They are totally full of crap, they would like to keep selling you cables, grease does not ruin anything, and that little fitting has made cables last for years, including mine. No one is saying to load it up, just a pump it perfect, without that O ring water gets on the shaft and when you steer it pulls salt into your cable and tube.

"They told me under no circumstances to put one of those grease fittings on.They said the grease will end up going up the cable and drag all the crud up into the cable and ruining the cable much faster. It supplys too much grease."

Thats funny considering the cable is full of grease when you buy it. :rotf3:

Yeah that is what I figured. Any recommendations to where to purchase the new cable setup. Thanks. P.

After you get the damn thing apart, make sure that you clean it out well, before putting in the new cable. I still say a pair of grease fittings on the tube will work wonders, especially if you use corrosion block grease. When I had an outboard I had to go through the same thing once, about two years after I got the boat. After putting in the grease fitting and lubing once or twice a year with corrosion block grease, I never had to go through it again in the remaining five years I owned the boat.

Thanks again for all the help guys. I have a 2 week wait till I get the darn cable, special order size, figures. I will clean out the tube and put the grease fitting nuts on. I also think I will just cut the cable at each end 2 or 3 feet in and leave it there out of the way instead of pulling it all out. All my wires and things are zip tied to it so I would have to cut it all apart. I will just run the other cable right next to it, plenty of room. Glad I have the old trusty tin boat and 15 Hp to use or I would be bummed. Thanks again for the guidance .Paul

Take it out the way it went in. Meaning by pulling the cable back out.
Sometimes when space is limited, they actually install the rod through the engine just before mounting the engine to the boat. This happend on mine so I just kept sutting it off. (but it was not frozen) Anyway, If thats the case it will not back out because its too stiff to make a sharp turn. (I hope not).

If so, a sharpie told me this trick. You may have to lean the engine out from the top bolts by replacing them (one at a time) with LONG carriage bolts and use them to tilt it back so that you now have a clear shot at the tilt tube. loosen the bottom bolts so it can tilt out, but dont take them out. Once leaning away from the transom, you can beat the crap out it easily, and reinstall easily too.

The old cable should have the size (length) printed on it, they don't go by just the length you can measure, there is some difference with the rod and stuff.

Good Luck

This happened to me once, only once!!~

I did all the above and finaly got it out by using 27 cans of PB Blaster (kidding) and a 5# hammer!

Took a few days, but came out just fine!~

After that I cleaned the tube well, added the grease nuts on the tube with new cable, grease offten!!

In the winter I now unscrew the cable pull it out of the tube, clean and bag it for the winter.
Spring clean the tube, unwrap the cleaned grease cable reinstall.

Repeat every fall!! Been fine now for 10 years! You should never never have to do this more then once in a life time, if so Quit boating!!

Yup I learned my lesson. Actually thinking of upgrading to hydraulic. I found the whole set up for $495 on line, West Marine wants $700. Have to look at my cash flow,yeah right. Probably end up with the rack. Thanks again guys. Paul

You probaly got water/consensation in the steering cable. Probaly have to replace all the cables.

just get the cable. boat us will have them on the shelf. bring it in and match it up.
snake it thru. a couple bolts at the helm. blue grease the bajesus outta it and be done. next winter don't leave it in.
i'll be arround this weekend if you need a hand i can bring the rod down too.

:

:rotfl:


Mike,
I may go out for a shake down run early sun and to spend some time trying out and learning my new fishfinder !!!

scratch that paul, i'm busy sunday:hee:

Thanks for the offer Mike. I think I got it now. Besides I would rather go fishing,boating too. P.

I installed a brand new tilt tube and teleflex steering cable into my sea nymph a few years back. I added the steersman nut to it and greased it. The next spring it was frozen! You would think that the steering cable mfg would put a seal on the end of the tilt tube (cable side) and put the grease fitting right next to it so that when the tilt tube was greased it would push the grease and purge out the salt and rust and you could wipe off the glob at the steersman nut side. This way it wouldn't get pushed up the cable and interfere with it. Then again, they wouldn't be selling replacement cables,... :wall: