Re: Steering Rack (how do i get it OUT!!!!!)
I think this model has the Teleflex through the tilt tube, if so, I can help you because I just got mine out this last weekend. Learn from my mistakes:
First check to see that there are no serious bends in the cable, the minimum bend radius i think is 9" on some cables and 4" on others. If you find one, see if you can't straighten it out and see if your steering improves.
Otherwise your steering cable probably needs replaced. Over time, the grease and gunk hardens up in the tube (which is sealed) and you can't keep it greased up internally to stop this. On the starboard side (drivers side) unscrew the large hex nut that screws to the end of the tilt tube. With this released, you can do some determination to figure out how bad your steering cable is. Turn your steering wheel in both directions and determine if its much easier (youll see the cable moving in and out of the tilt tube) or if its about the same.
The next thing is where I made my mistake. I tried to take a ball peen hammer to the steering cable from the port side after disconnecting the steering linkage to get the thing out. Hardened, dried out grease makes for a nasty glue to hold in the cable. Don't do this all the way. Once you hit it a few times, there is no saving this cable because it will mushroom out and not make it through the tilt tube to the other side. What I ended up doing was hitting it about an inch or two out the other side so I could gain access to the metal cylinder portion of the steering cable. Next take a hacksaw to the starboard side of the cable that you just pushed out and cut it clean and perpendicular to the way the cable is going through the motor.
Now you have to knock the portion through the tilt tube very easily. And by easily I mean take a 3lb hammer to it, knock it flush, and take a metal rod (little under 1/2") and use it to push the cable through the tilt tube. Make sure you hit against it straight so you don't destroy the inside of the tilt tube or crack it like I did mine. A few good things to help in this are to put a jack underneath of the motor and jack it up slightly to relieve some pressure from the tilt tube, use plenty of WD-40, PB Blaster, whatever your favorite rust eating solution is, and to give it time to soak through. If you don't have enough room to make good contact with the metal rod your using to push it through, unbolt the motor and move it down the transom to give you some clearance. Just remember that you've got 9" or so worth of metal that needs to stick out to get it through.
Keep at this till you get it moving, it will get tough in points depending on the accuracy of your hits, the amount of built up grease, etc.
While you're working on this, order a new teleflex QC T-trim cable from amazon, ebay, iboats, wherever. If you look on the jacked of the steering cable, there should be markings with the correct length you need. Otherwise, you will need to measure it yourself following the measuring diagrams from
http://teleflexmarine.com
When you get the old cable out and prep to install the new one, make sure you clean out the tilt tube very very well. You need to clean it right before you put in the new cable or you will get surface rust in there from exposing damaged metal from the removal. I highly recommend going to wal-mart, getting a 12 gauge shotgun cleaning brush, some shotgun cleaning pads, and if you need one, the rod to push through with an adapter for cleaning patches. I just picked up a kit from Winchester at Wal-Mart with everything I needed for about 7 bucks. When you're cleaning it, liberally use some WD-40. When you're done, grease the tube and push your new steering cable through and you should be good!
