New to the forums; first Trojan

[firsttrojanforme]

Hi there all; been looking through the forums, and learning a lot, but I am having an issue with a 1975 Trojan F 30 Express I just picked up. The steering is stiff, and I am wondering where the lubrication points might be? This is my first twin engine boat, my first inboard, and the first boat I have ever owned that I could no put on a trailer and haul home. I got what I thought was a great deal on a good boat, but really want to go through everything before next season and thought learning from current owners was the best course of action. I would appreciate any tips for a first time Trojan owner......

[Allen Sr]

Welcome to the forum and ask away!

[prowlersfish]

Welcome to the forums

I assume you have cable steering ? try spraying something like wd40 at the rudder end of the cable( where the cable comes out of the tube) and work it back and forth . If there are any fitting they would be there ( may not have any ) . Also you can disconnect the cable to see if its the cable or the rudders .

[larryeddington]

Did they put the chain and shaft steering on these boats my old f28 had it and was fairly stiff.?

[jhalb]

I went from power steering on my Regal to hydraulic steering on my 85 10 meter. The feel is a lot stiffer and took a while to get used to.

[lawyerdave71]

firsttrojanforme

Hello and Welcome

Hey send me your email address - I have a manual that maybe of assistance to you - its a 78 manual but there were not that many radical changes over the years.

[firsttrojanforme]

Thanks for the welcome. The boat has a chain/ shaft steering system, manual, not power at all, and it feels way too stiff. I have never encountered a steering system like this, and can not find anyplace to grease the bearings.....no grease fittings at all. Thanks again, and I'm sure I'll have a lot more questions; just trying to get a lot of work done before it gets too cold up here....I am in Buffalo NY.

[larryeddington]

my old f28 had the same system. there are several chains that probably need taking off, cleaning oiling and remounting. At least two gear boxes exist the one at the stern is similar to a manual steering sector in a car and may be exactly that, it may need new oil within and tweaking the recirculating ball adjustment. There is also a two input gearbox midships that marries a shaft from fly bridge to the lower helm. You will find a the longest change and slack adjuster below the lower helm. I would clean all chains, check gear boxes. Mine had grease fittings on the pillow block bearings that supported the various shafts. They are there as well as grease fittings at connection point to the rudder arms.

Of course you could rip it all out and install pure hydraulic. However the mechanical one is very strong and its only weak point is friction which can be lessened with a through cleaning, but that is somewhat labor intensive.

[firsttrojanforme]

Thanks for the help...the chains are already all cleaned up, and well lubed....I'll have to crawl under the deck and see what I can find; Thanks again for all the help, and a special thanks to Dave for the manual that should also be very helpful now ad in the future.