Froze steering - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

ProfessorM · 04-30-2006, 04:04 PM

Any hints, techniques, advise. Sledgehammer maybe? Just realized my steering is froze up on my boat

Ah boat ownership nice relaxing time on the water if you can use the damn thing.

Thanks Paul

thefishingfreak · 04-30-2006, 05:10 PM

the cable froze up on my old boat.. i took the whole assm. out and beat the stainless thingy out of the aluminum sleeve, gave it a wetsand with oil and cleaned them out good and put it back together. lasted a year then froze again so i bought a new cable for a hundred bucks which i shoulda done in the first place.

the stainless and aluminum don't mix and oxidize or something like that.

Fisherwoman · 04-30-2006, 06:04 PM

have you checked to see if you have enough fluid in your steering colum? some times if you have not quite enough it will tighten right up.

ScottC · 04-30-2006, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fisherwoman

have you checked to see if you have enough fluid in your steering colum? some times if you have not quite enough it will tighten right up.

That is if it is hydraulic, I am assuming he has teleflex cable

striperman36 · 04-30-2006, 06:41 PM

First thing, Does the motor move, when detached from the steering?
2) Does the steering move after being greased at the grease fitting?
3) Replace is if #2 fails. It is not worth the hassle. I have alos replace the steering component of the teleflex at the same time as I forced the steering .

The best solution is the each fall make sure the rear grease fitting is lubricated in the fall and detached from the engine. Grease the engine and cover all shrouding from moisture. Re-grease as needed in the spring. If you leave it exposed during the layoff you are asking for trouble.

Bill

ScottC · 04-30-2006, 06:20 PM

take it out and replace it, do not try an save it, it is not worth it. Hopefully you can swing a hammer far enough to knock it out. use a 5 pound sledge. When storing for the off seas you should alway make sure it is completly in the tube and grease well, this helps a lot.

ProfessorM · 04-30-2006, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScottC

When storing for the off seas you should alway make sure it is completly in the tube and grease well, this helps a lot.

That is what I did this year and it has froze. Every other year I turned the motor so the rod was out of the cylinder and had no problem.

Oh well figures. I guess I am going to have to figure out how to get the thing apart and replace it. Wish I could afford hydraulic but that is not in the cards this year. Not sure what I have to replace the whole set up from wheel to motor or just a cable. There is no grease fitting, but I have seen them. I was just saying to the guy at work that froze steering has never happened to me. Can you say jinx. Thanks. P.

thefishingfreak · 04-30-2006, 09:03 PM

just the cable. they come in different lengths.
you gota get it out of the sleeve thats the tough part.
caco-cola will losen up the oxidation

ScottC · 04-30-2006, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thefishingfreak

just the cable. they come in different lengths.
you gota get it out of the sleeve thats the tough part.
caco-cola will losen up the oxidation

That is putting it lightly hahah, I sure hope he has an open transom so he has room to swing the hammer

ProfessorM · 04-30-2006, 09:16 PM

Honda 90. No grease fittings or threaded holes. No open transome either. What did you think this was going to be a walk in the park. I am sure it is worse case F'in sernerio. You know the kind of problem that the guy says oh that's wierd. I am not a pessimist for nutin. you know 90% of the time you are right and 10% of the time you are pleasingly surprised.

ScottC · 04-30-2006, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor Moriarty

That is what I did this year and it has froze. Every other year I turned the motor so the rod was out of the cylinder and had no problem.

Oh well figures. I guess I am going to have to figure out how to get the thing apart and replace it. Wish I could afford hydraulic but that is not in the cards this year. Not sure what I have to replace the whole set up from wheel to motor or just a cable. There is no grease fitting, but I have seen them. I was just saying to the guy at work that froze steering has never happened to me. Can you say jinx. Thanks. P.

You should have 2 grease fittings on the tube, if you don't then do you have threaded holes? What motor do you have?

ScottC · 04-30-2006, 06:48 PM

If your going to take it out of the tube the bag it with grease past the fitting. I have found that is you make sure is it greased and inside the tube your in a better position. I have also have had to replace helms that were stripped out when the owner tried to muscle it free.

