Removing Steering Cable

[MarshMarlowe]

1997 Yamaha C90TLRV

The steering cable in my boat appears to be all but frozen in the tilt tube of my engine. The old Safe-T helm is also stripped. I plan to replace the helm with an NFB unit. The PO of the boat stated the cable had been replaced not too long ago. I've disconnected the steering arm, and the motor turns freely.

I did a search on the net and found a fair number of threads about corrosion build up in the tilt tube of this engine that was causing stiff steering. The cable in the boat now is bone dry; no grease whatsoever, so corrosion in the tilt tube seems likely. I will have use of an engine hoist this weekend so I'm going to try to pull this cable. I'm hoping the cable is good so I wont have to run another one, but I have a replacement cable on hand if it comes to that.

So, my questions are - what should I do to prep the engine for pulling the cable? Would penetrating spray be helpful? I've read that inserting a pipe plug in the steering arm slot of the cable will prevent the cable from mushrooming when trying to beat it out of the tilt tube. Any other tips on the removal process? When I do get the cable out, what's the best way to thoroughly clean out the corrosion in the tilt tube before reinstalling the cable?

Thanks!

[throrope]

When mine frooze, I disconnected the link at the cable, tapped it back into the tube with a rubber mallet and wood block and used a 3/8" socket to drive it out from there. I then cleaned the tube like a zhotgun barrell and renewed all grease. If it won't go from there, I suggest pennetrating oil over night or week and another go. Then off to the shop.

The year I again found it stuck, but just at the end. The first movement was enough to enable lubrication. Moving forward I'll add a fall lube before putting away for winter.

I found a good video by sierra on annual steering maintenance.

[dngharvey]

Been there, done that. You can add some future insurence by adding a lube nut on the arm where it exits the tilt tube. It has a grease fitting and a seal to help hold lubrication in. Found mine on e bay. Wish I could remember what it's called, maybe someone on here has a better memory?

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Been there, done that. You can add some future insurence by adding a lube nut on the arm where it exits the tilt tube. It has a grease fitting and a seal to help hold lubrication in. Found mine on e bay. Wish I could remember what it's called, maybe someone on here has a better memory?

+1 ^^^ Big time..

Steersman Steering Cable Grease Guard 7/8" Aluminum

Put that on the tilt shaft with the new cable, keep it greased, it'll be the last cable you ever change. Water gets in there and it likes to seize up. My steering cable is 18 years old now (salt water use) and still smooth as silk..

[MarshMarlowe]

I just want to say about it you before doing any thing else you should have complete information about it which you want to do Because some time we had not proper knowledge about what we want to do. Hope you understand what i want to say. I have face a big issue with my ... in past.

Not quite sure what you're trying to say.. I want to remove the steering cable.. completely..

?

I do have a Steersmans nut on the tilt tube already:



Problem is that it doesn't seem like the PO ever applied any grease here

I really appreciate the tips guys. Hopefully I'll have this fixed this weekend.

[TownsendsFJR1300]

I do have a Steersmans nut on the tilt tube already:

Problem is that it doesn't seem like the PO ever applied any grease here

I really appreciate the tips guys. Hopefully I'll have this fixed this weekend.

You sure do have a Steersman nut but as noted, W/O grease, its useless.

"what should I do to prep the engine for pulling the cable? Would penetrating spray be helpful? I've read that inserting a pipe plug in the steering arm slot of the cable will prevent the cable from mushrooming when trying to beat it out of the tilt tube. Any other tips on the removal process? When I do get the cable out, what's the best way to thoroughly clean out the corrosion in the tilt tube before reinstalling the cable?"


Obviously remove the greaseable nut, linkage and the retainer off the other end.

Depending on your transom design, you may or may not have enough room to insert the new cable. (IE, the engine may need to be loosened so the cable will clear the transom).

My prior boat, the steering seized up like yours.

Lots of penetrating oil (not WD40) and using a block of wood and smacking the frozen part BACK AND FORTH is the key. A little bit of movement will eventually turn into a lot of movement.

Should you need to, use a cut off wheel (sawzall may work) and cut the cable off. Now you can smack the other end of the cable (with penetrating oil) back and forth. Slow and steady...


Once its out, a shot gun cleaning bristle and wand should remove most of the debris/rust inside. Some brake cleaner won't hurt either... Lots of Yamaha waterproof marine grease when assembling..

[MarshMarlowe]

Alright, so a buddy and I tackled this job over the weekend. The steering cable did its best to stay in the tilt tube, but we cut it and tapped it out. I had ordered a cylinder hone brush, but it never came in so I used a shotgun cleaning brush. After cleaning as much as it was going to make a difference, I inspected the inside of the tilt tube and saw there was still a fair amount of pitting.

We loaded up the tilt tube with grease until it was literally dripping out, and still had a hard time inserting the new steering cable. I connected the engine steering arm to cable, and tried moving the outboard back and forth by hand. Very difficult. After connecting the cable to the helm and working the steering cable back and forth, it seemed to free up a bit, but it's still tighter than it should be.

The steering is totally useable right now; it only feels slightly tighter than what you'd expect with an NFB helm, but I know it's not right so I'm considering removing the old tilt tube and replacing it with an SS tilt tube. Anyone have any experience with this project?

On a positive note, I was finally able to a water test with the boat. I'd only seen the engine idle when I bought the rig. To my relief, the engine runs great under a load and spins all the way to 5300RPMs without a hiccup. It's been several years since I've owned a 2 stroke, so it took some getting used to the noise and vibration, but I'm happy

Thanks!

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Glad you got it out, they can be a pain.

