Steering Cable

So my steering cable has gotten really stiff for my ’98 115 Merc. Figure I’ve got nothing to lose by removing the cable/sheath, hanging it and trying to let some lubricant work it’s way from one end to the other. If that doesn’t work, I’ll simply have to replace.

Anyone taken on either of these tasks and have any tips or recommendations?

Thanks!

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I had the same thing this past spring. Where you get a low spot in the cable you will get moisture build up and soon to come rust. Disconnect the motor from the cable assembly, crank your steering wheel all the way over so at the motor the cable is extended as far out as she will go and that bar which was attached to the front of the motor is sticking all the way out. Start spraying WD-40 (on the bar and close to the cable sheath) while somebody cranks the wheel the other direction, repeat several times, then let sit over night and do this again two or more times. Worked for me, give it a shot, I can’t imagine how a cable would be easy to take out and especially put back in.

X2

if your gong to take the cable all of the way out you might as well just replace it so you don’t have to install it twice. once the old one and when it doesn’t work you will have to pull it out and change it anyways.

Thanks for the replies guys!

The reason I was thinking I would pull it (sheath and cable)was to let gravity do it’s thing and make sure the lubrication made it all the way through, but it sounds like just hitting the end a couple of times and working it back and forth over a couple of days worked for you guys, so I’ll definitely give that a try first

I do agree that if that doesn’t work at it gets too complicated too quick, it’ll be easier to replace the whole thing…definitely not interested in doing the same job twice

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I actually did this same thing last year. I pulled me son’s cable and a friend injected 80w90 into the cable under about 30lbs of pressure then let the cable hang for a week so all of the extra oil could drain out. it works like new. I even have a new cable because I was not very confident but the new cable is still in the box. Hang it and give it a try.

An update…

A buddy and I took a look at this over the weekend and lubrication for my particular system is not an option. Inside the sliding arm on the motor end, there was another metal tube that was crimped (appeared to have been done by machine) over the cable to protect it and clearly not meant to be removed. OK, so to the helm to approach it from the other end. Turns out, the cable/metal tube goes into a long/narrow/rectangular gear box, in which the gear from the steering wheel slides the gear in the box back and forth, thereby moving the cable. Gear box was easy to remove…only held in by four bolts. As the grease in the gear box was very dry/used up, we thought that would take care of it, but not to be and again, no way to get lubrication onto the cable itself. Definitely the cable though…steering wheel and motor both moving very freely.

So that leads me to buying a new one. The good news is that the whole assembly runs through the gunwale and once we knew we had to remove it, we had it out in 5-10 minutes and complete replacement should take no more than 20-30 minutes.

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How old is your boat? I had a lot of trouble with rack and pinion steering (which is what you have) after 10-15 years of use. I put in the Saf-t steering system from Teleflex and have never looked back. Yes my cable was bad, but this is a good time to go to a more advanced and frankly better system.

Was able to work on this over the weekend and happy to say that I had the new cable installed and secured on both ends in less than 20 minutes. Forgot how nice it is to be able to steer with one finger

Thanks to all who replied!

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