frozen steering

['73 sea ray srv 180]

Hi. My names ethan. I just acquired a 1973 Sea Ray SRV 180 with a inline 4 cylinder Mercruiser. It has only been used once or twice in the past two years and the steering as froze up. Basically I'm wondering if some penetrating oil in a certain area will remedy the problem or am I going to have to start prepping for a lower unit swap? I consider myself pretty good with mechanical equipment, but if anyone has pictures of the parts I might need or need to wrench on, they would be a huge help. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: frozen steering

most likely the guide tube has lots of corrosion and is stopping the steering cable from moving

 

[NHGuy]

Re: frozen steering

That's the tube that pushes & pulls the steering arm just above the drive in the stern of the boat. You want to free it up & get some lubrication on there.

 

[rmoreaux1]

Re: frozen steering

My steering wasn't frozen but was very hard to steer. I removed the cable slide arm from the bracket on the transom. Then used a high pressure hose that was large enough to slip over the slide tube and clamped it in place. On the other end of the hose which was about three feet long i had a plug with an air hose nipple on it. I filled the hose with transmission fluid as it is both thin and high in detergents. Then using a regulator, I pressurized the hose forcing the tranny fluid in the cable housing . I also turned the steering wheel and added more lube as needed. Eventually the lube made it's way to the steering assembly under the dash. My steering works great and I saved myself from having to buy one. It wasn't messy either. If my cable was frozen I may have used a penetrating fluid at first. I started out using about 5 psi but had to go a lot higher to force it all the way up. There was a video on youtube of a guying doing the same thing but he was really messy.

 

['73 sea ray srv 180]

Re: frozen steering

I have uncooked the linkage between the tube and lever that goes to the lower unit. That piston in the tube that the cable moves still goes back and forth. So I've basically got the problem isolated somewhere between the gear system the steering wheel goes into and where the cable attaches to the piston in the back. (I apologize for not know the proper names for these parts. Please bare with me. This is the most work I've ever done on a boat.) So is there anyway to free up the cable? Also, I cannot figure out how to unhook the cable from said piston? The sleeve that screws on to the tube wont slide far enough one way or the other so I can see the connecting point...

 

['73 sea ray srv 180]

Re: frozen steering

Ok. Thank you very much. I will try and use this info to the best of my ability, but expect more questions.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: frozen steering

go to page 5-3 and using numbers and letters try to tell us what you did.http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Techbk/97/97hs5.pdf

 

[rmoreaux1]

Re: frozen steering

With the cable unhooked can you move your drive from side to side. You can't remove the tube. the hose I mentioned goes over it and gets clamped on the threaded part.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: frozen steering

what hose, is this power steering or manual steering, did you go to that linkl

 

['73 sea ray srv 180]

Re: frozen steering

I have not yet. I will take a look after work today. Yes, I can turn the drive side to side with the cable unhooked. The shaft in the tube even still slides back and forth. Its structure cable, the hose the cable is in, or the gear mechanism the steering wheel goes into. It is manual steering

 

['73 sea ray srv 180]

Re: frozen steering

I will get more proper terminology in about 10 or 11 hours

 

['73 sea ray srv 180]

Re: frozen steering

Bt doctur,
The pics in the OFFICE do not show what I have in the back

 

['73 sea ray srv 180]

Re: frozen steering

The pics in the PDF*

 

['73 sea ray srv 180]

Re: frozen steering

Ok. Im making ground. It was seized where the shaft connected to the cable slides into the tube back at the motor. Ive sprayed some penetrating oil in shaft and I am now able to spin tube on the shaft, but I cannot get it to move in or out. Any suggestions? Thanks again

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: frozen steering

those are the only 2 systems . non assist steering, or power steering .

 

['73 sea ray srv 180]

Re: frozen steering

How do I post pictures? I have a few pics, but I cant figure out how to upload them

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: frozen steering

Photo and image hosting, free photo galleries, photo editing its free

 

['73 sea ray srv 180]

Re: frozen steering

Ok. Maybe ill do that next time. I have the entire length of cable out of boat. Ill keep everyone posted if I get it to free up. The cable is bound/frozen somewhere. Put a half can of penetrating oil to it and going to let it set over night and see if I get to avoid the $90-$110 brand new cable

 

['73 sea ray srv 180]

Re: frozen steering

Thank you for all the help. Anymore advice will still be appreciated, but im pretty sure im at the fix or buy stage