Need advise on steering cable replacement

[D0T-C0M]

I've never really had a boat before I got this Larson SEI 174 with a 95 Johnson 130HP outboard. This is my second year and I'm starting to think that my steering tightness is not normal and my cable is really binding. It runs fine when straight line driving but if I turn hard left or right I have to back off the throttle to 1/4 or less and it takes my two hands to turn the wheel. At first I thought it may be normal but now I'm not so sure.


Its a rack and pinion steering so I would like to know if I should replace it using a new rack and pinion system or to another maybe newer/better system i.e. rotary?

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Need advise on steering cable replacement

Are you saying that the boat is hard to steer at 1/2 throttle than at 1/4 throttle. Is it a gradual change or abrupt?

Disconnect the steering cable from the motor and try to turn both. Maybe the OB is hard to steer? If the cable is hard to move, disconnect the large nut on the starboard tilt tube and then turn the steering wheel. If cable moves in/out easily, the steering cable end is binding or corroded into the tilt tube.

 

[D0T-C0M]

Re: Need advise on steering cable replacement

For example if I want to turn around I'll turn normally but returning the motor back to center position requires me to let off on the throttle to make it easier to bring it back to center. Otherwise I have to come hard on the steering wheel with two hands. When the steering is off center its really hard to turn the steering wheel with any amount of throttle present.

 

[hidef]

Re: Need advise on steering cable replacement

So you need to isolate problem and find out if it is the steering cable or the outboard. Follow the steps that Chris suggested it should help find the issue.

 

[D0T-C0M]

Re: Need advise on steering cable replacement

I'll do that tonight Thanks guys

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Need advise on steering cable replacement

Hidef, It almost sounds like the cable is binding as he rolls on the power. If so, maybe he has bad motor mounts or something.

 

[hidef]

Re: Need advise on steering cable replacement

He might have a bad steering arm bushing. Pressure from the engine pushing on the bushing makes it hard to steer. If he separates the steering cable from the outboard he should be able to feel a rough spot as he pushes the motor back and forth.

 

[D0T-C0M]

Re: Need advise on steering cable replacement

All good info guys. I'll get to the bottom of this with your help. When I disconnect the cable from the outboard how free should the cable be? Should I be able to spin the steering wheel by pushing and pulling on the end of the cable?

 

[D0T-C0M]

Re: Need advise on steering cable replacement

Ok I got home and I disconnected the cable from the engine and the engine swings side to side with my little finger but the steering wheel is just as stiff to turn. I tried pulling the cable out of the engine mount but it butts up against the boat before it will come out. Jeez by looking at it I'm going to have to unbolt the outboard from the boat just to remove the steering cable. Is this normal? Does the end of the cable come apart to make the cable end shorter so I can pull it out?

 

[hidef]

Re: Need advise on steering cable replacement

Pulling the steering cable out of the tilt tube is a pain in the butt. You will have to unbolt the engine to slide it out. You might need to get a hoist to lift the engine of the boat. Once you have the cable out of the tilt tube you are going to need to clean the inside of the tube and the steering ram and then lube everything with a good grease.

 

[D0T-C0M]

Re: Need advise on steering cable replacement

With the big nut securing the steering cable to the tilt arm backed completely off it moves freely inside the tilt tube. It seems the friction is coming from inside the cable at first glance. I'll know better when I have it completely off.

 

[D0T-C0M]

Re: Need advise on steering cable replacement

Well I have the rack and pinion and the cable out and I've got some binding at the end of the cable (tilt tube side). I put the end in the vise initally it was very very difficult to push and pull the cable in and out. I got a piece of 2 1/2" pvc pipe about 4' long and capped on end and filled it with 2 cycle oil. I inserted an air hose with the cable end and taped it up and applied about 5 lbs. of air pressure. I put the steering wheel on and for a good hour I cycled it fully left and fully right. Its quite a bit better but its still not as free as I would expect. I can turn the wheel just barely using one finger. Seems to me that it should just slide with no effort. Anyways even after an hour the oil hasn't made its way out the cable at the other end on the rack and pinion side. I was hoping this trick would work as it did on my motorcycle cables. I'm beginning to think that the cable is sealed at the tilt tube end of the cable or maybe the corrosion preventing it from pushing out the other end.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Need advise on steering cable replacement

The cable is not sealed, but it is pretty close to sealed at the tilt tube end. It is likely the corrosion is near the cable end, so your trick may work for you, at least for a while.

 

[D0T-C0M]

Re: Need advise on steering cable replacement

Well my attempt to free up my cable has failed. I've decided to bite the bullet and buy a new cable. The stock steering is a 16' teleflex "back mount rack system"

So from this page here I see that I would only need the buy a SSC13416 normal cable or SSC15416 low friction extreme cable. My helm looks like its still brand new so I think I can get away with only buying the cable. I would really like to have the tilt steering option but my cash is limited at this time so I was wondering if I don't get the tilt steering option now can I just buy the sport plus tilt and bezel and just bolt it on to my existing helm or will I need to change the helm to get tilt steering later? Also is it really a big difference between the normal cable or the new Xtreme cable?

 

[D0T-C0M]

Re: Need advise on steering cable replacement

Well I just ordered the SSC15416 cable taking a chance that it will fit my existing helm. I'm 99% sure it will. I hope it will.

 

[D0T-C0M]

Re: Need advise on steering cable replacement

Just to close out this thread to say that I received my cable today and installed it no problems. All I can say is the steering it sooooooo easy now. I cannot believe that I didn't clue in on this before. This being my first boat I thought it was normal to be a bit stiff to steer seeing I had a large 130HP outboard but it is a dream to drive now.

Thanks everyone for help.