Pulled the tarp off my 16’ bass boat today. Started her up, got her running nice idling at 800rpm as factory recommended.
Went to turn the steering, nothing. Tried to move the engine without the wheel, nothing. Wouldnt budge. Took off the connecting arm, cleaned out the steering column, repacked everything with new grease and it all turns well. Except for the rod end of the steering cable. I took apart the whole thing but could not pull the cable back through the main engine pin to better look at the rod end. I can pull the cable and the inside shaft moves freely, but the outer shaft will not move. Its somehow frozen inside the pin housing that allows the engine to be raised and lowered. Ive tried everything to get the thing out, heated up with a torch, rubber engineering compensator(mallet), wooden block and metal hammer, nothing. Sucker wont pudge. I mixed up some light weight royal purple and master blaster and im letting that sit in there overnight.
Any ideas on how to free this sucker? If it helps the engines a 2002 Mercury 40hp ourboard
Sounds like you need to replace the steering cable. That rod on the end is part of the cable. If I’m understanding you right, this is what’s going on. Its either that or the tube that the steering cable passes through is corroded. If that’s the case lube, degreeser and persuasion. We have this problem with our 90 Yamaha. You have to keep it very well lubed at all times or it will get stuck.
What Mako said is correct. The outer portion of the cable is frozen in the outbourds tilt tube. This is a very common issue with this type of steering system.
Most of the time it takes heat from a torch, a hammer, a long drift punch ( one that will fit inside the tilt tube) and a very importent item that you will have to make.
See, the problem is, as you beat on the end of the cable It tends to mushroom the end to the point that it won’t pass through the tilt tube. What you neeed to do is get yourself a 3/8" bolt ( the size of the hole at the end of the cable) and cut it so it just fill’s the space at the end of the cable. I usualy just use some electrical tape to hold the cut piece in place while you bang away at it. You need to concentrate the heat on the tilt tube, This may mean you have to tilt the outboard up all the way and apply the heat from underneath, just depends on the model. It also sometimes helps if you can grab the end of the cable ( ware it is swedged to the end piece ) with a pair of vice grips and try to rotate it while applying heat.Once you get things moving and the very end of the cable go’s in to the tube you need the long drift punch to drive it through and out the other side.
It’s a PITA job, and takes alot of patience.
A word of caution… Be very mindfull of any puddled fuel in the lower engine cover and remove all fuel supply hoses from the area, you don’t wan’t to see or hear lights and sirens during this procedure. a bleeding knuckle or two is not uncomon though.
PM me for my phone number and I can walk you through it if need be.
Jeff… factory trained marine technician and BRP master tech since 1982
after a good long soak in royal purple, 2 cans of propane, and a broken mallet, the bitch is free.
The existing rod and cable are actually in great shape. The inside of the pin was corroded and rusted out. Cleaned out the rust, packed her with grease, and it turns great. As extra protection i picked up some extra soft rubber o-rings and covered them with grease, and put them on under the caps of either end of the pin. Should keep the water out and the grease in.
We just installed a new cable on a friend’s boat yesterday. My buddy had a good method for cleaning out the steering tube. He took an 18" long piece of 3/8" all thread and reamed it out real good, took all the rust chunks and burring out of the hole.
A really good grease to load the cable andn steering tube with is a Mercury Marine product that is waterproof. Not to be used on wheel bearings but use it on anything with a grease zerk on an outboard.
