Steering tube

S

steplift20

God
I think it should be under repairs but I will try this category
On my steering tube,out board engine. You have a large nut on the starboard side and a large nut the same on the port side.
I can remove the starboard side ,not a problem but the port side I can’t. I want to remove it cause I have a steering cable nut with a grease fitting that with grease 5he arm. But no matter what I do I can’t loosen it. The whole tube turns. Any advice on this. Thanks
 
If it’s corroded on, continual soaking with a good penetrating oil, e.g. Blaster or someone may have a better product - you need to really give it time to seep in and that can take way longer than normal patience is OK with. Another helpful thing for breaking stuff loose is, not too hard, but sharp hits with a hammer, all the way around, and cleaning off any oil, carefully hit the nut only with heat to expand it, relative to the tube. The last thing I can think of is to grab the tube with some channel lock type pliers where, if there are any threads, they won’t be needed to run the nut, and try to turn the nut. If you need to repair threads, you can get a thread file that has a matching face on it.

The best advice I’ve got is to hope Spare Parts chimes in, and do what he says. 🤣😎
 
Thanks Scook. For the info but. I did all that. I used pb blaster. I used heat. I didn't tap it it feels l8ke it’s cross threaded but it’s not. I was asking my son cause we usually workon ,y boat together and he said. Dad. I believe we did have that loose one time before. A simple job to remove 5he nut and install a mercury nut with a great fitting that I bought. Well it’s not simple. It’s friggin hard. I took the starboard side off and tried to hold that end with channel lock pliers but I didn’t want to mess up the threads so I stopped. I did wrap the threads in rubber but it didn’t hold.
 
Keep shooting it with Blaster. I kept screwing up a seal putting the front back on my 170 Mercruiser because a couple of locating pins made it so I couldn’t work the seal on straight. Spare Parts said to take the pins out and put them back in after I got the casting with the seal on. It took me two weeks of squirting the one stuck pin every time I walked by the boat and harfing on it and it finally came out.

I figured you probably knew all of my tricks, but threw them out, just in case. How about using a cutoff wheel on your angle grinder to get a cut or two across it, even if you nick the threads it shouldn’t matter, and try vice grips to wiggle it loose, or drive a cold chisel into the cut to spread it and break it loose? Probably two cuts and vice grips on the short section between them has the best chance if the Blaster and some tapping with a hammer doesn’t finally get it.

My son’s a good mechanic too. We enjoy working on stuff together and, like you guys, can usually solve any problem between us. You’ll get it.
 
I am going to try. I was thinking about the cut off wheel and decided not to try it but I don’t remember why I didn’t give it a try.
I asked my son who helps me work on my boat. I said. Mikey. Did we ever remove that nut before?Cause I thought we did and he said I think we did. I don’t know why it’s locked on. But I will keep trying. Do you know what’s crazy. If I got spare to install my nut with the grease fitting he would have it done in no time. I would ask him hey spare? How did you get it off? He would reply. It was tough but I got it. No problem. I don’t get it? These mechanics have tricks or they just encounter these problems often
 
Just watch the metal shavings. If they stay on the fiberglass they will stain. When I replaced my steering cable I couldn't get it out without making the hole in fiberglass bigger or removing the outboard. There was a long shaft on the end of cable, I think the part with the nuts u r trying to remove.
 
Is the steering cable still in the tube?

Can u hold the starboard side with a crescent wrench while turning the port side. I have never had to take one off, just wondering out loud,

Maybe apply little heat and impact gun
 
I can hold the starboard side nut. But if I remember by me holding the starboard side does nothing to help me loosen the port side. All I wanted was to put on the nut with the grease fitting I bought the nut with the grease fitting and paid about $30.00 for it. It has a name I just have to get it.
So easy ,right? Not at all the nut does not come off. It should have taken me less than 5 minutes. And here it is. Years later.
The other problem is that my boat is down the shore. It’s not in my driveway. I will give it another try this week. I will let’s you know how it works out ,but I think the outcome will be the same.
 
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