'88 Force 125hp, difficult to steer

On a boat

Cadet
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Apr 3, 2012
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I have read several of the threads here stating problems steering, most seem unresolved and many lack information about the boats/things tried. So, I want to give it a try and do a full info dump to make sure I can get this thing fixed. :)

About the boat:
77 Cobia Centaur 18'
Rack and pinion single cable steering
88 Force 125hp outboard motor

Problem:
Steering is very difficult both left and right, in or out of water. Tilt makes no difference. What does make a difference is if I dis-join the two bars where the steering cable connects to the motor (where you disconnect the bolt that holds them together so they move independently). With those dis-joined, the motor moves freely and easily. Otherwise, you really have to put some muscle into it.

Possible cause?
When I started to get things ready to go on the water for the year, I noticed a small tear in the rubber at the end of the steering cable where it connects to the bottom bar. When turning the wheel, grease leaked out (fresh grease btw). Well, add a tire repair patch, some rubber cement and tighten it down with some hose clamps and it is no longer leaking. However, steering is still just as difficult.

Is it possible that this tear is at fault for the steering? If so, can I just cut off a few inches from the cable and re-attach (and where could I go to get one of those fittings and get it reattached)? I tried pulling the metal bar all at the end of the steering cable completely out of the bar it slides in, but it gets to the very end and sticks, I'm assuming something is preventing it from coming out as designed but didn't want to pull hard enough to break it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Solution: in my case, the steering cable rod had a very slight bend that I could not straighten. Replacing the cable solved the problem. Also note that I had checked with my local marine shop and they were going to charge me $165 for the 17' Teleflex cable (Specifically, the Teleflex SSC13417 17' Back Mount Single Steering Rack Cable). A quick check on Amazon.com got me the same cable for $105 and free shipping. I like to buy local, but not for 50% more than the Internet.
 

foodfisher

Captain
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Feb 18, 2009
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3,756
Re: '88 Force 125hp, difficult to steer

If I'm correct the cable attaches to a bar that goes thru the steering tube. Sounds like the bar/tube interaction is stiff . You will have to clean out the tube and relube. The old lube gets stiff and hard. PS: The force forum is where the good answers are.
 
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On a boat

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Re: '88 Force 125hp, difficult to steer

The cable will have to be replaced.
Seriously? There's a good foot of extra cable available, but I can't cut off the end and reattach cleanly?

If I'm correct the cable attaches to a bar that goes thru the steering tube. Sounds like the bar/tube interaction is stiff . You will have to clean out the tube and relube. The old lube gets stiff and hard. PS: The force forum is where the good answers are.
That is correct. It goes to a cable through the steering tube. I can't get that bar out of the tube though. Do you know of a safe manner other than pulling with all I've got to get it out? lol
Also, I started this topic in the Force motor forum but got no activity. I think this is more of a general issue rather than the motor because the motor seems fine (relatively) and slides freely when not attached to the tube that the cable uses.
 

foodfisher

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3,756
Re: '88 Force 125hp, difficult to steer

Some try heat. I found a socket the same size and drove it out with careful hammer blows. Don't want to scar the interior surfaces. After removal, A thurough cleaning including time w/a pipe cleaner type wire brush a lots of solvent. Regrease and no probs. since. Clean the zerk also.
 

On a boat

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Re: '88 Force 125hp, difficult to steer

I may not be understanding properly, but I don't see how a socket the right size will help. The wire has a fitting that screws up to the lower tube where the rod goes in. Unscrewing the fitting is easy enough, but when I try to pull the rod I can get it to the end and it just seems like it is designed to not slide out. I'm no mechanic and have learned more about motors from working on my boat that I ever did from working on cars so I didn't want to pull that out if it wasn't supposed come out. However, if the general consensus is that it should be able to pull out, I can make that happen.
 

foodfisher

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Re: '88 Force 125hp, difficult to steer

Don't do damage. I'll have to go look at my boat and reply tomorrow, unless someone chimes in first. Still think the force forum is the place to be. Maybe a mod can carry this conversation over there.
 

On a boat

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Re: '88 Force 125hp, difficult to steer

Oh I certainly won't be working on it tonight as it's already 11pm. But I am getting antsy to get this fixed and will probably be working on some other things first thing in the morning. I'll try to hold off on pulling that out until I have some confirmation that it should be good to go.
 

Bondo

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Re: '88 Force 125hp, difficult to steer

Seriously? There's a good foot of extra cable available, but I can't cut off the end and reattach cleanly?


That is correct. It goes to a cable through the steering tube. I can't get that bar out of the tube though. Do you know of a safe manner other than pulling with all I've got to get it out? lol
Also, I started this topic in the Force motor forum but got no activity. I think this is more of a general issue rather than the motor because the motor seems fine (relatively) and slides freely when not attached to the tube that the cable uses.

