steering rode seized in tilt tube

shakeNbake

Recruit
Joined
Apr 5, 2009
Messages
1
Any help will be greatly appreciated

The steering seized up at the end of last season on my center console outboad. The steering wheel will not turn. I disconected the arm that conects the steering rod to the motor and the motor will turn when i push it back and forth. I also unscrewed the nut at the end of the steering cable that goes into the tilt tube and with it disconnected the wheel will turn and you can see the cable moving in and out. but when i connect it back up to the tilt tube the wheel locks again. I tried pulling the cable out of the tilt tube (at the end that goes into tilt tube from the steering wheel) and then greaseing it up. but that did not work. also the cable will not pull all the way out of the tilt tube. At the other end of the tilt tube where there is the whole in the end of the rod, it is all the way in and i am assuming that it should pull out, but it does not. I can turn it a little but cant pull it out. I tried lubing that end us as well. Any suggestions what the problem is and how to fix it.

Also, after messing around with the very end of the cable that has the whole that the motor arm connects through it seems not to line up anymore to connect the arm back through. is it possible the rod shifted in to far somehow.
 

ohioriverrat

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Mar 3, 2010
Messages
35
Re: steering rode seized in tilt tube

a trip to lowes is in order..

go to the plumbing section and get one of those propane trigger torches. they are about $15 and worth their weight in gold - just turn the knob and pull the trigger.. viola instant heat!!

also go over and find yourself a piece of 3/8 inch rod in the hardware section

also get your self a roll of emry cloth - like sandpaper about 2 inches wide -its sandpaper for cleaning copper tubing

you got a 2 pound hammer right?

the tilt tube is made from aluminum, the rod inside is stainless. that means when you put fire to it the aluminum expands more than the rod inside.

apply heat.. apply hammer to break it loose.
then use the rod to drive it the rest of the way out.
take your 3/8 rod and wrap the emery cloth around it taping in on to that it slide easily into the tilt tube but the tape isnt going to touch the inside of the tube. (think football shaped) put it in a 3/8 cordless drill and procede to clean out the tube as best you can.
 
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