Normally check and turn the steering a few times during the winter months, but fail to this winter and now the tilt tube is stuck. Anyone got any tips on how to free it up, how hard can you hit it with a hammer etc!
crzyhrse,
Dec 4, 9:06pm
Don't hit it with a hammer. The shock travels up to the steering wheel if it dislodges.
Detach the outer from the tilt tube and the connection from the outboard arm, turn the steering wheel to gain clearance and expose the innner and go mental with WD-40. Then, and only then, should you even begin to consider giving it a belt.
rsr72,
Dec 4, 9:33pm
They're a bugger. It's a wonder the world's collective marine technologycan't invent an outboard steering so simple that it doesn't freeze up, and can be efficiently lubricated without all the grease only squirting out the pivot hinge instead of properly lubricating the tube.
crzyhrse,
Dec 4, 9:51pm
They are a shocking design, but cheap. I made an adaptor to lubricate the inner of the tilt tube from the cable back forcing moisture out. I also fitted grease nipples to lubricate the tilt tube itself inside the castings.
rsr72,
Dec 4, 9:57pm
Seems to me that there ought to be machined shallow grooves on the rod and on the inside of the tube itself to allow grease to properly lubricate it all. No freezing up then.
fryan1962,
Dec 4, 10:02pm
I like the don't hit with hammer too, it is a matter of getting things moving again
wd40 is based on fish oil I read before yeah salt water is nasty stuff make sure it is washed off after your trips dried then wd40 or crc my steering cable stuff replaced rollers and gave good squirt with wd40
just work away at it
rsr72,
Dec 4, 10:28pm
I'm about to toss out my tinnie cable steering and fit a hydraulic system. Fed up with the cable/wheel freeplay and seizing of a nearly new setup.
crzyhrse,
Dec 4, 10:33pm
You should simply maintain it.
rsr72,
Dec 4, 10:56pm
It still tightens up no matter what, and, it's near-new and properly maintained. As you yourself said, they're mostly a lousy design.
crzyhrse,
Dec 4, 11:01pm
But even as the lousy design they can still be maintained - it just requires a little more effort.
fryan1962,
Dec 5, 12:07am
The tinnie cable set up is kiss system and I like that
rsr72,
Dec 5, 12:09am
#10 - My one is, of course,
whqqsh,
Dec 5, 12:32am
I've freed up a few stuck ones, heaps of CRC & blast it up the line with an air gun, let it sit for a few days repeating the process & giving it a few tugs & pushes as well
alan1111,
Dec 5, 3:42am
Took me hours to free up mine. Mine was seized where the cable mounts through the motor. Once i undid the chome rod the motor swung freely so i thought was the cable too. But when i got the cable away from motor it was not cable at all. it was where it mounts onto motor. I used a rifle clean kit and spent a few hours moving in and out of tube kept sparaying with crc wd40 all sorts of crap. When reassembled used a anti seize agent. Been about 2 months now with no problem. I walk past boat daily and turn the helm to make sure .
skin1235,
Dec 5, 4:03am
have heard some have had luck with a few jugs of boiling water, pour it slowly over all cables you can access, softens the grease, the trick is to pour it slowly so the heat soaks through to the grease
icemans1,
Dec 5, 6:25am
rope and pulley steering never seizes
fryan1962,
Dec 5, 11:36am
pulleys do seize but maintenance is the key
elect70,
Dec 5, 7:43pm
Yepheaps of WD 40 dissconnect & hang it up for few daysthe refit &work it free . Got same on freindsoutboardthat hasnt been used for5 years, all the remotescables are jammed up , &gear linkage&motor, althoughhe got that free withcopiusWD40 .luckily it has old fashionedrope steering.
icemans1,
Dec 5, 8:36pm
not as often as cable steering seizing
crzyhrse,
Dec 5, 8:40pm
Neither ever seize if maintained.
newtec1,
Dec 6, 2:37am
If you can saturate the inner with diesel and let it stand for a day, that should losen any rust and free it up without too much labour,when it is free rinse it out and use copious amounts of oil or grease.
ceebee2,
Dec 6, 9:16pm
Hey Crazyh, have you got some pics to show us m8
dave5001,
May 12, 8:57am
Cheers for everyone's input. It is the outer tube that is stuck, the inner moves freely when the nut is undone. Hope to get down and dirty with it this weekend.
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