Stuck steering cable

[obnoxious001]

Working on my Baker that has been sitting a couple (er,, few,, maybe several) years now, one of the steering cables is good and stuck. Been spraying WD 40, PB Blaster, and carb cleaner in the tube for a few weeks hoping to get it to free up, can't even remove the cable to replace it.
Anybody got any special tricks to get it free? I even pulled the bracket off the end and rigged a chain and slide hammer to try and get it to move, realizing that if I hammer it further into the tube, I may get it jambed worse?

[Towndrunk]

Working on my Baker that has been sitting a couple (er,, few,, maybe several) years now, one of the steering cables is good and stuck. Been spraying WD 40, PB Blaster, and carb cleaner in the tube for a few weeks hoping to get it to free up, can't even remove the cable to replace it.
Anybody got any special tricks to get it free? I even pulled the bracket off the end and rigged a chain and slide hammer to try and get it to move, realizing that if I hammer it further into the tube, I may get it jambed worse?
If it's that bad replace it all. Cabelas NFB steering is fairly good for the price.

[obnoxious001]

If it's that bad replace it all. Cabelas NFB steering is fairly good for the price.
That might be good advice if I was able to remove the cable, but the end is stuck in the tube. Actually the cable is still working.

[kylesbds]

Same thing happened to mine youll probally have to ruin the cable but use a sledge and like a piece of rebar or a 1/2" extention. It will come out with a little pursuation.

[badluck]

I have a dual cable set up from my stoker.Make me an offer.It's for a merc 2.5.

[obnoxious001]

I have a dual cable set up from my stoker.Make me an offer.It's for a merc 2.5.
What type of helm is it, rotary or rack?
The big problem still remains, if I can't free up the cable end, I can't replace it.

[obnoxious001]

Same thing happened to mine youll probally have to ruin the cable but use a sledge and like a piece of rebar or a 1/2" extention. It will come out with a little pursuation.
Been trying to get it free without destroying the cable, since the cable is still currently workable, but guess I need to see if I have something that fits in the tube so I can take a few whacks at it.

[Forkin' Crazy]

Been trying to get it free without destroying the cable, since the cable is still currently workable, but guess I need to see if I have something that fits in the tube so I can take a few whacks at it.
The tubes are the same diameter as far as I know. Try to twist the cable with a pipe wrench or something similar.

[badluck]

Not sure, what's the difference?

[obnoxious001]

The tubes are the same diameter as far as I know. Try to twist the cable with a pipe wrench or something similar.
Hmm,, good idea, but tried that and the whole tube turns, looks like I am heading towards force. I did find that I have an old cable end, may cut a slot in it to slide over the cable part and see if I can knock the thing out of the tube.
Any other ideas? I have heard of heating with a torch,, but figure I will have a grease fire at the very least, and also don't want to damage the casting or something.

[Forkin' Crazy]

If I had to heat it up, I would remove it from the motor. I has plastic bushings in the tilt tube/clamp brackets that will probably melt.
I had one that got stuck and ended up buying a whole new tilt tube, cable and all.

[obnoxious001]

If I had to heat it up, I would remove it from the motor. I has plastic bushings in the tilt tube/clamp brackets that will probably melt.
I had one that got stuck and ended up buying a whole new tilt tube, cable and all.
Yep,, I might be getting to that point, been trying to think of a way to use the zerk fitting to force something in there to free it up.

[badluck]

I have the whole set up,PM me your #

[Forkin' Crazy]

To hell with cables, get a SeaStar system and forget about it! :D

[Towndrunk]

I had a bad day today. Bring that SOB to0 me I'll beat it out.:devil:

[v-drive]

This happened to me a million years ago with a similar setup. I unscrewed the zirc fitting and screwed in a small pipe about a foot long. I then filled it with carburetor cleaner and hit it with about 50 pounds of air pressure. Worked like a charm

[obnoxious001]

This happened to me a million years ago with a similar setup. I unscrewed the zirc fitting and screwed in a small pipe about a foot long. I then filled it with carburetor cleaner and hit it with about 50 pounds of air pressure. Worked like a charm
Interesting idea, I had thought about that a bit. Don't currently have a battery in the boat as it was apart for a bunch of wood replacement, stringers and bulkheads, and all new seats, so was going to be kind of a pain to drop engine to get to the zirc fitting.
I ended up putting some large diameter washers over the cable end, dropping a bolt back thru the hole, and using a pickle fork to force the cable out of the tube. It was stuck really tight, got about 1/2" movement before I had to add additional washers and whack the pickle fork some more, then then it took a bunch of times pulling it out, then carefully hammering back into the housing before I got it free enough to remove. Cleaned the tube carefully with a wire bore brush, and towels soaked in carb cleaner, should be good to go now.