Backed the boat down the launch ramp, jumped aboard and let the motor down, started her up and began to idle off the trailer and went to spin the boat around when I discovered my steering was frozen! The boat owners already in the water were watching me with saucer eyes. I freed the steering and avoided any of the boats lined up along the dock and found myself a spot to park her as a kept working the steering back and forth. We fished and when I got home I read for 3 hours all the posts here on steering. Almost everything I read was about the cables. I started thinking that when the steering works, there's some play before the steering moves the cable. When I was on the water and it was stuck, there was no play. So I took off the cable cover at the helm so the cable was exposed and filled it with WD-40 as well as the steering box. The WD seeped out the bottom of the steering box and each time I turned the wheel the steering got easier. SO I left a rag under the steering box to catch the dripping WD-40 and the next day I cleaned up as much as I could and then packed the tube with Marine grease. While I can't turn the wheel with 1 finger, it sure moves much easier the it ever has. As i turn the wheel there is a stiff spot so I'm thinking that there was moisture sitting in the steering box and it rusted. So before you swap out your cables, make sure the steering box end of the cable is lubed and the box is too. Anyone else have this problem as well?

Your helm may be working better now but the wd 40 will eat up all the grease that was in there.The helm can be taken apart and packed with grease.The exposed end of the cable and tube at the motor is where most of the problems arise.Grease and water get forced in the cable and it will eventually freeze up.I use a bicycle inner tube to cover the end of the cable.I will post a pic in the gallery later today to show what works for me.

   Luckily, my cable rack and pinion assembly, under the dash, has a zerk fitting.  I also have the stainless nut/fitting out at the motor.  Knock on wood, but my cable still operates like "butter"......even after 24 years.  Course, being faithful with the OMC grease didn't hurt either.  One finger on that steering wheel is all I ever need.   Not looking for any awards, but I may have been the first to warn against using automotive grease on this site; something, which oftentimes can cause problems with these cables.......................Okay, if someone wants to send a "small" statue of some kind (in solid 14K gold), I'll consider accepting it.   

Yat

Quote from: Yachter Yat on August 18, 2018, 12:17:41 PM
   Luckily, my cable rack and pinion assembly, under the dash, has a zerk fitting.  I also have the stainless nut/fitting out at the motor.  Knock on wood, but my cable still operates like "butter"......even after 24 years.  Course, being faithful with the OMC grease didn't hurt either.  One finger on that steering wheel is all I ever need.   Not looking for any awards, but I may have been the first to warn against using automotive grease on this site; something, which oftentimes can cause problems with these cables.......................Okay, if someone wants to send a "small" statue of some kind (in solid 14K gold), I'll consider accepting it.   

Yat


Yat ur also running a small Honda 60 .
There's no way you could do that with my Honda 130.
My local mechanic says basically a 130 hp is in his opinion the cutoff for cable steering.
The motors just create to much power and there is to much weight to make cable steer a useful tool.

   Hey, thanks for the feedback. Yes I went to great pains to rid the wd-40 before I used the grease, and that's why I left it overnight. I just tried to keep the post short. Love the idea of a zerk fitting on the steering box. And I spent a good deal of time greasing the cable and repacking the tube till it just wouldn't take anymore. And I'll be putting a Davis Lub Nut on the motor end. I saw your thing on Automotive Grease but I did use Marine grease out of my grease gun. Is there something better? And I'll keep checking to see the way you use that inner tube. And again, thanks for any and all feedback!

Careful with pumping too much grease in the steering tube. I had a boat that I pumped too much grease in the fittings on the motor and it either hydro locked or built up behind and froze the steering solid. Once I removed some of the grease it worked again. Just thought I would mention it.

Pic is in tips gallery.Zip ties hold it in place.Leave valve stem on with valve removed and you can add lube as needed.I grease the rod once a year and then use silicone spray in the valve once a month.4 years on this cable and it turns with one finger.Too much grease seems to jam things up.

Omega3, Thanks for the tip, I see you name popping up all over this site, looks like you have plenty to share, thanks.

Fisherdv, Thank you too. Always a learning curve and glad to be pointed in the right direction.

   OK well it's been 4 outings and the steering works like a dream. And while I can turn the wheel with 1 finger in the driveway, on the open water it takes a bit more.  Thanks Again...