not able to steer

[mrbadfish]

Ok, I dont think it matters that its an evinrude in this case, but anyhow, my boat has been sitting for about 3 months now, and I made the repairs it has been needing. I have had a problem with the steering arm/cable getting sticky when it sits for a while, so i lubed up the arm, and slowly started working the wheel back and forth to work in the grease. I have had this problem before, but it never stays stuck. A little heat and added lube combined with some jiggling, wheel turning and hammer tapping usually frees her up. However, this is not the case this time. It always seems as tho the trouble lies with turning the wheel counter clockwise, as to make a left turn, which causes the arm to go "in". I turned the wheel all the way to the right, exposing as much of the arm as possible, slathered it up with grease and inched it back and forth, further each time, untill it got stuck. I finally fixed the problems that were previously keeping me off the water, now this silly predicament is keeping me dry. It seems like it never ends!!!!:'( I have tried everthing that usually works, any suggestions?? I even heated it more than usual, and introduced grease via the grease gun recievers for this situation. I also tried turning it by grabbing the engine itself, standing outside the boat and trying to jolt it free. HELPPP!!!!!

"stuck",
mrbadfish:|

 

[F_R]

Re: not able to steer

I hate that job, once the cable has grown fast in the tube. The cure should have been applied a long time ago. You have to get the cable out and clean the rust out of the tube. If you have to remove the motor from the boat to get the cable out, so be it. I have a 5/8" reamer that I run through the tube. They also make a wire brush specially for that job. The grease fittings only lube the tilt, not the cable. There are a very few cables out there that have a zerk though.

 

[mrbadfish]

Re: not able to steer

Ok so I got it unstuck, but the last 3-4 inches are still very rough, cant get it to go in all the way. Do u still think its rust? what moves, moves very fluidly.

 

[wilde1j]

Re: not able to steer

Just replace the cable and be done with it. Install a third party seal with grease fitting to keep the salt out and you're done. BTW, DON'T overgrease (you can get a hydraulic lock deal which isn't readily corrected).

 

[F_R]

Re: not able to steer

Lets just say the tilt tubes are notorious for rusting inside. If it isn't rust, then the cable is probably bent. Either way, you gotta get it out of there and clean it up and relube it. That's required maintenance that has been neglected and why it keeps locking up for you. Someday it will be so bad you can't get it apart if you don't do the maint.