PIVOT TUBE HALF OUT-HOW TO GET BACK IN? HELP!!!

[Nissanman]

I had a buddy helping me the other day working on getting an old Ebbtide Dyna Trak 180 back together. It has a 85 Evinrude XP150 on the back. I was replacing the trolling motor with a Minn Kota Power Drive V2 and he was working on the stuck steering cable. It has the dual cables and once unhooked, the one cable in front moves freely. It is the cable that goes thru the pivot tube that is the problem.
I told him that the cable would need to come out and may have to use the lead shot hammer to get it out. Well, he unscrewed the large nuts on the cables like he was supposed to and then decided to take off both nuts that holds the pivot tube in place. Then he hammered it out to the point that the cable was inside the pivot. The pivot tube is out about 5 inched or so. If he had continued to keep doing what he was doing, the engine would have been sitting on the ground.
Now I need to figure out the easiest way to line everything back up so I can get that tube back into the pivot. Of course, My help is gone now and need to do it myself. Anyone have a trick they have used with maybe a floor jack to get it lined back up so as to slide that tube back in? Is it better to have the engine tilted all the way down or all the way up? I am thinking that may get the weight where it would be easier to line everything up. I feel like a one armed paper hanger getting lined up and trying to force the tube back in using a piece of wood and lead shot hammer. I can not believe he took off those nuts. Or do I need to get my cherry picker out and make a lift bracket so as to lift motor and get pressure off of pivot tube? Must be a simple way to do this. Any idea or experience would be appreciated.

[Bighare2]

Put a hydraulic jack underneath the skeg to hold the weight. But since the tilt tube is already displaced, the safer way is to breakout the cherry picker. Attach fltwheel puller and give a lift. Go into the stickies at the top of this forum to see how to make a lifting device

[Nissanman]

I loaned my engine hoist out and haven't gotten it back yet. I have a floor jack under the skeg and the tube is partway in so I'm not worried about the engine hitting the ground. Just having a hard time getting it all lined up so I can get the tube back where it belongs while not dinging up the threads. I suppose maybe I can find something the same size that I can put in the other side to help line everything up. I am just getting this boat so it can be fished. Updating a few things like trolling motor, new batteries, adding a couple of basic Humminbird graphs, new bilge and livewell pumps, new gauges and switches. Then sell it

[Bighare2]

I have never had to do this.
you might need to loosen one side of the stern bracket to help alignment. Maybe insert a wood dowel rod from the opposite side to start alignment. As you drive the tilt tube back in place, the dowel rod will help maintain alignment and eventually be force out.

[Nissanman]

The problem is the steering cable is stuck inside that tube and hangs out about4-5 inches. I need to find something hollow, maybe a pipe that i can fish through there andhelp like everything up. weld a rod on the end so I have some leverage to move the engine on bracket to line up so as to to be able to drive in the pivot. Still need to wire up the trolling motor, new batteries and charger and all the switches. I wasn't planning on spending time to do this. I have been working 12 hour days so it will have to wait until Satuday before attempting this again.

[BigFishSteve]

If it's stable, take the time to lift it properly. That allows you to fix it properly. I'd order a new tilt tube to have on hand. It could be dinged, bent or flattened by what has happened. For now, Id cut the steering cable off and be adding break free oil in around the tube every day.