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View Full Version : Steering cable support tube: grease or no grease?



mmmoomba
06-13-2018, 11:55 PM
Hey maniacs!
Thanks to everyone who makes this community work, I love reading these, and learn a lot as well.
But I cannot find internet info for a consensus on how much (if any) grease should be applied to the inside of the steering cable support tube.
So the maniac forum I go.
My 06 outback finally got stiff this last year so I got a replacement, that was easy, installed as per many internet instructions but.... now I have to finish the install through the support tube.
Other types of boats, supras, mastercrafts etc even have support tubes with grease zirks that seems to cause all sorts of confusion with how much and seems to actually contradict the concept of a sheathed cable. But the bilge area is a different animal for a shetahed cable so experience of others will solve this.
My support tube is a simple one, smooth aluminum with no grease zirks, just a rubber cap with a funny fabric type seal for where the rod passes through.
I have read that a Teleflex guy was telling people to keep grease or oil from getting into the cable sheath at the base of the rod. That it would cause premature failure due to grease drying out and caking.
So that means a simple amount of surface grease to the rod, not a pack job for the tube. Then annual rod greasing, not loaidng the tibe with grease.
It seems right, but I want perfect. So the question is to you guys, the experts, how much grease (if any) for this support tube?

VA LSV
06-14-2018, 08:16 AM
I wipe a small amount of grease on mine when I grease the rudder as part of my summarizing routine. I also tied my cable to the side years back so it didn't lay in the bottom of the bilge in water. 13th season and still turns with 1 finger.

mmmoomba
06-14-2018, 08:33 PM
That makes sense Valsv for annual maintenance. Thanks.
Hopefully someone has knowledge about whether a new one needs anything more for the “seal” inside the rubber cap.....