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Steering Cable Help. 83 Mariner 50 hp

ehlien

ehlien

Regular Contributor
Well I'm just about all ready to launch but the steering is really tight. The boat has been parked for a few years so I'm not sure if the cable is gummed up or I messed it up yanking it around..removing it from the motor then replacing it when I put a CMC power tilt unit on the boat. Any tips for trouble shooting, finding the cause, fixing it, or should I just replace it?? I pumped some new grease into the housing that the rod runs through on the front of the engine and it was a minor improvement, You still need serious muscles to turn the steering wheel. I'm thinking that's not right.
As always thanks for your help!!

John
 
There is limited maintenance you can do on a steering cable. You can lube it where it goes through the tilt tube and lube it up at the steering column end (whether it's rotary or rack style) but if it has seized up in the covered cable portion in between the two ends there is little you can do but replace it.

I would remove it once again from the motor and see how the steering feels (connected to nothing except the steering wheel) - if it's easy to turn it could be your motors swivel bracket that's a little seized), but, if you still need to eat "wheaties" to get the wheel to turn it's time to replace the cable...
 
Good advice I will try that tomorrow. Other than that how do you determine what kind/make/model etc it is you need to replace. Is there any ID on them? It looks to be a rack style.
Thanks again
John
 
Other than length, cables are pretty universal. Take it to a good dealer and they'll know what to do.

Jeff

PS: I'm betting it's the motor swivel that's bound up.
 
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