I can't help with swapping that tube out, never did one. Either a shop manual or someone else is going to have to chime in.

I've found looking up the parts fisch (above in red; "Purchase Yamaha Parts), for your engine, with the parts break down, often helps in figuring out the assembly of certain parts, etc..


http://www.boats.net/parts/search/Ya...201/parts.html

[bajakeith]

froze steering cable

Since I don't have the patent for this I will tell ya some tried and true tricks...Ive done more than I could count and have a 1985 yamy 90hp "soaking"as I type....most str cables inter from the starboard side..so raise that side of the trailer to be the higher side as much as possible within reason...loosen the 1 1/4 alum. nut..now turn the helm so that outer sheave pushes away from tilt tube...get a can of "areokroil" (nothing else comes close) using the little red tube fill T/Tube with kro oil is what guys call it..and leave it for a few hrs...repeat,,repeat 2 or three days for really bad ones..now using wood blocks and a 5' 2+4 push the very end of str cable back to stb from the port side....almost always work...I recommend "tripleguard" greese and do not us the greasable aftermarket nut kit thing..per Telflex...yes it sounds good but dosnt help in the real world...just give a shot of "kro oil' and runs it tru its travel....for easy mantinace

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Good idea's and shortcut for replacing the tube.

I have to disagree strongly your last comment about the sealing/greasable nut. After I replaced the rusted steering cable (my old boat) , I found that style nut(different brand) and put it on.

I subsequently transferred it to my current boat which is a 1997, salt water/brackish water use. It gets a shot of yamaha grease after every use. It is still as smooth as in 1997. It keeps the salt water/water out, thus no rust.

I can see why Tele Flex would NOT recommend them. Cables would last 18 plus years.

In the real world, at least mine, my cables last 25+ years (including the old boat), and still works great. Should I get another boat, this fitting is coming off and going on the next one...

[99yam40]

There are stiff wire brushes of all different sizes made for cleaning heat exchanger tubes, kind of like the shotgun bore brush you were talking about, but stiffer.
I rigged one up with a 1/8" pipe extension or rod of some sort so it would reach all the way through the tube and stuck it in a heavy duty 1/2" drill motor, run it back and forth while turning from both sides with some lubrication to help break up the old grease and rust. it will loosen things up well, but you will never get rid of all the rust.

Then wrap some emery cloth around the brush and go at it again when all the grease is out of there, it will get you going for some time. But rust will grow again in there
Tube replacement is the only sure way to fix it and then make sure it does not start the rusting thing

[MarshMarlowe]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'll probably need them, as it seems likely I'll be pushing this steering cable out again...

I'm gonna try my luck one more time - anyone replaced the tilt tube on this motor before?

[bajakeith]

HI townsend

BTW as a master marine mechanic and marine electrican with over 35 years in the biz.....I can state that you like the guy that came up with that greaseable unit that I today am repairing two (2) stuck str rams.. do not understand the end of a steering cable....and btw please don't slander telfex..... that's just wrong....if you don't like telflex buy something else!! what your missing is that grease goes bad when in water after awhile and must be removed and replaced...simple fact of boats...have a great day sir..

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Bajakeith

BTW as a master marine mechanic and marine electrican with over 35 years in the biz.....I can state that you like the guy that came up with that greaseable unit that I today am repairing two (2) stuck str rams.. do not understand the end of a steering cable....and btw please don't slander telfex..... that's just wrong....if you don't like telflex buy something else!! what your missing is that grease goes bad when in water after awhile and must be removed and replaced...simple fact of boats...have a great day sir..

What I posted was my personal experiance.

When my last boats steering (not hydralic) seized up, I went thru the same thing the Op did but my tilt tube wasn't ruined. The innerds were rusted to heck, serious beating to get out the old cable(early 1990's). I am quite familiar with how the cable works. I've had mine apart as noted. It doesn't take a master mechanic to figure out how a steering cable works with all due respect..

I found that product and installed it with no further issues. On my current boat,(non-hydralic steering) since 1997, that unit HAS been on it as well as the ORIGINAL CABLE.

As noted earlier, it gets a squeeze of Yamaha Waterproof Marine (tilt tube and piviot as well) usually every time I comes in(with a grease gun.


I did NOT slander tele-flex, that's probably the cable on there now, still working too. Their a great company, probably the largest and best known. I wouldn't hesitate to purchase from them if need be.

Your issues (repairing two currently), could they be from the owners lack of maintainance? Lube it once every 3 years? Of course its going to goo up just from the old grease. (I can't see your current work projects and can't see specificially what the issue is).

With MAINTAINANCE, greasing it regularly, mine has worked fine, actually like new, SINCE 1997. I have NEVER pulled the steering apart on this boat, EVER. And the greasable nut has been on it since NEW, 1997, 18 years.

If its maintained, IME, it does indeed work great.. Anything mechainical (marine/automotive, motorcycles, etc), not maintained, serviced, etc will have issues.

I stand by my above statement and simply shared my experiance..

[bajakeith]

Thats a fair reply !!

And you are correct about a regular shot of grease or a good oil (not WD) goes a long way.. That's exactly what I tell my guys daily.. " in the saltwater,,oil is your best friend) also "saltaway is good snake oil"...LOL.. BTW, your primer bulb is installed incorrectly...arrow facing the motor of course but and also the arrow should be facing UP..very,very often over looked small detail..fact.. take a primer bulb with out a hose on it and lay it sideways,,,sqeeze and before letting go put your finger over intake port,,,nothing Right ? now place the arrow facing up and try the same thing....boats are like women and fish..all men love um,,but few understand them...Tight lines & good sea's to ya mate !! Keith & The famous lil Tasha