Steering Issue

[wilf1234]

Hi,

I have a steering issue on my 1995 Boston Whaler (75hp Mariner) - the steering won't budge!!

I've unbolted the steering arm from the engine and the Engine moves freely.

I've also unbolted the large bolt that seems to secure the teleflex cable to the engine mount. The teleflex then moves freely (along with the steering wheel). I've attached a couple of photos to highlight the problem.

The problem seems to be the rod that the steering arm connects to - this won't budge at all (Although I can rotate it with a pair of mould grips). I've pumped in grease to a nipple on the side of the engine mount and then tried gentle pressure with a lump hammer on the end of the rod, but no joy

Is this rod the end of the teleflex cable? If so, how is it connected as I can't understand how the teleflex moves freely just by unscrewing the nut on the side of the mount!

If I unscrew the nuts on the side of the engine mount, will I be risking the engine coming loose!!

Are there any quick fixes for this issue (pumping in WD40, grease or ????), persuasion with a lump hammer ......??

If I need to replace the teleflex cable, how will I get the rod out that won;t budge?

Sorry for the barrage of questions but any help would be fantastic

Cheers

W

 

[Spi D]

Disassemple, then clean and apply MARINE grease and reassemple.

The nut securing the cable to the engine bracket should come off pretty easily, giving access to the tube where the cable travels.

Youtube has videos showing how install steering. Might give info on what is inside...

If the issue is not in the tube, a replacement of the cable is next step. Neither too complicated nor expensive so do consider before trying to fix with miracle spray cans

 

[wilf1234]

Thanks Spi D - do I need to be disassembling both sides of the engine mount i.e. taking off the rod that the steering arm connect to, or just work from the other side i.e. where the telefex goes in to the engine mount?

 

[Spi D]

Yes. Bear in mind however that the engine bracket tube doesn't do a lot but holding the cable in place. If the cable movement is not free a replacement most likely is due.

Cost vs. effort and the result commonly does not make repair of the old feasible.

 

[wilf1234]

Thanks Spi D

I've just wrestled with the cable for an hour - I can't get the steering arm end to shift at all. The nut on the end of the engine bracket tube just rotates with the steering rod, so I wonder if it's all corroded together! Is it common for these to get corroded into the engine bracket tube? If so, I reckon I'm going to have to take the back of the boat apart in order to get enough 'lump hammer' room!!!

Will I gain anything by unscrewing the nuts on the ends of the engine bracket tube? (for the record, I can unscrew the nut on the steering wheel side and the cable will move out to the full extent very smoothly, the rod at the end of the cable is obviously the problem!!)

Thanks for all your help

Cheers

 

[No Regrets]

It's hard to disassemble when the stuff is all stuck together!!

Try to remove the offending bits entirely and soak them in oil, consider warming the oil for maximum penetration.

Smack them around with a hammer intelligently by all means, as it sounds like corrosion.

Once free, lubricate liberally, and never get lax again...

If it doesn't free off, buy a new one and look after it a lot better next time :encouragement:

 

[Spi D]

A systematic approach - like you are working on - will eliminate problem areas and eventually point you to the culprit.

As the engine swings freely the cable is the thing to work on. The nuts keeping it in the engine bracket must come out (take care not to damage the bracket!) . I believe things will then become obvious.

 

[Lon nan Gruagach]

In the second picture, disconnect the rod to the engine from the teleflex output rode.
undo everything you can that connects the teleflex cable to the engine mount.
hammers are not a good idea since any bend in the telelflex rod will jam it for sure.
once you have it in bits as far as you can go to have a teleflex cable with its rod only then apply heat to what ever is still stuck to the rod.

your cable is in good condition since when you loosen the nut on the steering side the cable moves freely, what it is not being able to do is shift its output rod through the mounting bracket.

 

[wilf1234]

Thanks guys

Can I just double check, if I unscrew the large nuts on the side of the engine mount, this won't affect the engine fixing to the boat???

I started to unscrew the large nut (rhs of the red arrow in the photo) - the nut on the opposite side of the mount was also turning, so I assumed it was connected to the same tube and therefore could form part of the engine connection to the mount!!!!

Can you just let me know I'm safe to unscrew both nuts on either side of the mount

Cheers

 

[Spi D]

The tube is part of the engine with it's own securing nuts and won't come out just because you remove the cable running through. Many engines run without cable steering and have the same tube in the bracket.

 

[wilf1234]

yes, but I thought you were suggesting that I remove the nuts securing the tube to the engine mount (which seems to make sense as I'll be able to see better where the rod is stuck)! Is that not correct?

 

[Lon nan Gruagach]

Thanks guys

Can I just double check, if I unscrew the large nuts on the side of the engine mount, this won't affect the engine fixing to the boat???

I started to unscrew the large nut (rhs of the red arrow in the photo) - the nut on the opposite side of the mount was also turning, so I assumed it was connected to the same tube and therefore could form part of the engine connection to the mount!!!!

Can you just let me know I'm safe to unscrew both nuts on either side of the mount

Cheers

Looks like there is a smaller nut in pic 2 in the middle of the large one, that should be enough.

 

[Spi D]

On this pic you see two nuts.

The nut turned by the wrench coming from the left is the cable nut. The nut being held by the wrench coming from the right is the tube itself, held contra to prevent it from coming loose.

 

[wilf1234]

On this pic you see two nuts.

The nut turned by the wrench coming from the left is the cable nut. The nut being held by the wrench coming from the right is the tube itself, held contra to prevent it from coming loose.

thanks, but I already have this side of the cable free - its the other side that appears to be the problem, I can't get the rod to push back through, the rod must be seized inside the tube...

 

[Spi D]

Can't you pull the whole cable thing out? Disconnect the link at the other end and remove the cable from the bracket.

Once out can work with penetrating oil etc. but in most cases the decision is to replace the cable.

A hint if you go that way is to connect the new to the old and pull the new one through

 

[wilf1234]

Am I being really stupid - I'm trying to push the whole rod (that the steering arm was bolted to) back through the hinge tube - is that correct? It's that rod which is rock solid, but maybe I'm being totally dumb and missing something!!!

 

[Harry25]

Wilf. It's a fairly common fault, what happens is that the grease becomes compacted. You have to hammer the extended bit out and then use a drift. Once it is out and cleaned it will move easily.

 

[wilf1234]

Thanks Harry - which way do I hammer it out??? (plus I presume you mean 'drill' rather than 'drift' - what are we drilling? (if not, what is a drift)

 

[Spi D]

Sounds right.

Look at this 1:15 - the nut is removed then the whole cable is pulled out (of course the steeering link at the far end has been removed first)

 

[wilf1234]

Yes, but I can't pull the cable through at all - the rod (where the steering link was previously attached won't budge an inch!!) I've use a gentle lump hammer, no joy