Mercury Steering Cable Seazed in Tilt Tube

sauloz

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Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Messages
4
Hey All,
My steering cable seems to be seazed inside the tilt tube. A large number of people have told me to undo the bolts on the tilt tube and hit the road to try a free it up. I have attached photos.. first one of the entire motor and tilt tube. Out of the numbers 1 and 2, which ones should i be unbolting? Number 2 bolt is attached to the tilt tube while the number 1 seems to be the connection from the steering cable to the tilt tube. Also from the 2nd photo, i have removed the steering arm bolt (the one circled) and do i undo the bolt attached to this tilt tube side as well or does that not not have anything to do with the steering cable?
What do i do??Full photo1.jpghandle side1.jpg
 

oldman570

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Mar 25, 2011
Messages
1,615
Re: Mercury Steering Cable Seazed in Tilt Tube

In picture #1 just remove nut marked 1 and in picture #2 remove the nut from the steering arm and remove the seal from the cable. Take the gresse zerk out of the center of the tilt tube between the transom brackets and spray some WD 40 or other penatrant in that location. Using a phillps screwdriver put in the hole where the steering arm was try turning the cable to get the penatrant into the tube. DO NOT turn that cable more than a quarter tune in any direction! You just want to move the cable alittle to get it broke loose. You just have to keep working it till it is loose enought to pull the cable out of the tube towards the controler. DO NOT beat on the end of the cable or it will mushroom and you will be in deep sh*t then. Once you get the cable out of the tube, get a 3/8" wooden dowel and cut a slit in the end of it a couple fo inches long so you can slide a pice of sand paper in the slit. Use the dowel and a shop towel to clean the greasse out of the tube. Put the sandpaper in the slit of the dowel and chuck it in a drill and wrap the sandpaper around the dowl to fashion a flapper wheel and sand the inside of the tube to remove any rust and pit aeras inside the tube. Clean the inside of the tube with Brake clean and a air hose. Clean the cable the same way, and put a light coating of grease on it and put everythig back together. Put the serk back in the center of the tube and grease the tube while moving the controler while doing so. If this dose not work, let us know and we can try to help out more. JMO
Oldman570
 

sauloz

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Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Messages
4
Re: Mercury Steering Cable Seazed in Tilt Tube

Hi,
Thanks for the reply. Yeah i thought it might have been that nut to remove... i will have to give that a go and see how if i free's up. I heard a lot of Mercury motors do this.
Quick question, you said "Using a phillps screwdriver put in the hole where the steering arm was try turning the cable to get the penatrant into the tube" Are we talking about where in picture #2, i put a red circle around it? Cause that end bit spins freely. Is it meant to spin freely? It is about half an inch long. What is the main reason to remove the zerk? I thought the grease nipple had nothing to do with the steering (just from reading other blogs)
Saul
 

oldman570

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Mar 25, 2011
Messages
1,615
Re: Mercury Steering Cable Seazed in Tilt Tube

Yes , That is where I said to put the screwdriver, but as you have found out, the end dose move as some steering cables do. Older ones will get bound up at times from the old grease and set up and cause the cable not to move. By removing the zerk and spraying the penatrant in that hole it helps lossen it at times if not to bad. On most steering cables it is recommened to have the motor turned all the way one direction anytime you grease the steering tube as there is a possiablty of the grease causing a hydrolic block and the cable will not move sometines.
With it as you state, if the penatrant dose not work about the only other way to maybe get the cable to move is to heat the tube so it will expand and get the grease to thin out and try to move the cable. If you get it out, then clean everything up as I stated and reassemable. Make sure that the sealing nuts on the tube have been removed before heating the tube so no damage will happen to the seals from the heat. JMO
Oldman570
 
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Messages
18
Re: Mercury Steering Cable Seazed in Tilt Tube

luckily i found this thread before i went out and buy one for my merc 50.

had the same problem seized on me during the winter days, just got the day off and decided to tinker with it. now it turns and steers like butter.
 

sauloz

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Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Messages
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Re: Mercury Steering Cable Seazed in Tilt Tube

Hey Oldman570,

Ok so little but not much progress. From the first photo you can see i have unscrewed #1 from #2 and the steering rod/cable comes out... BUT in photo 2 it shows the other end still in the same position. Is the rod in #2 meant to move all the way through the tilt tube and out the end?? how can i loosen it up more? should that rod in photo #1 be able to move all the way out to that position while it hasnt moved in photo #2?photo 2 (1).jpgphoto 3.jpg
 

sauloz

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Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Messages
4
Re: Mercury Steering Cable Seazed in Tilt Tube

luckily i found this thread before i went out and buy one for my merc 50.

had the same problem seized on me during the winter days, just got the day off and decided to tinker with it. now it turns and steers like butter.

How did you fix it junkiemonkie?? same way oldman570 has said?
 

oldman570

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Mar 25, 2011
Messages
1,615
Re: Mercury Steering Cable Seazed in Tilt Tube

The rod you are showing is correct on both counts.The casing of the cable moves because the steering wheel has turned when you pulled it from the tilt tube and is normal. You need to keep soaking it with PB Blaster and trying to work it ater it has set and soaked into the tube some. You can use a piece of hardwood on the end of the shaft, to keep from deforming the shaft,and hit it with a hammer or use a rubber malett. This will jar the shaft and help the blaster penatrate the grease in the tube. It will lossen up given time.
Never use anything on the shaft to try to turn/rotate the shaft that will damage the surface of it.You can heat the tube on the exposed end with a propane torch and it will help the grease to soften up some also. Do not get it real hot as you can damage the threads of the tube. Keep trying and it will brake loose . Takes time and patiance. JMO
Oldman570
 
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Messages
18
Re: Mercury Steering Cable Seazed in Tilt Tube

i did exactly what oldman570 said. i removed nut number 1 in the first picture of the first post and removed the nut that connects the connecting rod to the steering cable. once i was able to remove nut 1, the end slid right out i was able to move the rod in and out of the tilt while moving it back and forth i just sprayed wd40, after that was done i reconnected nut 1 and put the connecting rod back in the steering cable and used my steering wheel to move it and it freed the inner one out. once the inner one was out i steered the motor till the steering cable count extend anymore. then i removed nut number 1 and that exposed the inner tube to the steering sprayed wd40 on that section. when that was done i just regreased everything and it worked perfectly fine and steers smooth.
 
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Messages
18
Re: Mercury Steering Cable Seazed in Tilt Tube

i guess mines wasnt that seized probably just ran out of grease when i cleaned it before the winter time.
 

healey_bruno

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Joined
Jul 22, 2014
Messages
1
Hi, I have almost the same motor. 60 HP. Everything is ok with my steering. I own the boat for 5 years and I never had any problem with my steering. But I think there is a grease leak. Here is a picture. I have to clean this mess almost every month. Does anybody know why or is it normal? What can I do about it? Thank you.
 
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