Steering Frozen

[Time]

A fine day today, tidied the boat, ran up the motors thinking tomorrow would be a good day to hit the water for the first time this year.
All good except the steering is frozen. Guess I should have been out there every month swinging it back and forth to keep it moveable.
Any thoughts to try before I commit to installing what I expect will be a new cable?
Also, is it a pain in the a** job I should have a shop do, or is it relatively easy?
Oh yeah, the boat is a 16 foot runabout, so mechaical steering. Nothing fancy.

 

[TenMile]

Get yourself a can of PB Blaster from Canadian Tire. Use the skinny straw, find the opening at the end of the steering cable (both ends if you can) and blast away. Wiggle the housing around to let the oil do its job, blast in some more and I bet it comes loose.

You've likely got moisture and corrosion in the cable housing and it will probably seize up again next season or sooner. Try the lube and if it still doesn't work replace the cables. It's not too hard.

TenMile
<'((((><

 

[scott craven]

Doug,

I've had the same problem and found it to be cystallized grease
in the tilt tube.
Heat the tube with a torch while slowly trying to work the engine
back and forth. (2 pairs of hands is an asset for this job )
As soon as you get movement, shoot the grease nipple up with
fresh grease and you should be good to go.

Scott

 

[scott craven]

Doug,

I've had the same problem and found it to be cystallized grease
in the tilt tube.
Heat the tube with a torch while slowly trying to work the engine
back and forth. (2 pairs of hands is an asset for this job )
As soon as you get movement, shoot the grease nipple up with
fresh grease and you should be good to go.

Scott

 

[Sea Ranger]

My little 14 runabout use to have that same problem. As long as you've got it frozen somewhere in the middle then you can tap on the end of the stainless steering shaft with a hammer (remember to only tap) while you attempt to turn the steering by hand at the same time. This will free it up but thats only if you didn't store the boat away with the steering shaft already hard over making it so there's no room to tap it free.

And remember....Keep your tip up!!!

 

[Sea Ranger]

My little 14 runabout use to have that same problem. As long as you've got it frozen somewhere in the middle then you can tap on the end of the stainless steering shaft with a hammer (remember to only tap) while you attempt to turn the steering by hand at the same time. This will free it up but thats only if you didn't store the boat away with the steering shaft already hard over making it so there's no room to tap it free.

And remember....Keep your tip up!!!

 

[Time]

Problem solved, wiping, greasing, squirting, shooting, heating and tapping didn't do the job, so called SG and they'll take care of it. Love taking a shot at the job, but have to know when to bring in the pros.
Thanks for the advice.