Hi Bob,
It is not uncommon for the swivel bracket where it pivots to dry out (old grease dries). If new grease doesn't lube it up, the general process for freeing it up is heat it up. I use a propane turbo torch (sold at Lowes, home depot, etc). Hand held, working it up and down the swivel bracket. The regular propane tip torches didn't work because they didn't get the bracket hot enough, so the turbo tip worked fine. You have to work the heat from the bottom upwards, until you get the grease inside to boil out of the top. Once you get it hot enough for the old grease to bubble out the top seam/fitting, then add new grease to the grease fitting. Be careful not to overheat any areas other than the center of the bracket, where it swivels, slightly above the grease fitting to just below the top seam.
Once you've heated it up well and added new grease, try turning by hand (steering disconnected is best - to manually turn it). If the heat and new grease did the job, you should find it tuning easily. If not, let it cool, and try turning again. If still stiff, repeat the process, and get it a little hotter.
The grease will flow easily out the bottom (there are no seals on top or bottom that can meet, but the heat has to Bill to the top.
Be careful of any wires or tilt parts, if in down position. I usually do this with tilted 2/3rds up.

Good luck. Let us know how it went when able.

Steering 81 Johnson

Solarman
Thanks will try that.
Another question, are there two swivel joints? One upper, just under
bottom of motor housing then one just above lower unit?
Or only one place to heat? Lower or Upper?
We were thinking if nothing else was involved heat might do it but was afraid to try that. The only grease fittings I see are on the trim up down horizontal pivot
that the steering cable goes thru, do those grease the left right pivot too,
or where would I look to see those grease fittings does a cover need to come
off at front of lower unit?

Thanks
Bob

New info yes I found two holes on both sides of upper swivel joint just under motor cover that I believe should have had grease fittings, none there but they do had grease in them, so nothing got in there.

The horizontal pivots, for steering cable have grease fittings, but the swivel tube is vertical in the middle of the tilt-clamp assy. (usually the shift rod goes right through the inside of the swivel tube, to the gear case.) The motor midsection is bolted at the top of the swivel tube where it pivots for turning, and at the bottom the midsection mounts to the swivel tube with rubber mounts to midsection.

The lower pivot tube collar very rarely seizes up. It is the upper swivel collar that seizes up when motor isn't used frequently. You need to apply the heat from half way down that swivel housing, up to an inch from the top of the housing right in the middle, as the swivel tube is right in the middle inside the housing. Do not use oxy-acet welding torch, it heats to hot in small area (may melt aluminum), the hand held turbo torch (propane - ~$35) is just right for the job. You'll have to heat both sides, right and left side of midsection to focus the heat where the swivel tube goes through the tilt-clamp assy. Heat rises, so start midway and work heat upwards.

Most manufacturers installed one zerk (grease fitting) just above lower pivot collar (not a bearing), and I don't know what 2 holes you are seeing?

Good luck. Post back when able, on how its going.