Any tricks for freeing stuck steering cable?

Iconoclast

I was hoping to show up at Cathlamet, only to find out the steering is frozen. (Cable, Honda 75.) When I loosen the nut holding the steering cable onto the engine mount, the cable sleeve will go back and forth as I turn the wheel, so the problem is inside the mount.

I disconnected the connecting rod from the motor to the end of the stainless steel rod protruding from the mount, and tried pulling on the rod and even pounding on it using an Allen wrench to get some outward force (it is locked all the way in), but no luck.

Anybody know any tricks for dealing with this? The soonest I can get a dealer to take the boat is 4/7.

TyBoo · Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2005 8:58 pm Post subject:

Yep, I seen that before! Like every year.

The end of the steering cable has a telescoping like sleeve affair, the outer part of which is stuck with crud to the inside of the tilt tube. On the end of the sleeve, where the hole is for the drag link to the motor, it should have two flatted sides. You can put a crescent wrench on those flats and slightly turn it back and forth to loosen the sleeve. Just be careful to not turn it too far or with too much force if it does not want to break free. Just kinda wiggle it back and forth. Once it has some wiggle room, you should be able to push it out of the tilt tube. It ain't easy, but it will work. The steering cable is a stiff bugger, and it makes a pretty sharp bend at the inside edge of the boat where it heads up front. You'll have to do some finessing to get the whole cable to move far enough to extract the end completely. But this too shall work.

Another little trick that I hesitate to recommend (or am reluctant to admit I have tried) is to reconnect the drag link, tilt the motor up to about 45º, and reef back and forth on the lower unit as if trying turn turn the motor. That might get it to break free. Just be sure you don't break anything else.

Don't try too awfully hard to break it free using the steering wheel. There are lots of things between the wheel and the motor that could break instead.

Once you get it out of there (yeah, sure!), then you have to clean the hole. I have a 3/4" round spiral wire brush (like a bottle brush) that I turn with a drill motor to shine the hole. Go to an auto parts store and ask for a wire tube brush if you want one of those. Another thing you can use is a long rod with a slot sawed from one end to a couple inches up. Slip the end of a length of emory cloth in the slot, and wind it around the rod until it will just fit into the tilt tube. Then turn that with a drill. Clean, and clean, and clean until the hole through the tube is smooth with no more corrosion. Then clean the parts of the cable end, grease it up with a waterproof grease, and reinstall.

At the port end of the tilt tube, there should be a groove machined into the ID. I think there is supposed to be an o-ring or something in there to wipe the sleeve and slow down the crud getting in. I found an o-ring about the right size and stuck it in there the last time I did mine. We'll see if it helps.

Oh, and you are going to make a nasty mess in the splash well of your boat. Don't even try to keep it clean unless you are a fanatic about such things. Instead, when you are all done and the mess is wiped up (smeared around), get some Barkeeper's Friend and some rags and water and prepare to be amazed at how clean you can get the gelcoat. You'll have to wax it afterwards, though.

You gotta get this thing fixed. Cathlamet is a must-make. See ya there!

Iconoclast · Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2005 9:06 pm Post subject:

The flat part on mine rotates around (it seems to have some sort of swivel joint), but the sleeve that's "glued" to the inside of the tilt tube remains stationary. I tried grabbing it with a vise grips, but it will not move.

TyBoo · Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2005 9:22 pm Post subject:

Well there you go - it isn't so bad after all if the swivel end isn't froze too! Put your visegrips on it again, right at the crimp that holds the end on. Make sure you don't leave any burrs on the part of the sleeve that enters the tube. Then wiggle.

It really will come free. Spray some penetrating oil in both ends and keep working it. A punch and hammer on the end will help it on its way, as long as you don't smack it hard enough to distort the hole or stretch out the crimp.

Now get off the computer and get back to work! You have to make it next weekend!

C-WEED · Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2005 12:23 am Post subject:

Get some PB BLASTER. It comes in a spray can at auto parts and Walmart. I swear by WD-40 for lots of stuff. But when it comes to getting rusted frozen super tight crudy stuff loose PB BLASTER is tuff to beat. Spray and let it soak in. Spray and let it soak.

