oh boy no steering

[steplift20]

oh boy no steering cant get my knew steering cable to go into the steering tube
its all lined up but it will not go in no matter how hard i try itys stuck in there
could the tube be bad

[cterrebonne]

you need to reem the old tube out first. get all the old crap out of there then try.

[tsubaki]

I polished mine with coarse sandpaper wrapped around a butterfly bit, then finished off with a finer paper (waterproof sandpaper).

[spareparts]

a 5/8 masonary bit fits pretty good, also you can use a 12 ga shoyt gun brush and some solvent to clean it out

[steplift20]

i think im going to replace the tube after all the tube is 20 years old and that should solve the problem i hope
is it hard to replace the tube

[Bygracealone]

I've never done it myself, but from what I hear, you're WAY better off trying to clean the one you've got.

[Stinky_Hooker]

I replaced mine this season because of the same problems...went with new stainless.

Ive HEARD its hard to change and even called to ask Skools about it. He said the same thing "its VERY hard and sucks to do"


However, It was SIMPLE. All you have to do is take a nut off one end and it slides right out! Support the outboard with an engine lift or get under a big tree with a come-a-long or something. Then I just slid my new one back in and put nuts on...presto! Maybe it was just easier on my motor (mercury/force, same as the Merc. tubes..that what I bought that fits it..V6 merc tilt tube.) Anyways, it only took 10 minutes and now its like new and stainless...now more pulling it every season. :sun:

[cterrebonne]

its only hard if you do not have a hoist or means to raise the engine and support it.

[steplift20]

is there a web site that shows the steering tube for a merc o.b so that i cant see the price and order one
i used to go to mercurys web page but thet changed it now i cant see the parts of the engine anymore

[THEFERMANATOR]

http://www.bobsmachine.com/

These guys make the stainless tilt tubes. I believe they make all of them, and then other sellers repackage them as there's. Scroll down on the left under engine supplies.

[macojoe]

I say Stink got lucky!! I had to do one and had to destroy it to get it out!! But it is do able!!

A good cleaning and you be good to go, don't go looking for work!!

[THEFERMANATOR]

Agreed, STINKY got lucky. They can be a real SOB to do, espescially on salt water used engines.

[steplift20]

thanks theferminator you are right i went to the site and there it is
i used to go to mercs web site and could see the whole engine in sections with the prices for what they cost but they chaged the sute now i dont know if there are any sites that do that you could put in your serial number and it would show a blow up of your engine if you or anyone knows of a site like that please post it it was real good to have thanks again

[THEFERMANATOR]

Here ya go. MERC parts diagrams online with prices. They don't narrow it down like the merc site did, but you can still do it br serial number range.

http://www.mercruiserparts.com/