How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

[Don S]

Re: How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

If the ram will rotate freely inside the tilt tube then how can it be frozen and why will the wheel not turn?

The helm unit itself or the steering cable is froze up! It happens.

 

[louiefl]

Re: How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

Think of the steering cable like a brake cable on a bicycle. The outside sleeve is just a spacer and does not move. The inner cable slides back and forth inside the sleeve when you press the brake lever. Same goes for the boat steering as the inner cable slides in and out of the outer sleeve. The ram with the flat is attached to the internal spiral wound cable and the outer sleeve is a spacer. If you rotate the ram and the outer sleeve rotates then the inner cable is frozen inside the outer sleeve.

I would also stop trying to use the steering wheel to break it free as you may end up breaking something inside the helm. Disconnect the cable from the helm and see if the wheel rotates freely.

 

[emoney]

Re: How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

Once it's disconnect from the helm, try and push it through back at the motor. If it still won't move, then your corrosion is still in the center of the tilt tube. Apply more heat, add more PB blaster and see what happens. Not to nag, but be careful not to mushrom that port side of the cable or you'll be cutting diamonds, so-to-speak.

 

[cotaone]

Re: How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

Emoney, are you saying that after disconnecting the cable from the helm I can try to tap the ram through even though the big steering cable nut is still frozen on the threads of the tilt tube?

 

[cotaone]

Re: How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

Don S, I will try disconnecting the cable from the helm and see if the steering wheel turns freely. If it does, can I assume I need to replace the cable and rack?

 

[emoney]

Re: How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

Not the rack, just the cable. Make sure to look at the teeth on the rack and check that you've not "rounded them over" in the process of trying to get it unstuck. The cable is about $100.

Should just be 4 bolts on top holding the long "bar end" of the cable to the helm, assuming it's a rack.

 

[cotaone]

Re: How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

Emoney, did I understand that you can tap the ram backwards through the tilt tube even if the big nut is still stuck?

 

[emoney]

Re: How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

If it's loose at the helm you can try it. Are you saying the chrome nut is stuck, the one on the cable on starboard side? It won't turn at all?

 

[cotaone]

Re: How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

Yeah emoney, the chrome nut, what I've been calling the big steering cable nut, is the one that I've been heating and tapping and trying to loosen with vice grips. It won't budge. The chrome nut is the one that's seized to the threads of the tilt tube. That's why I was asking if you could tap the port end of the ram even if the chrom nut is stuck.

 

[cotaone]

Re: How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

Ok, I have an idea that I'd like to throw out there and see what you guys think. Since I can't get the chrome steering cable nut to budge no matter what I do, but I still want to get some blaster PB into it, what if I were to either drill some small holes into the nut and get blaster PB inside the nut that way, or take my grinder and a thin cutting wheel and actually cut a notch lengthways into the nut down to the threads? I have to get the seized cable nut off the tilt tube threads whether I replace the steering cable or just clean out the tilt tube only.

 

[foodfisher]

Re: How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

Not knowing Johnsons, I'll offer this, are you sure it comes off? Could it be molded that way and just be there to have something to grab onto to remove the other end? Have you consulted the Johnson forum?

 

[emoney]

Re: How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

FF's got a great point.

Cotaone, you should ask in the Johnson forum, like FF said. Are you sure that nut is not "at the end"? I'm thinking it would still move a lil if it was, but... Also, does the cable try to turn with it when you crank down on it? Any close-up pictures so we can see the cable/nut?

Make sure you post what year the motor is too. Should be a plate on it somewhere.

 

[cotaone]

Re: How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

The nut is at the end of the threads of the tilt tube. I took some pics this morning. It's a 1990 Johnson 120. And the cable does turn when I crank down on the chrome nut, and so does the ram on the port side.

 

[foodfisher]

Re: How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

Looks like a nylock. Should be able to cut it down far enough (dremel) to split it (hammer and chisel).

 

[louiefl]

Re: How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

Chances are the cable is shot, so you could always cut it off just behing the nut and then spray into the tilt tube. Or you could support the engine, remnove the nut on the port side and remove the tilt tube / cable as one assembly and then try to get it off on the bench (or replace both).

Another idea is to tighten both nuts on the tilt tube and then while holding one nut, use a second wrench to loosen the cable nut.

If you try to cut the nut off, be prepared to buy a new tilt tube - just in case you screw up the threads by cuting too deep.

 

[cotaone]

Re: How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

Thanks for the ideas everybody. I think I'll take foodfisher's idea and cut it down, but not to split it. Just to get some Blaster PB into it with the hope that the cable is not shot. but if it is, then I'll replace it. Again, thanks

 

[cotaone]

Re: How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

Hey everybody, Just an update. I was able to remove the old teleflex steering cable without removing the motor, or even sliding it over, and I replaced it. After checking the old cable, the problem was that the end that goes into the tilt tube is supposed to be able to slide over the smaller diameter rod that's connected to the actual cable. It was either broken inside the steering cable sheath or just rusted and seized, but in either case it wouldn't budge. I can now turn the steering wheel with one finger with a little pressure. Hope this helps somebody else with stuck steering.

 

[jdlough]

Re: How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

catone, thanks for the follow thru on your success. Too many internet folks ask questions, get advice, fix their problem and don't tell everybody what worked!

We've learned two things:

1. If you want to remove an old steering cable to toss away, just cut it the heck up.

2. iboats member louiefl really can explain steering real good. Search louiefl for steering things.


Bonus thing for cataone and others. Take a bunch of pics. First a big wide angle pic of everything, even wider than you think you need, then (if you're technology capable) some circles or arrows to the problem areas. THEN pics of the close ups. If you post only extreme close ups, we're often at a loss as to what the heck we're looking at.

 

[louiefl]

Re: How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

I'm flattered, but my motivation was refusing to pay several hundred dollars for soemthing that didn't look too hard to do. I was faced with lots of obstacles and almost threw in the towel more than once. Glad I could help.

 

[emoney]

Re: How can you remove the steering cable without removing the motor?

A lot of us learn the hard way when it comes to "cutting the old cable", lol. Fought with mine for a full week before I gave in and cut that sucker. Could've saved a lot of time just doing it in the first place.

Now that you've got the new cable on, don't forget it. Annual maintenance is easy to do and will prevent all this stress in the future. Wipe off the old grease and apply new. 5 minute job.