Broke my steering !!

I have a little 16' bay skiff w/ a 40 hp OMC .. Just bought the boat a few months ago.. Noticed the steering was kinda tight, so I worked it back and fourth w/ some lube and it got much better..The other day I was turning the wheel here on the trailer and noticed it was very hard to turn sharp in one direction. I forced it over as far as I could and when i went to turn it back it poped and the wheel spun freely!! I thought I had broken it for sure.. My questions is that when I looked under the consle the outside of the cable had pulled loose from the steering box. I noticed that there was some type of notch in the cable sheath that had looked like it might had some type of retaining bolt or pin.. I can push the cable back into the steering box, but it comes right back out with Min. force.. Is there some type of retaining pin that locks the cable shaeth to the steering box? Something that I can replace myself? or is this a to the $$ marina kind of deal here?? Any help would be great!! Thanks,
Pat/ Bushnell, fl.

Re: Broke my steering !!

It's just a bolt. Push the cable into the helm and insert the bolt. That will retain the cable end enough to see if you can now steer the engine. Once you know the cable is good install a nylock nut on the bolt so it can't come back out. Tighten her up and you should be good to go.
Since the cable end is loose, can you pull the engine end of the cable out and withdraw the entire cable? That could be a way to lube the entire cable. I know I've done it on a Teleflex cable but don't know what kind you have. A good light grease is great.

UFM82

EDIT- unless the helm boss is broken you should be able to put a bolt back in. If the boss is broken it's time for a new helm.