Servicing Teleflex steering cable

[reel-em-in]

Noted the mechanical (teleflex) steering on my boat is getting pretty tight and I am looking at trying to get some lubricant through the teleflex cable.

I have disconnected the push rod from the motor linkage and the outboard turns freely, however the nut that fastens the outboard end of the teleflex outer tube is seized onto the motor tilt tube, so I can't get oil in from that end. My other option is to disconnect from the helm and try to get oil in from that end. Before I do that I was hoping someone could tell me what problems I may experience in feeding the inner cable back through the helm. If it becomes too difficult I may just need to replace the quick connect cable and entice the seized nut off with some TLC.
All helpful advice appreciated

[BM]

Trade secret no.1 "Stuck steering"

Usually this can be freed by using a pair of multigrips on the steering shaft itself, just back from the endpiece that has the draglink bolted thorugh it. Rotate the grips a few times in a circular motion and the hold on the cable by the rust in the tilt tube will usually be broken.

From there you can go right hand down to lock, spray and clean the cable, then over to port lock and back to starboard lock, spray and clean and keep doing this till the shaft comes out clean.

This is going to buy you some time but to properly fix it you will need to remove the cable and run a 5/8 drill bit through the steering tube to clean out the rust and crud.

Cheers

[reel-em-in]

Thanks for that BM but its not the steering shart thats stiff its the actual flex cable within the outer casing thats causing the problem. Normally I would have undone the aluminium nut at the tilt tube end and lubricated the inner cable but as its badly ceased and corroded I think it will break if I try to undo it.

[BM]

How do you know its the inner cable????? Its usually the cable end (the stainless tube) that causes problems.

[Spaniard_King]

Reel em in,

BM, theory is correct %99 of the time when it comes to cable steering stiffness. I would be paying attention to his comments :D

[reel-em-in]

Thanks Guys,
I'll try BM's recommendations and see if I can fix the problem.

[BM]

Its about this time every year, reel-em-in, that the "help, my steering has seized" posts pop up on the boating forums across the country...

In fact I have to call on a customer tomorrow who's selling his boat presently and his steering has seized. I've told him we should be able to free it up but usually you get maybe 2 or 3 free ups max and the next time its new steering (about $450, including a new helm).

Cheers

[northernblue]

Its about this time every year, reel-em-in, that the "help, my steering has seized" posts pop up on the boating forums across the country...

In fact I have to call on a customer tomorrow who's selling his boat presently and his steering has seized. I've told him we should be able to free it up but usually you get maybe 2 or 3 free ups max and the next time its new steering (about $450, including a new helm).

Cheers

Yes, I found this out recently >:(

[Why Not]

Reel-em-in, I've had similar problems with a cable. It ended up seizing. I pushed the cable back towards the wheel end using a brass drift. Normally the nut on the end secures the wiper seal. The problem you may be having is with the expansion of the inner housing in which the stainless stell shaft moves within. The inner housing is part of the outboard itself.
I push with gentle prompting the rod back inside the housing. You will need to unclip the teleflex cable under the gunnel and provide it an arc to expand in. Basically the outside of the cable needs to move away from the motor housing to permit the stainless steel end to be removed. It takes a bit of small movements before you will suceed.
I then clean the inside of the housing with degreaser/petrol and a rag using a long screwdriver. You may find rust scale which has expanded and restricted the clearance between the housing and the stainless steel shaft. I normally grease the inner housing and Bobs your uncle.
It takes a bit of patience but will save you the $450.00 for sure.

Why Not