Boat steering froze

[bobkayla]

Finally put the boat in the garage,,,went to turn the motor and the line is froze

Just wondering where ,,in the line or in the cylinder in front of the motor ,,anyone have this happen

[Fisherman]

I would highly suspect in the lowest point in the line or tune that the line is encased in. Water runs to the lowest point and may well have frozen there. Other possibility, maybe it's gotten rusty.

[OhioFisherman]

Never had it happen, I put one of these on my steering cable.

 

http://www.walmart.com/ip/SeaChoice-28251-Ss-Steering-Guard-7-8/32739032

[wormdunker]

That would be an excellent choice to keep your cable from seizing up. A few years ago I had a rusted cable on an older boat. I removed the cable, then removed the fitting at the end of the cable which provided an opening to pour transmission fluid into the cable casing. I let it sit on a flat surface for 2 -3 days. Then I carefully bent the cable in various directions to allow the oil to work it's way into the various rusted areas. You would not believe the rust & particles that appeared when I poured the oil out. This procedure did work, saved me the price of a new cable! Good Luck!

[Big Cliff]

That would be an excellent choice to keep your cable from seizing up. A few years ago I had a rusted cable on an older boat. I removed the cable, then removed the fitting at the end of the cable which provided an opening to pour transmission fluid into the cable casing. I let it sit on a flat surface for 2 -3 days. Then I carefully bent the cable in various directions to allow the oil to work it's way into the various rusted areas. You would not believe the rust & particles that appeared when I poured the oil out. This procedure did work, saved me the price of a new cable! Good Luck!

I am going to have to try that on snow blower and lawn more cables that seize up, would sure be a lot less expensive than having to replace them.

[Fish Farmer]

Happens quite frequently in the winter with older cables. Like the idea with the nut grease niple.

Great idea Wormdunker!

Buddy in Quinte one year froze his cable and cranked his wheel to hard and broke the cable.

So we did the Red Green thing, Duck taped his paddle to the motor and did the tiller thing all weekend,

one guy on the gas lever and the other sitting on the motor well steering the boat.

Edited January 2, 2016 by Fish Farmer

[OhioFisherman]

I am going to have to try that on snow blower and lawn more cables that seize up, would sure be a lot less expensive than having to replace them.

 

Cliff, as I recall you do a lot of work on them? Save some drain oil from them, it works also.

[FishAbout]

The grease nipple nut work well but don't use grease in it. It will make the steering stiff in cold weather cause the grease will stiffen up and can cause hard steering. Use more of a oil grease mixture if you can.

[bobkayla]

It did break free this morning,no problem,,a few turns of the wheel,,,the boat is only 4 yrs old ,,,so i don't think it is rust,,hope not ,,,just wondering if there is water getting in or water that has already been in there a while,,,the boat sits in the driveway till the weather gets really bad because I use it in niagara in the fall early winter,,,,don't want it to freeze up on the way down there this year

[Fisherman]

Then I don't think it's rust, just water that froze. Don't know if you can undo the rear linkage an get it in the lowest position to drain anything that's in there.