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I have a Johnson Javelin 85 with power trim/tilt on my 1972 Currituck. The power lift cylinder on the right hand side of the trim/tilt unit is leaking around the rod shaft when it is powered. It doesn't leak very much, but it is leaking enough to see hydraulic fluid seep and run down the side of the cylinder. Does anyone know of a a source for a rebuild kit for these cylinders? Or are they even rebuildable?
Also, my steering is very stiff on the boat now. I had a new steering cable properly installed last year, and it worked fine. The boat has been out of service since last October until now. I tried the steering today, with the boat on the trailer, in preparation for a boating trip this weekend. The steering is very hard. I lubed all of the points on the motor that have zerk fittings. I have "steered" the wheel back and forth several times, gently, in hopes of loosening up the steering, and it has helped a little. The steering is nice and loose at either end of the travel, but in the middle it is still very stiff, too stiff to make it safe to operate the boat. The cable is not kinked and as mentioned it worked fine last year after the new install. If I continue to work it back and forth should it free up, or is it corroded/rusted past the point of repair and to the point of needing replaced? The boat has not been in salt water since the new cable was installed last year. Thanks.
Disconnect the steering arm from the cable.
Test the steering using the wheel. Any change?
Bear hug the motor (arm still disconnected) and turn the motor.
The tube the steering cable passes through needs to be greased annually. Many owners install a Steersman nut (has a zirk grease fitting) on the port side of the steering tube to help grease the tube.
I have an 1974 Evinrude Starflite with the same tilt and trim. My local OMC dealer rebuilds these units all the time and all the seals are available. If you can not find a dealer locally to rebuild it, the unit is easy enough to take off the motor and you may be able to send it to Lockemans to be rebuilt.
If you want to check into that, call and talk to either Dave or Doug and let them know Jeff Rohlfing referred you to them. They are great guys and always willing to help. There is a reason why they are the oldest continuously operating OMC / BRP only sales and service dealership.
Thanks for the suggestions. I will disconnect the cable from the steering and see what happens. The engine pivot is well greased, and the engine steers quite easily during the last few degrees of travel in both left and right hand directions. But in the middle, when the engine is centered, and all except for the last few degrees of travel, the steering is quite stiff. I used to be able to easily just move the engine through its travel by hand, after the new cable was installed last year.
I did get a blow-up of the parts needed to re-seal the two cylinders on the trim and tilt and I will order them tomorrow. I co-worker of mine has resealed many of them and sees no reason why we can't reseal mine.
Looks like the boat will be ready for the water sooner than later, until something else needs attention.
