Steering Issue Endeavour Cat, Looking for input

[Dulcesuenos]

We love our new Endeavour cat 30. The biggest gripe is the steering is stiff, very stiff, and the throw or range is very limited due to the outboard having only 10" or so of travel total, or from its centered position it can only move about 5" in either direction. In going through the entire steering system. I found that the bearings in the outboard's vertical steering tube is stiff and no amount of lubricating will fix it. I injected lube etc etc and it is most likely beyond repair. I have also discovered that with the outboard disconnected from internal port rudder arm, I can now steer the rudders more then the original 10 degrees , all the way to damn near 65 degrees in either direction and quite easily.
Here is my question....
I can very easily lock my outboard in the centered position.
If I do this and how will steering under power be effected?
The rudders move much more so maybe the steering will actually be better? Don't some outboard powered cats (PDQ's?
) have stationary outboards?
Looking forward to some thoughts or facts!

[Captain Bill]

You can indeed lock the outboard in position and use the rudders. The only problem you'll have will be slow speed maneuvering. You won't have any water flow over your rudders and slow speed maneuvering will be significantly impaired. PDQs and Mainecats use fixed outboards but in pairs so even with no flow over the rudders differential thrust can be used at low speeds. I take it you're not interested in replacing the steering pivot on the outboard. If you can find a fresh water engine with a blown head of the same size/vintage, the pivot will probably be in good shape. I am assuming the outboard is rather old.

[Dulcesuenos]

It is old but runs superb and has been well loved. even if it turned easily it only allows the rudders to move maybe 10 degrees. I am wondering if the additional rudder travel will make up for the lack of "directional thrust" As it is I can turn steer it is just very difficult and our slow speed maneuverability is impaired by that fact alone.
I have entertained a new outboard, Hondas very enticing @4100 with 2.9% int on a new 30 hp fuel injected w 5 year warr lol.
Could it be worse then our old mono that could only prop walk to port in reverse lol?

[Captain Bill]

It doesn't much matter how far the rudders are turned if there is no water flowing past them. I would suspect you'll need more than half a knot to get any significant turning force out of the rudders, maybe even more. At 10 degrees you get some side thrust from the outboard, but most of the thrust is in a direction you don't want to go. I can't tell you which is a worse situation. It's only likely to be a problem when docking is my guess. What brand, year, and size motor do you currently have?

[Dulcesuenos]

1993 honda 35 hp

[Captain Bill]

A couple of the outboard forums say that once the problem starts simply lubricating the tube by putting in more lube does not fix the problem. Apparently old hardened grease is the problem according to them and it must be removed first. There seems to be two popular methods. The first involved using a solvent/degreaser which is forced into the tube while the engine is worked back and forth. Adherents of this method claim that large amounts of solvent and old grease will come out the bottom of the tube. and it should be done on land with a large basin below the engine to catch the solvent/grease mixture. Once the solvent starts to come out clean and the pivot moves freely you can then lube it with clean grease. A few people have said that they stopped using the grease and started using oil instead to prevent the problem from coming back.

The second method is to apply heat to the unit to liquify the old grease again while working the motor back and forth. People caution that all gasoline must be kept far away from the engine and the engine run dry of gasoline before this method is used. Most people used a torch, but one suggested a heat gun was good enough. Again something should be placed under the engine to catch the dripping grease.