Hard steering

1994 48 hp Evinrude-Disconnect

1994 48 hp Evinrude-Disconnected steering link from engine - engine moves freely.Removed nut from link side of tube - removed nut from other side of tube and slid it back on cable sheath. Can only get cable out as far as the link eye.Whats the trick for removing the cable so I can clean the tube. When cleaned out do you pack tube with marine grease?

"I think that what you're

"I think that what you're saying is that you're attempting to remove the mechanical steering cable from the engine tilt/steering tube, but that the steering cable can onely be pulled out so far before it hits something.

If this is the case, you'll need to remove whatever is retaining the engine to the transom, then either slide the engine sideways to allow more clearance so that the cable can be removed.... or remove the engine."

"The tube that runs through th

"The tube that runs through the front of the engine is called the tilt tube. It has a nut on each side. You only remove those nuts if you are replacing a bracket or the tilt tube itself. If you are changing the steering cable, you unscrew the nut where it attaches to the starboard side of the tube, but the tube nuts stay in place. In an ideal world, the cable will then slide back from the tilt tube, and the rod portion of the cable will slide out easily. What Mr. Reeves is telling you is that on many installations, there isn't enough room to slide the whole cable assy out with the engine as mounted, as the rod end of the cable is at least the width of the tilt tube. If clearance isn't a problem, and you just can't get the rod end of the cable through the tilt tube you may need to work on it. Bring the eye end of the rod back out. If it is distorted or damaged, you may need to straighten it out with a file before it will fit through the tube. The rust in the tube is usually what causes the problem. I usually use some type of homemade rift slightly smaller than the tube and drive the steering cable rod out using a hammer. By the way, I doubt that most people remove the cable to clean the tube. Most people give the link end a few judiciously applied whacks with a piece of 2 X 4 to get things freed up, and then spray the heck out of the tilt-tube-steering rod area with WD 40 or similar. Once things get back to normal, a light coating of marine grease on the steering rod portion of the cable should do it."