steering cable stuck

[bigred69]

Any suggestions on how to get a stuck steering cable threw the motor mount.
I have been using penetrating fluid for a week and it will not move. tried taping on it and nothing.

 

[Yepblaze]

Re: steering cable stuck

Remove steering link, unscrew the retainer, and pound it out with a dowel.

Otherwise, remove the motor from the boat. This may require you cut off the cable where it enters the motor.

Support motor in appropriate jig.

Apply a bunch of torch heat to the effected area and work the frozen part back and forth as you quench the ends of the tube with lightweight oils.

Have a hose or fire extinguisher handy to put out the fires as other grease and oils in the area can flame up during this process.


I guess a little propane torch and small hammer might be a start, but if it is already frozen to the point it won't move it can take some serious effort to free things up.

I've seen some that were frozen from a kinked or bent tilt tube, but the above method is usually how the job starts.

 

[mthieme]

Re: steering cable stuck

Heat.
I just went through the same thing.
A friend made a special tool just for this. It is a punch which attaches to an air hammer. I still had to heat it with a torch to break it free.

 

[bigred69]

Re: steering cable stuck

What are the possibilities of saving the cable? Would like to hit the lake for the first time Tuesday. Will heating it up to get it out cause me to get another cable?

 

[Yepblaze]

Re: steering cable stuck

What are the possibilities of saving the cable?


Depends on how hard you have to pound it. Once that hole that the steering link connects to distorts, it's no longer salvageable, and becomes a replacement procedure, rather than some remove clean and lube thing.

Will heating it up to get it out cause me to get another cable?

It doesn't have to, but it doesn't take much to mash the tip of the cable enough to ruin it.

Actually I would imagine the more heating and oiling you can do might improve chances of saving the cable.


I'm not sure you understand that the process involved can get pretty heavy duty pretty fast, especially if it's really really stuck. That and on some boats you can't even remove the steering cable unless you unbolt, or unscrew the motor from the boat and use a shop crane to lift or move motor sideways.


The steering cables are labeled not far from the steering gearbox with a number that represents the correct length to purchase.

 

[bigred69]

Re: steering cable stuck

Thanks guys for all the responses.

I think I have a solution for my problem. Today I finally finished stripping out Crash and the last thing to go (you guessed it) the steering. Its a fairly new looking Teleflex rack and pinion unit. The only hold up might be length. Crash is a 17 footer and Stinky is a 15 . I am hopping that when i use your suggestions to get the old cable out I can slip this one in. The wost that might happen is that I have to get a shorter cable. At least I do not have to buy the whole thing. Even the lower priced ones are kind of expensive.


Thanx

Bigred