Frozen Steering (Tilt Tube)

[FranksMerc]

I have a Mercury 115 HP, 1994, with a steering cable that goes through the tilt tube. My steering is "froze" and all indications<br />(I removed the linkage connecting bolt and have some movement of the linkage arm when I turn the when I try to turn the wheel)<br />lead to the conclusion that the cable is stuck in the tilt tube.<br />Is there a good way to determine if it is the tilt tube holding up the cable and the procedure for freeing the cable? Thanks in advance.

 

[ob]

Re: Frozen Steering (Tilt Tube)

Disconnect the compression nut on the opposite side as the l9inkage bolt.This will allow complete removal of rod once freed.Use plenty of penterating oil and some care back and forth coaxing with a hammer and a piece of wood.Don7t ram it to tight before coaxing in the other direction.Once it is flush with the tilt tube ,you'll need to use a drift rod of smaller diameter to finish the job of knocking it through the tube.Be careful not to hit so hard as to mushroom the end of the steering shaft.Again ....plenty of pentetrating oil and back and forth coaxing unitl it feels free enough to drive through.Once removed ..if you get to that point...a suitable sized bore brush and solvent will work to clean the crud out of the tube.Then flush out the tube and wipe the bore with a gun kit swab or similar setup..lube the bore of the tube and the steering shaft before reassembly.If the shaft is excessively pitted ..you may need to install a new steering cable .

 

[FranksMerc]

Re: Frozen Steering (Tilt Tube)

Thanks for your reply! Just so I understand what you said;<br />The compression nut is the cable attaching nut and once removed the cable, if not stuck, will remove from the tilt tube?<br />Pull the cable out, with gentle prying, and clean the tilt tube with solvent etc..<br />Inspect the cable for excessive damage and replace if necessary.<br />I also think I need to replace the seal in the tilt tube nut on the lingage side. Any recommendations for that?<br />Thanks again!

 

[MrWick]

Re: Frozen Steering (Tilt Tube)

Chances are pretty good its not the stuck in the tilt tube but the cable is froze up inside the cable itself,somewhere between the steering wheel and the motor.I had the same problem and it was in the cable itself.I could barely turn the steering wheel,replaced the cable and now its like no resistance at all.

 

[FranksMerc]

Re: Frozen Steering (Tilt Tube)

I remove the compression nut and tried to tap/hammer the extended steering arm back through the tilt tube. Its difficult since the transom gets in the way of a good blow with a mallet. <br />I sprayed some lubricant in the tilt tube and am waiting to see if that might help to loosen the arm. My question - Is there a way to tell if the tilt tube is stuck or the cable is stuck?<br />And if it is the cable I would still have to free the tilt tube problem before changing anyway.

 

[MrWick]

Re: Frozen Steering (Tilt Tube)

I had to hacksaw the shaft end of the steering cable off because the whole thing wouldn't come out of the tilt tube plus there was not enough room between the engine and the side of the motor well(Checkmate boat)to get the thing apart even if it had not been froze up.I had to unbolt the engine with a engine hoist attached,with a lift ring in the flywheel and move the motor to the port side of the boat to give me enough room to install the new cable.FYI the tilt tube was so bad on the inside that it had to be replaced also.It was not that bad and I had never replaced one before<cable or tilt tube.

 

[MrWick]

Re: Frozen Steering (Tilt Tube)

I had to file the rough edge of the steering cable so I could pull what was left back through the tilt tube.I also hacksawed the steering cable in two right before the mounting nut to prove it was in fact a bad cable.I could not move the cable inside the jacket with a hammer.There is no way to lube the cable except for the very end.

 

[FranksMerc]

Re: Frozen Steering (Tilt Tube)

Thanks for your replies. I made some progress and actually got the mechanism to move. There is still some stiff resistence even the steering now works and is not "froze", so I think I will have to replace the cable or entire system anyway, unless I can work it so its not so tough to turn.<br />What a pain in the butt! <br />To change the cable I take it you remove the rack and connect the end of the new cable to the old one and pull in through like a fish finder cable.<br />Thanks again All.....

 

[newtonjw]

Frozen Steering

Frozen Steering

I have a Sunbird with a Evinrude 115 1993. The steering is stuck. After we loosen the steering cable nut, I do not see what I would call a steering cable - it is a stainless steel rod that fits into the tilt tube. The steering rod moves in and out of the tilt tube when we turn the steering wheel. When we remove the nut that attaches the steering ram to the L shaped rod and separate the 2 rods, we can move the motor manually back and forth. We finally worked the steering ram further towards the starboard side by hammering and using PB Buster; however, we couldn't get it to go any further, and we cannot get the steering rod out because it is too close to the boat, and the rod is too long. We have not yet been able to remove the nuts on either side of the tilt tube.

How do we get the steering rod out of the boat if there is no room to pull it out? If we get the nuts off, will that allow us to get the steering cable out? Do we need to keep pushing the steering ram all the way through to clean out the tilt tube? But only after we get the steering rod out? How can we tell if the steering cable/rod itself is bad? If we cut off this steering rod, how do we get a new one back in?

Please help! We don't know what to do! Thanks! Janet