Steering cable power steering mercruiser - locking nut stuck ?

[mghunter]

I am trying to unbolt my steering cable off a Mercruiser power steering actuator (on a 2002 Sunrunner 3300 with twin Mag 350 engines).

The coupler self locking nut itself can be unbolted a few turns but appears to be seized onto the cable sheath itself, so will spin back if let go off the spanner.

I take the coupler nut should just spin around (when undone / loose).

The cable has no markings on it so I need to pull it out to measure it.

I've uploaded a pic of the actual cable (red is the grease I tried to pump in) plus an extract of the Mercruiser manual.

Any tips before I get an oxy out ??

regards

[jimbunyard]

Are you holding the cable guide at 'g' while loosening the cable coupler nut? Or is the cable guide spinning with the coupler nut? The cable guide should be held stationary while the nut spins off; if the cable sheath is stuck to the coupler nut, after breaking the coupler nut loose from the cable guide, hold the cable sheath with a pipe wrench or a big pair of vise grips (or whatever they call them over there) at 'a' and turn the coupler nut until it breaks loose from the sheath. No need for a torch here.

[mghunter]

Thanks - yes, holding the flats a "g" with a spanner

Seems I will need a bigger set of multi grips (you can see the label all torn up using pliers) to hold the cable sheath at b

Might need an octopus to help me.

Right, now to get below again and get to work - at least the space is reasonable to work in

Any hints on the make of the steering cable itself (eg does it look like a quicksilver one 2002 era ?)

[jimbunyard]

The steering cable will be specific to the helm, they are not generally interchangeable.
Look at the back of the helm, there should be some identifying characters or numbers on the steering unit itself. Seastar/Teleflex is probably the most common manufacturer over here.

[mghunter]

Goods news - unbolted locknut whilst holding with vice grips,.

Once removed, found the steering cable was reasonably tight (and probably 1 foot too long) so will look at replacing it - greased up using the nipple near the end but could not pull it out from the helm rack unit.

Any ideas on make / model of the helm rack and pinion (age around 2002) in pics below as I could not work out how to remove the steering wheel end of the cable (no id seen on the rack itself)

[jimbunyard]

Looks like a Mercury helm, just take off the four nuts and bolts holding the pinion housing to the rack housing and the rack should lift right out. A cable that is only a foot too long shouldn't matter too much; if the steering is stiff (and the cable is good) my first guess would be that there is corrosion in the cable guide tube at the transom end.

[mghunter]

So I finally pulled the cable and found some details.

Its a Ride Guide 19.5 foot rack system (now obsolete) made by Mercury.

Since the wheel is okay has anyone experimented with fitting say a Teleflex SSC13420 which looks the same (eg unbolt the old rack and fit the new one) ??

I saw someone use a uflex m86 rack/cable assys to fit the cable but it seems a lot of work

regards