No drill bit please. Use a brush with brass bristles mounted on a drill bit extension (if necessary) and "buff" the tube. The gun department at any sporting goods store has gun cleaning brushes of various sizes.
It is a bit over 5/8" inside diameter for clearance to the steering part that slides through it, which is 5/8". There are steel brushes made for that job, probably available right here at iboats. The tube is hardened, and will kill your drill bit, so don't use that if you value the drill.
Yeah, I admit, I used a 5/8" reamer. Of course that was all it was good for after a few times through the tilt tubes. But we do what we have to do, don't we?
Mr Boobie and Mr FR. I also admit I had to do that once as well. Then, used my wire brush from my 20 gauge shotgun cleaning kit to finish it off...again on a slow speed electric drill along with PB blaster for lube. Sometimes a man has to do what he has to do. LOL.
