stiff stering cable

[heycods]

the stering on my boat is verry stiff. I disconnected it at motor . motor is free.I greased what I could get to by working shaft back and forth through the tube that the motor tilts on its free there its binding in the cable housing. how do i get grease into cable housing. thanks a bunch lwr

 

[wileecoyote985]

Re: stiff stering cable

heycods;<br /><br />Saw a post somewhere recently where the poster advised placing the steering cable in a 5 gallon bucket with some automotive antifreeze. Claimed the antifreeze would free up the cable.<br /><br />I hadn't heard of that before, so I was hoping that someone else would chime in, advising if it was legitimate or not. Seems like it might be worth a try.<br /><br />Just passing it along with no personal knowledge as to how it will work.<br /><br />Gary

 

[wileecoyote985]

Re: stiff stering cable

BTW. I was interested as I have a cable on my old boat that is getting real stiff. Will try it in the spring if it's supposed to work.

 

[steamboatwilly]

Re: stiff stering cable

I dont know if the antifreeze treatment will work or not.Mine got so it wouldnt steer.I worked two days trying to free it up but never did get it to.The inner cable is common steel,not stainless,it was pure rust and had swelled up so tight you couldnt get oil into it.I bought a new one.I think you are wasting your time.

 

[heycods]

Re: stiff stering cable

will the cable pull oyt after turning the wheel till it goes past stop its not froze up just stiff. lwr

 

[dddavis1954]

Re: stiff stering cable

IF there is not a grease fitting in the motor bracket try this, It worked on my 1986 115 Merc.<br /><br />turn the wheel all the way left, <br />unscrew the cap on the cable side,<br />grab a double handful of blue lube,<br />cup your hands with grease around the cable,<br />have someone turn the wheel all the way right<br />this should suck the grease into the part that runs thru the bracket,<br />put the nut back on (a few turns by hand),<br />turn the wheel all the way left this pushes the grease into the cable cover,<br />repeat as many times as necessary, try to fill the entire cable with grease. It's messy but beats buying and installing a new cable.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: stiff stering cable

I have had no luck in the past with using grease on stiff steering.I had very good results with spray lube .The one that I used is One Lube in a red can and I think it is put out by Slick 50.Turn the wheel all the way until the piston is out,soak it with the lube ,retract it ,put it out again and clean off with paper towel and repeat at least 20 times.If it gets a little better,repeat the steps each time you are at the boat.Before you know it ,you will be able to move the motor by hand.Charlie

 

[noelm]

Re: stiff stering cable

it is very easy to fix, replace the cable, I know people who have tried everything from heat to soaking in all manner of chemicals but always replace it in the end

 

[rodbolt]

Re: stiff stering cable

and some get a high speed run through the cypress knobs, dude its trying to tell ya its dying. drop a dime before it kills you.<br /> if its not hung in the tilt tube and its the cable the cable is just dead.

 

[noelm]

Re: stiff stering cable

yep listen to rodbolt and me! been there, done that

 

[KilroyJC]

Re: stiff stering cable

I was lucky with my project - it was just the cable end in the tilt tube. 3 hours with a pair of locking pliers, a ballpein hammer and 2 cans of WD-40 worked like magic. The rest of the cable was fine.<br /><br />If you can twist/rotate the cable end in the tilt tube, then you have to replace the cable. If the cable end doesn't want to turn, you might luck out like I did.<br /><br />Good Luck!

 

[heycods]

Re: stiff stering cable

Thanks a bunch guys , Ill get help and try the grease thing, if it dont work, ive got till spring to worry aboyt it. The problem around here is lack of boat repair and parts places.Its 60 to 100 mi to a decent place for parts. Its a secondary boat anyway. Ive got afew other problems to solve on this boat, like I think rectifers out, dont think its charging and tach dont work. Its the winter project, waiting on ser manual I ordered. Thoes ser. manuals are high as a cats back, I bought one for my combine a few years ago that was cheaper and had over a thousand pages. have a goodun lwr

 

[OBJ]

Re: stiff stering cable

heycods, yer missin the point. The cable is toast. Replace it like rodbolt advises. Don't chance a fix. As for gettin' a new steering set up, check out iboats Mega Mall. Figure the length and order. No problemo.....

 

[heycods]

Re: stiff stering cable

How do you figure length nut to nut flange to flange or end ocable to end of piston and are all manual stering cables the same????? thank you for your time fellows.lwr

 

[OBJ]

Re: stiff stering cable

Two ways to find the length.<br /><br />First, look on the old steering cable. The length is sometimes here, back towards the motor. Older cables may be in half foot lengths, ex., 12' 6", so round this off to the next foot as cables today are only made in whole feet.<br /><br />If the cable markings are not there or wore off, here's how to measure:<br /><br />Measure from the centre line of the steering helm to the gunrail. From here, measure back to the end of the boat where the cable will bend towards the engine. From here, measure over to the centre line of the engine.<br /><br />Add all the lengths up and round off to the next whole foot. <br /><br />That's all there is to it. Check the link out to iboats Mega Mall. You can get the whole system very reasonable.<br /><br /> http://www.iboats.com/mall/index.cg...measure+steering+cable&submit.x=49&submit.y=8 <br /><br />Keep us posted, Thanks!