steering issue

[pjhmth2000]

I have a 1987 mariner 135 outboard with the typical teleflex steering. The motor is in full tilt position with the trailer lift lever up. I can not turn the motor from side to side either manually or by the steering wheel. Last week I had to manually tilt my motor up as the bracket for the trim pump/motor broke. Would this "bind" the steering in any way? If not what else do I check?

 

[almost retired again]

Re: steering issue

pjhmth2000;<br />I'll try to help,first you have to determine what is binding. Disconnect the steering cable from the engine then try to turn your steering wheel, if the cable goes in and out at this point it's your engine binding. If not the cable could be stuck in the steering tube, if it is un-screw the nut on the starboard side and remove the cable ,clean the tube, grease the end of the cable and reinstall.<br />let me know how it works out

 

[pjhmth2000]

Re: steering issue

Excellent....I'll do it tomorrow...What if it's the engine? What could be causing that? Could it be the trim motor? Basically it has detached from it's mounting point (the silver pump is visible)

 

[pjhmth2000]

Re: steering issue

I've disconnected the cable nut at the outboard.. Started banging end of cable through tilt tube...reached a point where it will not move any more. I've disconnected helm end of cable also. Should I try to cut end of cable near nut or pull cable out through transom and continue banging? My thought is that due to the rigidness of this cable that it has "nowhere" to go. Any ideas? I don't think the tube is bent at this point. I've already tried the wd40 thing. How can you cut this cable anyways?

 

[DJ]

Re: steering issue

You'll need a hacksaw to cut it. Don't give up on it yet. Give the cable some room and try to get it out of the motor tilt tube. Once out, you'll know whether its the cable or the engine binding. If it's the cable-replace it. If it's the engine, you'll need to clean everything up with solvent and service the grease fittings.

 

[Trent]

Re: steering issue

As Djohns said...Remove the cable and get a tilt tube hone..Its a brush made for this and clean it out good before installing a new cable.

 

[pjhmth2000]

Re: steering issue

Ok here's my next stupide question. Where does the actual cable end? I've seen the part with the hole to fasten to the outboard steering linkage...from the steering cable nut to the end is this all one piece? It looks like I see a similar covered sleeve area..is this sleeve part of the tilt tube that slips over the cable end?<br />Or is this part of the cable itself. The cable is really stuck in the tilt tube as now the tube is portruding out of the port side of the motor

 

[DJ]

Re: steering issue

The cable ends at the small hole protruding out the opposite side of the engine. As you described, there is a steering arm attached to it.

 

[pjhmth2000]

Re: steering issue

So there is no sleeve going over the cable?<br />Basically just the tilt tube and the cable just takes up the slack in it's own casing?

 

[DJ]

Re: steering issue

PJ,<br /><br />The cable is held at one end by the nut. The other end goes through the tilt tube and exits ususally through a rubber bushing.<br /><br />To get an idea of what a new cable looks like, go to one of the cable nmanufacturers websites and have a look. The big names are: Teleflex and Morse.