Seized teleflex

rich222 · 28 June 2020, 09:22

I have a teleflex that apprears to be well and truly stuck. (it's been outside for years and stupid me didn't protect it properly)

The outboard is free to turn and the cable seems free so the ram is stuck in the outboard mount.

I have read that you can sometimes free it by twisting it but when I tried this, the end part with the hole in that attatches to the outboard linkage arm (circled in red), has started to rotate - not the whole ram, just the end bit.

I'm assuming this is just broken free slightly where it's crimped into the ram tube?

I cant see any other way to grip the tube firmly enough to rotate it.

Is my only other option to undo the nut on the other side of the outboard and try and tap the whole lot out?

If it doesn't budge, I'll have to tilt the whole motor to get more clearance to get some more force onto it.

I am assuming the part marked in green is the tube that forms the hinge for the outboard tilt and this might be able to be pulled out complete with the seized teleflex?

As you can see its stuck almost fully out, so I guess that is better than being stuck all the way in?

Is it possible that I just need to persevere tapping the end and it may just break free? I could put some heat on the corroded bit (marked green)?

paintman · 28 June 2020, 10:23

May be a combination of rust & old grease that has gone rock hard.

Undo the retaining nut on the cable outer (the one that holds the cable to the tilt tube) on the other side so you can get at that end of the tube.

You could spray penetrating fluid into both ends & allowing it to work. Not WD40, try Loctite's Freeze & Release, Duck oil, diesel ( as in the fuel) or a mix of acetone & ATF.
You could try heating the end of the cable - the yellow bit - near to the tube & then cooling by spraying penetrating fluid into the green bit.

Be careful hitting the end & don't use metal on metal to avoid expanding the end!

Take your time & with a bit of luck it should eventually pull out.

Don't try & force issues by using the helm as there is a risk you will damage the helm internals & you'll then need to buy a new one

Once you've got the cable out thoroughly clean the inside of the tube - I used an old 12 bore phosphor bronze brush.

Good luck!

beamishken · 28 June 2020, 11:07

Just buy a new cable, its stuck because of corrosion & you dont know the extent of that corrosion . For less than£100 your life may depend on it

rich222 · 28 June 2020, 11:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by beamishken

Just buy a new cable, its stuck because of corrosion & you dont know the extent of that corrosion . For less than£100 your life may depend on it

Yes but how do I get the old one out?

I can lop both sides off with the grinder and then try and hammer the remaining bits out?

Am I right that the stainless ram (marked yellow) should slide into the bit marked green, but with sufficient force, the bit marked green will also slide out of the outboard mount as it's the tube the whole motor tilts on?

The green bit has a nylock nut on the other side. Would tightening this up draw the whole lot out of the mount?

This is quite an old motor and it's big (140hp 2 stroke Evinrude) so not that easy to man handle.

I assume also that there should be a grease filled gaiter or something over the bit marked green to keep water out?

Sorry for all the questions, but never taken one of these apart before!

spartacus · 28 June 2020, 12:32

First off don't go hell for leather and hammer it. If it's seized, then you need to break the corrosion bond first. Get yourself some decent penetrating release as per paintman's suggestion. I've used PlusGas and can recommend.

Now heat the steering ram, spraying penetrating release on it afterwards. Heat and repeat.

I'd only use a hammer to lightly tap it out with a steel punch. If you use brute force you could damage the saddle arm.

Intersting video here from Stu at Dangar Marine if you need to replace the tilt tube too - depending on what you find.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwh65xem33k

Fender · 28 June 2020, 12:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by beamishken

Just buy a new cable, its stuck because of corrosion & you dont know the extent of that corrosion . For less than£100 your life may depend on it

I was just going to type that! Why would you ever not do the job properly in the first place

Pop a new cable on

rich222 · 28 June 2020, 13:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fender

I was just going to type that! Why would you ever not do the job properly in the first place

Pop a new cable on

Can't pop anything on anywhere until I get the old one off!

rich222 · 28 June 2020, 13:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by spartacus

First off don't go hell for leather and hammer it. If it's seized, then you need to break the corrosion bond first. Get yourself some decent penetrating release as per paintman's suggestion. I've used PlusGas and can recommend.

Now heat the steering ram, spraying penetrating release on it afterwards. Heat and repeat.

