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Seized hydraulic steering, 1973 Mercury 500, 50hp

D

Derekjs

New member
Hi can anyone assist with tips on how to free up seized steering. The motor turns freely when disconnected from the steering system. The rod that passes through the pivot is solid and won't slide the grease is solid. the Boat hasn't been used for a few years and everything I look at needs attention. I want to drain the system and replace the fluid in the hydraulics but haven't been able to find anywhere to drain it. I guess what I need is a step by step plan for cleaning it all up and making it all run freely again. Help! help! help! cheers, Derek
 
Likely it is NOT a hydraulic system , -------------just a rack and pinion single cable type system !!--------------------What happens is that water gets in and sits in the cable ( bottom of the loop ) and rusts it solid.----One fix is to try and get the piece in the tilt tube freed up. Pull it out and get the rust out of the bore of the tube.-----------The other fix is a new cable or new steering system.
 
couple things you can try... heat gun, just be carefull where you point it, and a mallet to tap the ends. PB blaster, undo the bolts on the ends to help it get in there, an you can even unscrew the grease nut to have another access point. PB needs time to work, then reconnect the ends, while have someone turn the steering wheel while you manually push the engine. go back and forth with the steering wheel and the pressure, once it frees up a little you should be able to work in all back and forth, Then go to town with some fresh grease, but if there's rust there (which is likely) it will probably freeze up again over the winter, so if you dont want to repeat all that work, get a new cable.
 
Thanks for the help, it is a single cable system,and heat did free it to some extent although the motor turn freely one way and then jams. The cable seems to run free when the motor is disconnected, I cant see how to disconnect the cable from the motor end to replace it or does a replacement have the bar attached that fits in the center of the clamp bracket. cheers Derek
 
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