ScottC · 05-01-2006, 11:09 AM

Yup, you have just proved it it stuck int he tube, get a 3/8" Ratchet extension and use it and a hammer to push the steering rod out. I use the extension because it fits in there real nice on the OMC's.

ProfessorM · 05-01-2006, 11:20 AM

I just talked to the teleflex company and they seem to think the shaft has broken thus leaving the part sticking out of the port side but allowing the starboard side to come out. There damn online site is down so I can't see what the hell they are saying. Maybe I should just hack saw the shaft off and push it thru to the port side instead of going all the way thru to the starboard side. Seems I will have to replace the whole cable anyway if broken. I will put some liquid wrench into the tube and wait an hour to see if it loosens up the thing. P.

JeffH · 05-01-2006, 11:54 AM

If you completely loosen the starboard side nut and the motor turns to where you see cable then turns back the cable is fine. I still think the shaft with the milled flat is stuck in the steering tube so do what Scott said........

You will be bashing the cable out from port to starboard or back through the steering tube. If your steering cable is restrained or has no room to flex then you must detach your cable from the helm so the cable has somewhere to go as you smash away

ProfessorM · 05-01-2006, 12:34 PM

OK I got the whole thing out of the tube. Now what? Replace the whole cable. The tube is really scumbed out. Lots of hardened grease and rust. I will have to make something up at work tonite to hone it out. The shaft is pretty bad too. Seems like it is still in one piece but pretty ugly. Will I have to replace from the helm to the motor. Probably a PIA trying to snake that thing from the motor to the helm. I assume that it is a 1 piece set up. Thanks for holding my hand. Paul

JeffH · 05-01-2006, 12:42 PM

If you turn your wheel does it do so freely? Does the cable move in and out of the casing? The inside of my steering tube looked awful but clean-up nice with the WD and brush. For the brush I bought a 3/4" dia wire brush in the Plumbing Dept at Home Depot and had a 15" drill bit extension which I put in a drill and honed away. The stainless cable shaft clean-up with steel wool........The cable/sheath is one piece from helm to engine and come in different lengths which you need to match. They are stiff and not easy or fun to put in.

The absolute must of this project is the Steersman

http://www.steeringguard.com/html/whatitdoes.html

ScottC · 05-01-2006, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffH

If you turn your wheel does it do so freely? Does the cable move in and out of the casing? The inside of my steering tube looked awful but clean-up nice with the WD and brush. For the brush I bought a 3/4" dia wire brush in the Plumbing Dept at Home Depot and had a 15" drill bit extension which I put in a drill and honed away. The stainless cable shaft clean-up with steel wool........The cable/sheath is one piece from helm to engine and come in different lengths which you need to match. They are stiff and not easy or fun to put in.

The absolute must of this project is the Steersman

http://www.steeringguard.com/html/whatitdoes.html

Wow I feel like an idiot for not posting that, I have one, I totally forgot to meantion it. It is just one of those things that are so nesessary that you assume everyone has one.

Jeff is right, the steersman is an absolute must, and is the reaon your in the trouble you are in. On all the new teleflex cables the replacment part number in right behind the steering shaft, look carefully and it should be there, this makes it easier to replace.

ProfessorM · 05-01-2006, 12:55 PM

I think I will replace the whole thing. Funny but I talked to the people at the teleflex place and they helped me out a bit. 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. They told me if you boat in salt water you should take apart and clean and re lube at least twice a year min. I don't know, but I will definetly take apart and clean twice a year from now on after this fiasco. Thanks to everyone who helped. Hopefully I won't have to bother anyone with the replacement procedure

.. Paul

striperman36 · 05-01-2006, 12:58 PM

steering guard is an awesome thing. I would use it.
But the real key is to keep it well lubricated however you do it.
Replacing the whole setup every 4 years also is good preventitve maintainence.

Bill

ScottC · 05-01-2006, 12:59 PM

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.

JeffH · 05-01-2006, 01:04 PM

"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.

ProfessorM · 05-01-2006, 01:10 PM

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

MakoMike · 05-02-2006, 06:58 AM

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.

ProfessorM · 05-02-2006, 10:23 AM

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

quick decision · 05-04-2006, 01:47 PM

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

thefishingfreak · 05-04-2006, 07:33 PM

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.