steering lubricant

[brantley moats]

I have a 1999 896 savage nitro, 19.5 ft. with 200 optimax. While sitting in the drivers seat I noticed a fitting right behind the steering wheel on the steering column which has a thread cap about the size of a dime. When removing, it appears to have oil inside. Does anyone know what this is for and/or what kind of lubricant should be put in it?

 

[Jim B]

that is for hydraulic steering and it requires a special sea star fluid that you gen get at west marine or your dealer. ?Unless its leaking you should not have to fill it and if its leaking oil out, air is getting in and it needs to be repaired and bled.

 

[Dan J.]

Listen to Jim on this one. That's an area that you want to leave well enough alone unless your experiencing problems. Then you'll want to jump on it PRONTO. You do not want any moisture contamination in there. (Think brake lines on a car.) My philosophy with hyd. steering is, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

 

[TritonGlenn]

Yep... and if you do have to add - be VERY careful with it. Drip some on your carpet... and you will be replacing the carpet soon as it eats the glue and the fibers all come out.



All the best,

Glenn