SeaStar Kicker Cable Tie Bar

[CIVANO]

My 2 cents: I slid off the trailer in port Renfrew a few years ago to discover the tie bar was seized in the kicker tilt tube. I had to force the motor to turn so I could get to a dock. the small stainless rod was bent into a U. Since then I always turn the motors before leaving the house and twice it was seized again. I did the following and have not has a problem since.
I drilled a slightly larger hole in the solid rod shown below. It lets the unit have a little play when going in and out. In the solid rod not the top piece.
When trailering the boat or when parked in the garage I always turn the motors so the small stainless rod is in the main tube and the large rod is extended on the kicker. This protects the small rod.
Sorry to post it twice.
I always remove the large rod from the kicker tilt tube at the end of the season. I put a stainless tube brush in a drill motor and clean out the tube. I soak paper towels in coleman fule and wrap them around the brush and clean away. And I have tried many different greases and the one pictured is the best. Since using it not a single seize.
This works for me. The grease is thick and is used on fittings under salt water. I use it on the hubs on the trailer as well but you need a battery operated grease gun if it is cold outside.

 

[Sharphooks]

Really good advice, Civano.... but (FWIW): Seastar recommended the opposite when storing over the winter outside in the elements: they recommended turning the kicker hard to starboard so the thicker part of the bar is stored inside the kicker tilt tube. I found that oxidation and binding seems to occur more in the kicker tilt tube then on the main outboard side of the set up.

I finally started carrying a mix of Corrosion X and WD-40 in a small bottle with a brush attachment and continually doused the thicker tie bar on the kicker to keep it lubricated . Even doing that, it kept sticking in the tilt tube. It was a nail-biter when I did my long trips up to North Coast....can you imagine bending a tie bar while out on the water????

My new boat has a stainless steel tie bar tying the kicker to the port outboard. Sigh of relief, but now I get to worry about whether or not the electric servo motors that steer the main outboards will fail.....

sometimes I miss the good old days: throttle controlled kicker not connected to the main, steering by hand, smoker of a fish peeling line, rod in one hand, throttle in the other, Nantucket sleigh ride and lots of adrenaline going on

 

[CIVANO]

Seastar recommended the opposite when storing over the winter outside in the elements

That is true. I store inside. I usually leave the bar out of the kicker tilt tube. I don't get to fish in the winter.

 

[beaversgt]

I have a SeaStar cable tie bar with a broken cable. It connects a Yamaha F350 to a Yamaha 9.9 kicker. I tried to remove the rod out of the kicker steering tube and it seems really stuck. There's also not much room between the kicker and main motor so the cable does not want to bend very easily. I realize I could just cut it at this point.

Any tricks to replacing the cable? Seems like I have to pull the rod out of both the kicker and main motor steering tubes somehow. I'm pretty sure I would have to remove my kicker to do this because the longer rod that goes into the main motor will hit the kicker as it gets pulled out. What a pain.

 

[JWS]

I have a SeaStar cable tie bar with a broken cable. It connects a Yamaha F350 to a Yamaha 9.9 kicker. I tried to remove the rod out of the kicker steering tube and it seems really stuck. There's also not much room between the kicker and main motor so the cable does not want to bend very easily. I realize I could just cut it at this point.

Any tricks to replacing the cable? Seems like I have to pull the rod out of both the kicker and main motor steering tubes somehow. I'm pretty sure I would have to remove my kicker to do this because the longer rod that goes into the main motor will hit the kicker as it gets pulled out. What a pain.

I had to remove my kicker when I replaced my tie bar a couple years ago. Sorry, no tricks that I found, swearing seemed to help a little

 

[beaversgt]

I had to remove my kicker when I replaced my tie bar a couple years ago. Sorry, no tricks that I found, swearing seemed to help a little

Thanks, I'm sure I'll impress myself with four letter word combos when I get to it.

Do you know if it's absolutely necessary that I take off the SeaStar steering actuator support brackets if I'm only replacing the cable? Seems like I should be able to leave the threaded rod inside the main motor and thread the new cable through?

Reason I ask is because mine are on real tight. I'd buy the Marine Tech puller but it won't work with the cable coming out the middle of the 7/8" nuts on either end. I've tried pry bars and hammering them as hard as I'm comfortable with. Seems like an air hammer purchase might be in my future if I need to get them off.

Thanks for your help.