I'd only use a hammer to lightly tap it out with a steel punch. If you use brute force you could damage the saddle arm.

Intersting video here from Stu at Dangar Marine if you need to replace the tilt tube too - depending on what you find.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwh65xem33k

Been using plusgas and gentle heat (400C) but no sign of movement yet.

I will try a blowtorch on it later when the wind drops a bit.

I did wonder if I could make a slide hammer to sit on it. It would have to be in two parts to fit over the ram.

Another thought: Can I try extracting the ram? I can make something to go through the linkage hole and try and draw it out of the tube bit which might break the corrosion. If the teleflex sheath nut is undone, the whole lot should be able to come out a bit more.

The only risk is snapping the end out where it's crimped into the ram.

Failing all this I guess I will just have to start cutting it off, both sides and then drifting the remains out.

beamishken · 28 June 2020, 13:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by rich222

Been using plusgas and gentle heat (400C) but no sign of movement yet.

I will try a blowtorch on it later when the wind drops a bit.

I did wonder if I could make a slide hammer to sit on it. It would have to be in two parts to fit over the ram.

Another thought: Can I try extracting the ram? I can make something to go through the linkage hole and try and draw it out of the tube bit which might break the corrosion. If the teleflex sheath nut is undone, the whole lot should be able to come out a bit more.

The only risk is snapping the end out where it's crimped into the ram.

Failing all this I guess I will just have to start cutting it off, both sides and then drifting the remains out.

Sorry if im stating the obvious but you have loosened the big nut on the starboard side that retains the cable? If you have and its still stuck solid I'd carefully cut the outer cable with a grinder to allow access to the inner you can then squirt in release fluid and try knocking it both ways. I wouldnt cut the port side untill its free as it may flare out and make life harder , if left long & it flares out then you can cut it once its free

rich222 · 28 June 2020, 14:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by beamishken

Sorry if im stating the obvious but you have loosened the big nut on the starboard side that retains the cable? If you have and its still stuck solid I'd carefully cut the outer cable with a grinder to allow access to the inner you can then squirt in release fluid and try knocking it both ways. I wouldnt cut the port side untill its free as it may flare out and make life harder , if left long & it flares out then you can cut it once its free

Yes, that side is undone. Both nuts. The one that holds the sheath onto the tube and the one that holds the tube in place.

I think its grinder time!

paintman · 28 June 2020, 16:32

Keep heating & cooling.
You need to get it really hot & it may take a lot of repetitions.
If it's too windy then wait until the weather's better.

Just in case anyone thought I was suggesting not replacing the damaged cable when I referred to needing to buy a new one I wasn't talking about the cable.
There is a temptation to give the steering wheel some welly to see if the cable will free off & there is a risk that that will damage the internals of the helm unit itself. Seen it done - not by me I'm pleased to say!! The alloy internals broke. You will then need to buy a new helm unit in addition to a new cable.

beamishken · 28 June 2020, 17:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by rich222

Yes, that side is undone. Both nuts. The one that holds the sheath onto the tube and the one that holds the tube in place.

I think its grinder time!

Yep I'd get the grinder out & refit the nut to the engine and a big punch with a nice heavy hammer lots of little taps just flare the end up you have to hit it hard and solid

wgc851 · 28 June 2020, 18:14

Get a big set of stilsons on it and try and get it turning, watch the tilt tube doesn't move with it. Get your finest 4lb hammer on the job. Don't worry about mushrooming the end, it can be dressed with a grinder before it goes all the way through

rich222 · 01 July 2020, 11:41

Success!

Many hours heating - cooling and then applying my patented hammering device for confined spaces!

You can see how little clearance I had to work in.

No way it would turn until I got it to budge a mm or two.

Silky smooth now!

Water impellor next!

paintman · 01 July 2020, 11:47

Well done.
Like the remote hammering device

ribber · 01 July 2020, 14:59

I reckon it was the consumption of a whole jar of Tiptree Tiny Tip Conserve that did it....

rich222 · 01 July 2020, 21:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by ribber

I reckon it was the consumption of a whole jar of Tiptree Tiny Tip Conserve that did it....

Yep, it was full of neat, well aged, 2 stroke. It was the only thing that kept me going during the whole sorry episode...