Steering shaft MASSIVELY stuck in tilt tube

[pcrussell50]

On a 90hp Merc FourStroke, Boston Whaler fishboat, with older style Baystar hydraulic. The ram works great and is bled right. But the the tilt tube has 10 years worth of Pacific Ocean salt water and hardened cruddy grease. After I removed the ram from the steering arm/drag link, I set to hammering it out of the tilt tube. I got it almost all the way out, until the last inch and it won't budge... And I"ve beaten it to hell. And since it's discontinued, I ordered a new ram and steering links/arm.

But I still have to get the old one out. Fortunately the outside of the tilt tube slides like butter, so I can get the tilt tube out, but I'm going to have to cut off most of the stuck drag link, so I can slide out the tilt tube with the remaining bit of stuck drag link in it. The reason I have to do this is the notched transom. There is only so long of a piece I can slide through the tilt tube before hitting the side of the transom notch. And I don't want to pull the motor off to do it. Then I'll hook up the hoist, put in a new tilt tube and go from there.

Anyone else ever seen/heard/had this happen?

-Peter

[activator22]

Yes. Ended up using an oxy/acet torch to heat up tilt tube, while second person used an air hammer with appro bit. Mine was frozen completely, ie had to knock it out the entire length of tilt tube and took 15-20 minutes of heat/hammer - I would guess yours goes much quicker.

[pcrussell50]

Did you end up getting to reuse your tilt tube? And had you been using it salt water? I'm kind of new to boating, never even had a boat till I was 40 back in 2008. So this was a new on for me. Who knew marine grease could harden into something so tough it takes acetylene and an air hammer?

-Peter

[activator22]

After getting the rod out of the tilt tube, we ran a reamer (drill bit) thru the tilt tube to get the the inner wall clean and free of any other gunk/rust. The tube was re-usable after that.

This too was a salt water boat, and went 4 seasons where the rod was not lubed at least once a season. Pretty common when that maint. task is neglected.

[Go Time]

There is a SS tilt tube available that cures this problem. Most of the time the older engines have a steel tilt tube and the SS support rod will corrode and seize in them.

[pcrussell50]

There is a SS tilt tube available that cures this problem. Most of the time the older engines have a steel tilt tube and the SS support rod will corrode and seize in them.

That's the one i ordered as a replacement. ironically, i moved it to the lake so the boat will be a fresh water fishboat for a while going forward. i have reverted to using the little 13' whaler (essentially a dinghy) for ocean fishing as i only stick within a mile or less of the shore fishing for calico bass around the kelp stands, and i'm usually by myself in the ocean.

-peter