changing steering cables on a 2006 mercury outboard??

[jordandemaray5454]

i was wondering if there is any tips out there that can help me to replace the steering on my boat... it is froze up over the winter and in years past i took a rubber hammer and hit the shaft that comes out of the tilt tube and it just came free like that but this year it didn't.. so i had my son go up to the steering wheel and just to try to move it and there was a pop so i went under the dash and it looked like that gear box is broken i took that off today. now i just need to get the old cables off the motor so i can replace them

[j_martin]

You should be able to soak it up with penetrating oil and tap it out of the tilt tube. If you've beat on the end a bunch with a hammer, you may have to file it down so it'll fit through the tube.

Before you put the new cable in, clean out the tilt tube, best to do it with a wire brush (like used for copper tubing) and penetrating oil. Then replace the O-ring in the far end of the tilt tube. Put a light coat of marine grease on the rod part of the cable before you install it.

If the tilt tube is real rusty, you may have to replace it.

[Chris1956]

Rock the cable end with a pipe wrench. It it moves at all, with some penetrating oil, you will be able to work it loose. If that fails, some heat on the tilt tube might free it up. Apply heat, remove heat, spray it with PB Blaster or like, rock it with pipewrench. Repeat...

[Prophammer]

Mine did the same thing!When I get it fixed, I'm going to pull it out once every season and lube it with Mercury 1-2-3 grease!