rssteiny

Just bought a 97 bass boat at dealer auction to resell it is a 17' nitro with a 75hp tracker by mercury the motor will only turn a few inches back and fourth it is all the way turned one way but wont come past a few inches the other way cant even get it to straight position seems real free then steering just stops and wont turn how and what to check. thanks

mrv8outboard

I am going to assume that it is a single cable steering system. Disconnect the drag link from the end of the cable and move the motor by hand to verify the swivel operation is correct. Now unscrew the cable nut and drive the cable end out of the tilt tube. Be careful not to mushroom the end of the cable as it would not be able to go through the tube. Once the cable is out you can clean the tube out, your choice but a long 5/8" drill bit or I use a plumber's pipe wire brush with the wing handle cut off and brazed to a piece of 5/16" brake tube and put in a drill, or you can by a ball hone the size required.