$110 maintenance lesson

[dakk1]

My fault. I let the boat sit last year. Other issues to deal with. This year steering was froze. Turns out the steering rod on the front cable of my dual cable system was froze in the tube. I did everything I could think of.. PB Blaster, hammer, bigger hammer. Finally had to cut it off with a chisel (no small task).Cables are OK. Tube was not. This is just a threaded aluminum tube that bolts to the front of the motor. Doesn't even have a grease fitting. Tilt tube is fine, it has a grease fitting and I kept it greased. Went by my Merc dealer today. Can't buy just the tube, have to buy the kit, which includes the bracket. Looks like about $7 worth of parts. Merc dealer says $103 + tax. Moral: Grease is cheap, parts ain't.<br /><br />Dave ..

 

[Dead Eye]

Re: $110 maintenance lesson

Ain't that the truth!!

 

[Dennis G]

Re: $110 maintenance lesson

I went through same thing on my 20 Bayline trophy 5 months ago. It took a 4 pound sledge and a week of pounding and a gallon of penetrating oil to get it out. I gave up every day and started again the next day. You have to beat the crap out of it. It will come. Then I honed the tube out with a 7/8" brake hone on an electric drill to get the crude removed. $200 for a new steering cable at West Marine and all was well. Don't think that it was because you didn't grease it last year. This is a problem that builds on itself over the years.My cable was great one day and froze solid the next. Keep it greased and the new one will last a long time. Best Regards, Dennis G.

 

[Dennis G]

Re: $110 maintenance lesson

What I meany by good one day and froze the next was that it worked one day and not the next. After taking the cable out and inspecting it, It was almost completely rusted inside the jacket at the last two feet at the motor end.It just finally gave out one day.

 

[Rovernaut]

Re: $110 maintenance lesson

Can't you get a machine shop to mill you up a tube????

 

[dakk1]

Re: $110 maintenance lesson

Hey Rovernaut<br /><br />I tried to find a substitute. Regular pipe wouldn't work because if the inside dimension was right it wouldn't fit in the bracket. If it fit the bracket, inside dimension was too small to accept the rod at the end of the steering cable. Also, not just anybody can thread it. So, I go to my local machine shop. Young guy says we don't have anything like that but if you come up with the tube we will thread it for you. How much says I. About $100 says he. Obviously, they don't want to fool with it. Now I feel like a dog chaseing his tail. I'm starting to see a conspiracy here. LOL. Anyways, I'm self employed so every hour I spend banging on this boat is costing me more money. At this point I figure the best thing for me to do is pay Merc dealer and be done with it! I guess Merc dealer figures it that way too...<br /><br />Dave..