Does it turn hard without the cable hooked up?
The steering tube has a grease fitting.
Use a small propane torch on the tube BEFORE you add grease.
Then spray WD or PB on the steering cable and turn it in and out and spray and heat and spray and heat and turn.
The grease fitting doesn't get anything thicker than a runny white lithium.
I use 30wt. motor oil on my steering and NO grease there.
The mid section has 27 year old grease.
It is probably solid by now.
The same thing: use a propane torch on the mid section where the grease fittings are.
There are bushing at the top and bottom and can melt so be careful.
If you don't liquefy the grease and try to add it, it will blow the zerts out.
They are just pressed in
