Stuck Steering...

[michaelrdoyle@gmail.com]

Took the wife and boy out fishing this morning. Dropped the boat in. Engine started first go. Sweet. Steering stuck. Bugger.

So day stuffed, and can't seem to fix it. Any suggestions? A mobile mechanic I called (I'm down south at Crookhaven) reckon we would have to pull the whole lot out, new tube, and new steering cable. Which of course will take time. I wanna go fishing.

I've tried juggling the engine and the steering wheel - no good. Soaked it in inox, still no movement. Used a hammer and wood on the arm to knock it a few times. I can get it to move in a little bit, but can't get it to move out. The arm is fully inside the socket (motor was at full left turn), so there wasn't any place for it to move, and I can't get it to pull out.

Any suggestions? Brilliant ideas?

thanks

Mike

PS Quintrex boat, dirty Merc 60hp engine, cable steer, left in garage for a few months.

[pauljm]

Mate once they are siezed in my opinion its not worth trying to unsieze them as u will forever have trouble and its not worth the risk (esp. with family in boat) for less than $200 u can have a new cable and no worries.....they are not hard to install either.....not sure if its the one u need but there is one in swap and sell right now......good luck

[ORES]

Mate once they are siezed in my opinion its not worth trying to unsieze them as u will forever have trouble and its not worth the risk (esp. with family in boat) for less than $200 u can have a new cable and no worries.....they are not hard to install either.....not sure if its the one u need but there is one in swap and sell right now......good luck

Thanks for the plug Payatz.

Yes I own the steering and still have it If Mike doyle needs it he can have it for $150. And i can arrange postage for a small fee if he likes.

Cheers

[michaelrdoyle@gmail.com]

thanks guys. Looks like I will need a new steering cable - but need to check a few things. Plus, will source one locally (Am down the south coast), cause I wanna fix this ASAP. Down here the rest of the week, hoping to head out fishing at some point.

Could someone answer me this: Where the cable is attached into the arm, is that a permanent connection? Can I detach the cable, and pull the whole mechanism out of the motor, so I can work on it on the bench? Or is the arm part of the cable?

The reason I ask is that I seem to be able to move the mechanism through the motor, but the cable is restricting movement. It is hard to move.

BTW - I'm not talking about the whole tube (sorry for lack of correct terminology) that goes through the motor, which the motor pivots vertically on, which is held on by two big black nuts, one on each side. That is NOT the tube I am talking about!

thanks for the help.

Mike

[srxwat4]

Hi Mike ,

I have a Fishabout with one aluminium tube sliding inside the other and when it seized up I had to get a gas torch on to it and plenty of WD .Once it was free and cleaned up it worked like new.

[a boat]

Hi, easy to do-remove the drag link from end of steering cable. Then undo the cable nut from the starboard side of the tilt tube and then the engine should turn freely. Pull the steering cable out of the tilt tube (this is where it could get hard and need some persuasion) once out you can undo or unclip (depending on the style of steering) from the steering helm and pull out and inspect. If the cable is free, clean and regrease, clean the tilt tube and re-grease and re-install the steering cable. Depending on the brand of steering a new cable could cost about $150 depending on length, but if it say a ride guide the cable will cost alot more and cheaper to replace the complete system to the newer snap in cable.

Cheers,

Huey.