Expert: Everett Peacock - 11/5/2008

Question
Hello, thought I would try this as apposed to my husband spending a fortune at a boat fixer man... Yamaha 50 motor on the boat's steering arm is jammed, the steering wheel doesn't turn at all and that arm thingie at the back that moves the motor left and right is not budging - even when you hit it with a hammer with loads of force which I dont think is the right thing to do...  So can you please give us some advice or worst case scenario tell me that we have to get it fixed by a boat shop.  Thank you so much.

Answer
Your problem is that the steering cable that goes thru the motor is frozen to the tube that it goes thru...stainless steel tilt tubes are available,  if the cable can not be removed by force the the cable must be cut and replace along with the tilt tube..  If you install the origonal tube it is steel and will freeze up again...
you need a steering cable and a tilt tube...