Removing steering cable from engin?

[bigredinohio]

Okay, I need some help removing the steering cable from my Mercury outboard. The steering does work fine and probably the only thing in the boat that is fairly new but I need to take the motor off for transom and other repairs. After a couple of hours of no head way, I'm getting frustrated.

I loosened "A" all the way off and took the arm off "D". Do I need to loosen "B" & "C" also or do they remain as is? Do I need to disconnect from the steering wheel? What could I be doing wrong?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Removing steering cable from engin?

b & c stay connected, you are on the right track. the sleeve is rusted inside the tilt tube. you also have to have clearance for the system to come out, it will not bend. you may have to lift motor and swing it out, to get cable out. you may have to take a rod and drive the cable out. if it is stuck.

 

[jonesg]

Re: Removing steering cable from engin?

that probably will not come out until the engine is swinging on a hoist,
mine is the same way. ditto on the install too.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Removing steering cable from engin?

If the cable end (D) is rusted into the tillt tube (B-C) you will need to free it up first. Use a pipe wrench on D to rock it back and forth. Spray D with penetrating oil until it moves easily. Now turn wheel all the way to the right to make cable as short as possible. With A off the threads, pull the cable out. Sometimes you can slide the motor all the way port to get clearance. Sometimes cable will retract into splashwell gunware enough to clear.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Removing steering cable from engin?

With A loose, see if you can get some penetrating oil in there on the rod as well.
If it's stuck don't force it with the wheel; you will break the workings there. Better to work it at D, even tapping it in and out with a hammer. But you didn't mention it being stuck so this might not be a problem; yo just have to get the motor off the transom.