I'll just pass this on for what it's worth. I was having difficulty turning the wheel, and it finally got so bad that I had to use both hands to turn it. I figured I was due for steering cable replacement. Turns out that the inside of the housing in and out of which that metal rod runs as you turn the wheel was badly corroded, which made for an easy an inexpensive repair. Into Sunchaser Marine (north side of Canyon Lake) at 9:30, out by 2:30, may wonders never cease to happen.

That tube is called the tilt tube. It gets especially bad on the Japanees motors that run in saltwater. We found out that if you use a long carbide concrete bit. YOu can actually bore that tube out just a tiny little bit more and it will really cut down on the corrosion thing. By allowing water to flow out easiler and not get trapped. It also will allow you to insert the tube from a WD-40 can and spray it into that area easier. But wow! Randy must be slipping to let you out without a note from Fort Knox.......

Tilt tube, that's what he called it. The motor's a 60 hp 4 stroke, and it's seen some salt. They have my gratitude.

Yeah, the work order reads "clean and hone tilt tube." He told me to coat the rod with Never Seize a couple of times a year.

having the same problem.
now that i know what it is called, maybe i can figure out how to disassemble for cleaning

Happens to not just Jap motors. My old 85 Johnson would corrode up.I took a long 5/8" paddle bit & it works fine. Took some marine grease and coat it lightly and was good to go.

Mine's a Merc, so Lord knows where it was made. Same thing happened a few years ago, and I ended up paying for cable replacement. Got to wonder how often this happens. This time I got out for 1 hour labor, end of story.

The tilt tube on mine has a grease fitting, and I think I may have made matters worse by forcing too much grease in there.