Tilt Tube Nut Torque?

**Peetee907** · 10-14-2020, 08:19 PM

Need some help with the tilt tube nuts torque. My Mercury Optimax is set up with hydraulic steering. How tight do the nuts need to be on the tilt tube (nuts before the hydraulic spacers/washers) One side seems tight but the other moves as the motor is tilted. Are there any specs for this or rules to follow? I do notice a "popping" sound on occasion when titling up or down. What would be causing this?

**rgsauger** · 10-14-2020, 10:32 PM

If it has the triple ram setup, grease the tops of the two outer pins/rams

Mine was doing same thing. Strb side was the problem. Got it TIGHT and no problem now. Keep things greased too

**Peetee907** · 10-15-2020, 06:43 AM

I'm not sure what you mean by a triple ram setup?? I am referring to the tilt tube that connects the transom brackets that the hydraulic ram runs through. The nuts are about 1 inch in diameter.

**rgsauger** · 10-15-2020, 06:59 AM

You mentioned popping sounds. It's very common for the roller balls on the tips of the two smaller exterior rams to dry out and pop when trimming. That's where my first reference to grease came from. See below red arrows. Also put grease in areas that contact these tips.

The tilt tube nuts are largely unrelated. Size is bigger than 1". I think more like 1-5/16 or larger.

Click image for larger version.

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**Peetee907** · 10-15-2020, 07:48 AM

Thanks for the reply. My tilt motor does not have the smaller rams you are pointing to. It's only the large tilt ram in the middle. The popping sound seems to be coming form the port side which is why I was suspecting the tilt tube that connects to the transom bracket. This is where a steering cable woul be inserted.

**Chaz** · 10-15-2020, 05:22 PM

The creaking cracking noise comes from one of two places. The dry tilt pin which has never been greased .. Zirk fitting dead center, facing straight forward ..
If you catch it quick enough , it will quiet down filling it with grease. But if it continues to make noise , then it has galled and will (make mud) wear away on the bore until you need a new swivel bracket or rebush the current one.

Or one that is a little more difficult to reach , that being the top loop of the ram.

Tilt the motor up to aprox. a 45* angle. Pull up and down on the skeg while someone look's at the loop / cross pin , with a flashlight to check for slop.
It will either be clean and tight ........... rusty and loose. Or if left unattended for too long ...

The loop and pin can be replaced ..

**Chaz** · 10-15-2020, 09:12 PM

The shaft itself is something like John Deere would make .. fits nothing else in the world ... 1.134" in diameter ..

The nut on the big side .. I don't remember , sumptin happened to the numbers on my socket.

I've seen guys use a big flat blade screwdriver to hold it in place ..

Yes 1.312" on the small side.

**Merc 2.5** · 10-16-2020, 05:14 AM

I got socket that fits the starboard side nut ,and used big flat head wedged in port side. Its enuff to get it gud n tite.
The port side needs a modified socket. Like above pic

**Peetee907** · 10-16-2020, 07:21 AM

Thanks for the help! I have been greasing the zerk fillting and moving the motor up/down. It was definately in need of lube. The Tilt ram top loop and pin have been lubed also. Will defintately check for any play as suggested. What is the proper torque on the tube nuts? is it just tight enough so they don't move when the motor is raised and lowered or are the some other actual torque specs? Right now they do move with raising/lowering of the motor. They are against the transom bracket but I want to be sure there is proper torque.

**Chaz** · 10-16-2020, 08:08 AM

Rather than a torque number , it's more like an axle nut. Snug it, then back off a flat or two. There are no "side thrust bearings". Instead, there are two wave washers, each located between the swivel and side brackets.
Tight enough that there is no slop, loose enough they don't dig into the aluminum. It's really no harder than that.

**Chaz** · 10-16-2020, 08:13 AM

Prob be a good idea to loosen the tilt pin nut and grease the front zerk again , till you see grease coming out each end .. then tighten it back down.
That way you know you got the bearing surface wet on each side of the swivel bracket (about 2" on each end is all the pin touch's) and it will get the wave washers wet as well ...

**Peetee907** · 10-16-2020, 08:19 AM

Thanks. My concern was that the nuts moved with the tilt tube as the motor is raised / lowered and were not "fixed" against the transom brackets. If I understand correctly, that would be OK since you are backing off two flats. Motor is new to me so I want to be sure everything is set right.

**Chaz** · 10-16-2020, 08:37 AM

More time's than not, the big nut on the port side gets bottomed out on the short threads and gall's itself against the shaft's shoulder, never to move again .. LOL

The "adjustment" is on the starboard side. The shaft and nuts should stay in place while the swivel bracket moves up and down. When the shaft is turning it is wearing on the short engagement area of the side brackets , both in the shaft support and the nuts seating areas. If the shaft is still turning, it is usually best to pull it out , sand it , repaint it and put it back in. or replace it if it's really badly trenched out ..