Mercruiser 260 Steering froze

[chris0061]

I just bought this boat and got it fired up the other day. I couldn't get the steering to work and thought maybe it had to be running for the power steering. No luck. Its a 1980 Mark twain with the original engine in it and I was wondering if anyone can tell me a starting point to find the problem. Thanks in advance. Chris

[Bond-o]

Ayuh,...

It's Probably the Cable itself, or where the Cable goes thru the aluminum Tube at the transom...

[DJ]

Bond-o and I must have been typing over each other.

Unhook the steering cable where it meets the tiller arm, on the transom. Try to move the wheel. Still stuck?

If so, it's the cable that is frozen. No big deal. I would replace the steering head/cable assembly. Both available here on iboats.

See link.

http://www.iboats.com/Boat_Steering_...view_id.217122

[chiefalen]

You will need to get the right length, bye reading the numbers on the cable itself.

Or matching the length by laying the new and old cable side by side.

It's rack and pinion so easy to do.

[Don S]

You have a steering cylinder similar to that in the picture. If you heat the aluminum tube with a propane torch it usually frees them up enough that you can pull the cable out of the tube and clean the corrosion out.

To check to see if the steering cable itself works, just disconnect the Steering Cable Attaching Nut in the picture, and the cable should move back and forth when you turn the wheel.



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[chris0061]

Ok I'm headed out now to check it out. Thanks again all and I'll let ya know in a couple hours what I found

[chris0061]

OK I hunhooke the cable and it steers smooth with it unhooked and I tryed moving the lower and still stuck.

[Don S]

It's froze in the aluminum tube, get the torch and heat it up. You must run in salt water, common problem with salt water boats that never get the steering tube lubed.

[chris0061]

I don't think the boat has ever been in Salt water, It's a ILLinois boat, So I just run the torch along the alum shaft and have someone try the steering wheel while I do it. I just put a little heat on it but to no avail. Maybe not enought heat hu? I'll try again.

[Don S]

Yea, it has to get hot to break the corrosions free. A little AeroKroil or PB Blaster penetrating oil after you get it moving will help. (No, WD40 won't do it)

[chris0061]

Got it Don, we broke it loose then gave it a bunch of turns on the steering wheel and seems OK, I could only find one grease Zerk on there so I greased the heck out of that and moved the steering some more. Thanks for your help and you guys are awesome on this forum. Chris

[Bond-o]

Ayuh,...

Now that you've got it broke Free,...

Remove clevis pin B,+ pull the cable Out of that aluminum Tube,+ Grease it...
Otherwise,... You're going to doing this same thing Again....

[chris0061]

gotcha, on my way now to do that. Then I should be good till spring. I got everything done that I wanted to get done, Got it started, got it full of antifreeze, got the tilt trim working and now the steering. Alls left is some wiring isues for the dash and I can put it back together. I'm in St. Louis area so it may be a few weeks after today It will be warm enough to get back at it.

[WizeOne]

Got it Don, we broke it loose then gave it a bunch of turns on the steering wheel and seems OK, I could only find one grease Zerk on there so I greased the heck out of that and moved the steering some more. Thanks for your help and you guys are awesome on this forum. Chris

In the future, only apply grease to the xerk fitting when the steering cable ram is fully retracted. If you do it the other way you stand a chance of hydraulicing the cable.

Your cable must be a Merc cable. Mine must be a factory installed clone. It does not have the grease fitting on it so I just greeeaze up the ram and run it back and forth a few times

[chiefalen]

Corrosion pro buy it and keep it on the boat. I'm always spraying it on cables, electric connections everything. I spray my oil pan, starter, everything.

I spray it on the inside of the throttle with the straw.

Every pivot point.

Carb linkage.

[seamanben]

You have a steering cylinder similar to that in the picture. If you heat the aluminum tube with a propane torch it usually frees them up enough that you can pull the cable out of the tube and clean the corrosion out.

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Don - once I pull the stainless arm out of the aluminum tube (by heating the tube), what will I have to do to get the stainless arm to reconnect with the steering cable? I assume they're attached in there somehow..

Thanks!

[Bond-o]

what will I have to do to get the stainless arm to reconnect with the steering cable? I assume they're attached in there somehow..

Ayuh,...

The SSteel shaft actually IS the end of the cable.....

Their swaged together....

[seamanben]

hope I'm not 'hijacking' this thread - but it seems the most appropriate thread to my question. The ram shown on the pic above is not sliding in and out of the aluminum tube. It is totally stuck. I have let it sit overnight with Liquid Wrench sprayed in from both ends, some 3 in 1 oil on it, and this morning it still wouldn't move. I then heated it up a few times with a propane torch. Got it really hot the last time, and the ram will still not move. I put a rod through the clevis pin hole and pulled really hard on the end, then tried hammering the rod into the tube, but in both cases it wouldn't move at all!

I initially disconnected the cable from the tube and when this is disconnected the steering wheel can turn and the cable moves. So I know it's not the cable.. Just the ram in it's housing tube. Nothing looks corroded. There's no grease zirk or lube nut.

Three hours of work so far and nothing to show. Any ideas anyone? Thanks in advance..

(it's a manual steering system - not power)

[Bond-o]

Ayuh,...

More Heat,...
More Oil,...
More Beating,...

It's either break it Free,+ take it apart,+ Replace what Won't come apart.....

[seamanben]

Thanks Bondo! I heated it much more, then braced it and hammered it really hard, about 15 solid hits till it started to move. Put some oil, hammered it back the other way, and so on. Cleaned it out, oiled it, etc It works real well now!

Thanks!
Ben

[jakebrake]

don and bondo;

I swear i'm nominating you two for the nobel prize! the boat i just bought had the cable disconnected for just his problem. Now i know how it goes back together! you guys rock!

[Bond-o]

Ayuh,.... Cool,..... I'm Glad you guys came back with your Great News,....

Happy Boatin',...