Ayuh,.... The Steerin' Cable, 'n Helm, are Non-serviceable parts,....

Remove the complete helm, 'n cable, 'n Replace it with a New helm, 'n cable Kit....

Yer's is Junk...



edit; benchmark, 41,000 posts
 

foodfisher

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Re: '88 Force 125hp, difficult to steer

Heading out to work now but to maybe speed you along, go to the force forum and use the search function there. Type in steering/tilt tube.
 

On a boat

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Re: '88 Force 125hp, difficult to steer

Alright, did a little work so far this morning. I disconnected the L shaped bar and undid the nut on the starboard side and pulled the cable as far as it would go. It seems to get to the very end and stops. As stated before, with the L shaped bar disconnected, the motor turns easily. But I also found that with the nut loosed, the steering wheel turns as it should. Not difficult at all. I'm hoping that means that the tube is the problem and not the cable. I'd tried putting a bit more muscle into pulling the cable out but it's just not happening. I didn't want to pound on the nut and damage the nut or collar.

Attached is a picture of the cable pulled out as far as I can get it by pulling alone.
 

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CaptOchs

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Re: '88 Force 125hp, difficult to steer

What do you mean you can't pull the cable out of the tube? You can't feed the cable back towards the helm slightly to get more room? I had that issue once due to the splash-well on the boat. There was only so much bending you can do without breaking the steering cable or cutting the hole larger by the side of the splash-well. I ended up pulling the transom bolts out of the motor and sliding the whole motor to the port side a half a foot. Then I was able to free the cable from the tube.

"Bondo" is right. You can't service the steering cable. Any amount of cleaning or grease will not make it turn better. Believe me I've tried. Going by your description of a "tear in the rubber" at the end of the cable, you're definitely going to want to replace it. If you don't, you risk the cable breaking entirely while you're out on the lake. After replacing mine I noticed a lot of other steering issues (port/starboard drift) went away too.
 

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Re: '88 Force 125hp, difficult to steer

What I meant by "can't put it out" is that simply pulling the steering cable would not pull the rod out of the tube. However, I finally DID just get it out. I didn't realize that the rod was in a tube that was inside the large steel pipe that attached to the transom. WD40 and some vice grips for the rod and tube out. And I noticed that near the cable side of the tube there is a small bend, so the tube is not straight and the rod can not freely slide back and forth. This makes sense as the problem because when turning the boat, it is difficult throughout EXCEPT for when turning right just before you get to the end of the turn and when you're turning left from all the way right, the first very small portion is easy. This is where the rod is free within the even part of the tube before it gets to the bend. So, I'm off to work now, but tomorrow I hope to get the tube straightened and will see how that goes.

I'd like to get the steering cable replaced in the future as well, but $150 is just out of my reach at the moment if not required. We'll see how it goes with this bent tube and go from there.

Thanks all for the help, things are looking up! :)
 

foodfisher

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Re: '88 Force 125hp, difficult to steer

Glad you got it out. After looking at mine I remember having to move my motor to accomodate this. You might have to move yours too replace the rod. Good luck on straightening the bend.
 

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Re: '88 Force 125hp, difficult to steer

Luck I will certainly need. That's a tough rod to bend. Gonna borrow a torch tomorrow to try to heat it up enough to bend it. I was half expecting rain while working today so I put the rod back in which isn't much of a problem. I'll let you folks know if I can straighten the bend and if that does the trick.
 

CaptOchs

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Re: '88 Force 125hp, difficult to steer

That tube is $20 new from West Marine.
 

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Re: '88 Force 125hp, difficult to steer

Oh, I found out I may have used the wrong term. The steering tube being the larger tube that is attached to the transom. The tube that is bent is the one at the end of the steering cable. With the cable removed, turning the wheel extends the tube in or out on the rod. That is the tube that is bent. I tried to torch it and bend it with no success. It doesn't seem to have any way to detach it and the boat places I checked with said that they couldn't straighten it either and that the whole cable needs to be replaced. As much as I DON'T want to spend that much money on this, looks like I'm going to. I found that the part under the helm that attached to the wheel is also somewhat corroded, and as stated the end of the cable near the rod had the tear. I don't want to go through this later this season or next year so I'm just going to do it right.
 

foodfisher

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Re: '88 Force 125hp, difficult to steer

Hello, bhile and Bond-o!!!
 
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On a boat

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Re: '88 Force 125hp, difficult to steer

Whew, finally. Got the new steering cable in about 45 minutes ago and installed it about 20 minutes ago. Gave it a fresh coating of grease and steering is smooth as butter.
That has officially turned my otherwise boring, dull Tuesday today into a really good day. :)

Adding this solution to OP as the solution any case others find the information helpful.
 
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