replacing tilt tube

[mikeyzx2]

hey ya'll I was fooling around with the steering on my boat, the steering rod slides free when turned to the right but jams up when turning left, about halfway straight and full left. I reckon first thing I gotta do is beat that rod back through, but after that comes getting the tube out or hopefull if all is not lost cleaning it up. From what I've gathered I'm gonna have to get that motor loose from the boat in order to get to the tube. Is that the case or is there any alternative?

 

[Walker]

Re: replacing tilt tube

If you can get the steering rod out I've had good luck cleaning the tube with a 12ga. cleaning brush on one section of cleaning rod. Chuck it up in a drill and don't spare the WD40. Then flush it with aerosol carb cleaner with the straw.

 

[lowbud]

Re: replacing tilt tube

You can clean up the inside of the tube without removing it.<br /><br />Make sure you use plenty of Never-Seize when putting the rod back in for the season. Recommended to remove, clean up, and re-apply every year. <br /><br />If the rod is stuck, rock back and forth lightly, and try to spin. Knocking it on the end does not work well if it is very stuck.

 

[angus63]

Re: replacing tilt tube

Her's how I did mine. First , I pushed a few rags thru with a broom stick to remove most of the grease (soaked the last one with solvent). Then I fastened a scotchbright pad to the stick and worked out most of the gunk. Finally I used a cheap ball hone and ran it in either side till it looked good to me. Cleaned up the rod, loaded the tube with tripleguard grease, and no issues for 7 yrs now.

 

[mikeyzx2]

Re: replacing tilt tube

well I tried to get the rod out to no avail. this is what it's like: I unbolted the steering link from the rod and it starts to bind up right about 2-3 inches from the tilt tube. from there it gets stuck and I almost got it all the way through but it reached a point where it got a little tough and I didn't want to mess up anything or worse not be able to get the rod back in. when I got it back through (it took a little work) I can see where it's wearing, it's on the side of rod facing towards boat, like it must be bent or something. is there any way I can get the end off the rod or does it have to go through back through the tube? or better yet should I just cut the rod off as much as I can and then just replace the steering cable? I'm not totally desperate but I would like to have full steering back on boat. <br /><br />Mike

 

[Walker]

Re: replacing tilt tube

If the rod is bent you're pretty much resigned to get a new cable.

 

[mikeyzx2]

Re: replacing tilt tube

well yeah I firgured if the rod's bent then it's time to replace. now, that rod does come as part of the cable right? are the cables all designed the same or are they different? I'll do some snooping this afternoon maybe I can find a reasonable deal on one.

 

[mikeyzx2]

Re: replacing tilt tube

UPDATE.....I went and measured the boat per Teleflex's illustration and came up with needing a 14 foot cable. I tried to make out some sort of numbers on the cable where it comes out the back and the best I can tell the only number I can make out is a "12". Now what kind of difference am I looking at between a 12 foot and 14 foot cable, other than just being longer?

 

[mikeyzx2]

Re: replacing tilt tube

bump

 

[OBJ]

Re: replacing tilt tube

If you measured exactly as the teleflex illustration shows and followed the teleflex instructions, go with what you measured Mike....the 12 could be part of the PN of the cable. One package I found in iboats store is PN ss14712, Here's the link...<br /><br /> http://www.iboats.com/mall/index.cg...eywords=steering+cable&submit.x=20&submit.y=7 <br /><br />The got pretty good package prices there... Anyway....don't know how old the steering cable is or even if it's a teleflex....could be a DetMar....Morse was usually red. Go with what you measured anyways.

 

[mikeyzx2]

Re: replacing tilt tube

OBJ, it is a old Teleflex I could barely see the name on it. What was interesting was the steering got jammed a while back and we busted the small gear in the steering box. We got lucky though cause it had a spare box not being used, which I reckon is for a dual steering setup. Thanks too, you and everyone that's given me feedback have been a HUGE help. Now the fun part will begin once I get the new steering stuff and it gets here!

 

[mikeyzx2]

Re: replacing tilt tube

alright time for update......<br /><br />I got my new Teleflex setup today, with a free steering wheel <br />I cut the end off old cable since I couldn't get it back through tube. No prob it slid right out and I looked up in the tube and it don't look bad. Anyways I think I narrowed it down the the tube, if I slide the rod through the port side of tube it goes most the way through before binding. If I slide it in through the input side it goes in about to the first grease fitting and binds so looks like the tube's croaked. I noticed the little plastic sleeve is out of the pivot and the motor seems to have a little bit of play right there so I reckon it's time to hoist the motor and tinker with it and replace that dadgum tube. Oh what a day!.....