Tight Tru-Course steering in 1994 Checkmate

[stre@mte@mer]

I'm digging into a full rebuild of my 1994 Checkmate Pulsare 2100BR, originally my parents'. My biggest concern right now is the tight steering. It's got the original Tru-Course system, and it's incredibly stiff, even when the engine is trimmed up and disconnected. I'm talking two hands on the wheel to turn it past a certain point. I've heard these systems can be a bit tight, especially after decades, but this feels beyond just finicky. I've already tried greasing the zerk fitting on the pivot tube and it didn't make much difference. Before I start tearing into the helm pump or steering cable itself, has anyone on here had success loosening up a Tru-Course system without completely replacing it? Are there common binding points I should be looking for besides the cable or the pivot tube? Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[< 3]

I'm digging into a full rebuild of my 1994 Checkmate Pulsare 2100BR, originally my parents'. My biggest concern right now is the tight steering. It's got the original Tru-Course system, and it's incredibly stiff, even when the engine is trimmed up and disconnected. I'm talking two hands on the wheel to turn it past a certain point. I've heard these systems can be a bit tight, especially after decades, but this feels beyond just finicky. I've already tried greasing the zerk fitting on the pivot tube and it didn't make much difference. Before I start tearing into the helm pump or steering cable itself, has anyone on here had success loosening up a Tru-Course system without completely replacing it? Are there common binding points I should be looking for besides the cable or the pivot tube? Any advice would be appreciated!

That Tru-Course setup gets a little harder to work with as time passes by but hey what a dream it is to have a hand-me-down Pulsare that you didn't pay for (now you're just bringing out some cash for the rebuild). Anyway, check for corrosion inside the tilt tube and at the helm.

 

[Ch3ckmateSkipp3r]

Give the tilt tube and helm a look for any rust or gunk. If grease didn't do the trick, the cable might be stuck inside

 

[scandi prince]

On my old Tru Course setup, the biggest cause ended up being the helm shaft bearings and the U joint at the rudder end. Greasing the pivot tube helps, but if the bearings inside the helm are stiff or the U-joint is binding, it'll feel like that