Tiller stearing tension adjustment nut

[The Quadfather]

I have a 2007, 25 hp long shaft Merc. motor. I am frustrated with trying to adjust this little nut nut that sits underneath sort of the biggest part of the motor, near the end of tiller handle. I will attach a few pics.

Does anybody else have the same motor or situation? You can't exactly get even a small wrench into reach this thing. You don't have enough room on top of it to fit a socket. It doesn't matter which direction I swing the motor. Is there some special "Mercury" tool, or what have you guys done?

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[ResQ]

Not sure why you are messing with it? I had a 2010 merc 60 hp and now have a 2013 25 hp merc. Havent had any need to adjust that screw since you just slide the red tipped lever. What are you looking to do?

[The Quadfather]

Ah.... wait and a response will come. It's like soaking fishing bait.

Yes, the lever slides back and forth all day, from tight tension to loosey goosey. But if the nut becomes a little loose, then when you move the tension arm all the way tight, it no longer makes the steering tight. The nut needs to sometimes be adjusted so the arm is accurate.
Right now as tight as I can make the arm, and the whole motor will just swing way left or right if I move at all in the boat.

[hewesfisher]

I know what you're talking about and need to do the same thing to my 8hp kicker. I've got the factory manual so I'll look it up and find the process.

There is a type of friction disk washer that is compressed when you slide the tension lever from side to side, BUT, as the friction disk weakens with wear, it either needs to be replaced or the top nut tightened. Stand by.

[MotoBoat]

Looking at your first picture, with the blue arrow pointing to the nut, nut, nut (Quad should recall the inside joke). Just beyond that arrow is a bolt, and looks to be another matching one opposite that one. That hold a bracket of some sort. Does not show in the picture, what is connected to that bracket. I will go with throttle arm, throttle, and shift lever??

If limited space is the issue. If those bolts are easily accessible by rotating the motor left and right. Perhaps loosening those two bolts will allow enough up movement of the bracket to access the nut, nut, nut? If not, totally removing one bolt, and with the other loosened, the bracket/throttle arm would pivot to one side. Allowing access from the opposite side? If that does not pan out. Removing both bolts would likely do the trick.

Again, the picture does not show what is beyond the bracket. But cables and such indicate the throttle arm is attached, and what appears to be options to easily loosen, pivot, or remove two bolts. Without having to disconnect any cables.

The key to this plan, is how easily accessible the bolts are.

[Bodofish]

On my kicker I've adjusted it a thousand times and replaced it once and it seems to be staying put. I started with a new nut and tightened it down till I could just start to feel drag with the handle at full loose. Then I shoved it over to the lock position and tried it there, not quite tight enough to hold it tight. An eighth of a turn at a time till it was where I wanted it. Nylock nuts.... Where to start. Once they've been tightened and removed (only once) it's time to toss them and get a new one. I suspect the original one on my kicker had been run back an forth so the nylon was not holding the nut in place. I suppose you could always put a drop of blue Loctite on it an let it set or get out the soldering iron and heat up the lock on the nut. Again, tighten very slowly till you hit the spot you want, never loosen till you're ready to replace the nut. I just use a little open end wrench and reach in, it doesn't take much.

[hewesfisher]

Bodo's got it, and make sure you only tighten in small increments. Since the nylock can loosen once removed, better to tighten a little and check rather than too much and being forced to loosen.

Nice picture in my shop manual but no description about increasing tension on the co-pilot (what it's called) washers. You can see it here. Item numbers 17 thru 23 are the co-pilot parts. Diagram is for my 8hp kicker, but yours would be similar if not the same.

[Bodofish]

Oh and PS; I go in from the tiller side, not the front. There's a small slot to fit a wrench in, just big enough.