anyone have a quick fix for freeing up a frozen cable short of removing the whole thing, the gimbles are free and move smooth so i know the problem is in the cable.

no quick fix,,buy a new cable,the part number will be stamped on it in several spots...even if you do get it a little free it will be a BEAR TO DOCK THE BOAT..

First disconnect the steering from the tiller and see if the transom plate is stuck. If not loosten the nut that connects the steering to the steering tube, if after either the steering will free but the end of the cable will move away and toward the tube. If the cable is still stuck it must be the cable. If the cable moves by the tube it is corroded between the cable and the tube.
One cure, take the cable out of the tube and replace the tube with an outboard tube with the double thread. obtain opposite side greese fitting adaptor, and with a mercury greese gun that uses a tube greese gun with lower unit oil instead of greese, pump two tubes of lube into the cable and it will flow all the way to the head. After time and movement it will free up and stay free.