C-WEED · Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2005 12:37 am Post subject:

One more thing to try. Usually a gas torch is handy at getting things nice and red hot. The expansion seperates stuck metals and draws the penatrating oil deep to help free things up. But a torch would scorch your motor. Same idea buy not as damaging is a good quality heat gun. I think I paid $20 for mine and I think it gets to 400*F on high. One of those tools you don't use real often, but when you do? priceless...

Keep an eye on any rubber or plastic stuff close by.

DaveS · Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2005 1:47 am Post subject:

C-WEED · Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2005 10:24 pm Post subject:

Update on the heat gun. I was using it today to remove some stickers. Made by Wagner. 750*F on low and 1000*F on high. I thought that thing got hot...

Iconoclast · Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 11:35 am Post subject:

Well I have tried WD-40 and the heat gun, and have gotten nowhere. I guess it's time for the professionals. I just wish they could get to my boat sooner. Good luck fishing to all at Cathlamet; this rain may produce some impressive results.

Larry H · Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 12:04 pm Post subject:

In my years of being an outboard mechanic, I have replaced many frozen steering cables.

If the cable won't free up with solvents, heat ,etc., a large hammer is next. At this point I tell the customer that the cable may be damaged during removal and may have to be replaced.

If several heavy blows of a lead hammer don't free up the cable end, I usually cut the cable on the housing side of the motor and then drive the end of the cable out of the tilt tube with a sutible punch. Sometimes the motor must be removed from the transom. If the cable end is really rusted into the tilt tube, it may be cheaper(at today's labor rates) to replace the tilt tube without spending several hours trying to remove the cable end.

The usual outcome of doing the above is that a new steering cable must be installed in the boat, after cleaning/reaming out the tilt tube!

Prevention is cheaper in the long run! Extend the cable end and clean and apply some waterproof grease. Then turn the steering wheel back and forth from stop to stop to spread the grease inside the tilt tube. If this is done prior to storage it will prevent the 'frozen steering problem'.

digger · Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 4:16 pm Post subject: Steering cable

If, by the time you get it out, your helm and/or cable is busted, I'll donate the ones I took out of Snoopy-C when I installed the hydraulic steering. You'd just have to pay shipping. Snoopy-C is a 22 ft cruiser. Regards, and good luck. Ron

Jack in Alaska · Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2005 7:52 pm Post subject:

When I still had mech. steering I used to loosen the nut on the port side of the motor and squirt some TRIFLOW inside of the tube. That is , by far, the best lubricant I have ever seen. TRIFLO is in a small black spray can and can be found in bicycle shops. Pretty spendy but an excellent product.

I just this week threw my old mech. steering in the dumpster. Good ridance.

KenMcC · Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2005 11:09 pm Post subject:

If you have the Teleflex No Feedback steering, it may be in the clutch mechanism at the main steering mechanism (behind the helm). If you take the tension off the system, it will work fine, until you lock it to either port or starboard. Then it will lock up again.It hasn't happened with many units, but it's a possibility, especially since you have tried all the other offered fixes.

Go to this link

and see if that provides any help.

Ken

Link edited by Da Nag

KenMcC · Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2005 11:12 pm Post subject:

Actually, that discussion begins HERE.

That's where the meat of the discussion is.

Link edited by Da Nag

Jon - CLou · Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 5:11 pm Post subject:

I was able to free my frozen mechanical steering this morning and then ran into another problem. When I removed the large nut on the port side of the tilt tube assembly and wiggled things around, I noticed that the tube slid out 2 or 3 inches on the starboard side. I couldn't get it to slide back in so I called my friend at the P.A. Honda Shop. He said that I should put a jack under the skag area and take the engine weight pressure off the tube. By doing this, he thought it would slide back in.

First of all, a jack under the skag area scares the heck out of me.

Question:Any ideas how to approach this without breaking stuff?

Thanks, Jon