under the motor when I tilt it up. There's a screw with a spring on it close to the top of the pivot shaft, I assume it's some sort of steering tensioner?? I backed it off, but it made no difference.

The grease inside the cylinder has hardened, the only way to free it is to heat the grease enuff to make it flow out the seal when you pump in the new grease. I didn't worry about the seals since the motor was usless if I couldn't turn it just be more diligent about greasing it after you free it up

I can still turn it. It just takes so much strength to turn it that I'm wore out, and ready to go back to the landing by the third bend in the river. It has stick steering, I have to set on the deck and put my foot against the stick and lean back on it to turn. When I want to turn back the other way, I just set on the floor on the other side and push back on the stick the other dirrection.
Kinda like driving and texting. Sometimes you don't see what your about to run into. I just wait for my wife to scream, then I know to jump up and push on the other side of the stick.
You don't think a little thing like loss of steering is gonna stop me from spring trout fishing do you?

You don't think a little thing like loss of steering is gonna stop me from spring trout fishing do you?


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Spoken like a true jughead
FF

I would try the method I described above, using a little heat at a time and adding more if necessary. I think it will probably free up for you.