First, let it soak, soak, soak in PB Blaster. (buy it at NAPA) 3 days to a week would not be overkill. I also had no luck with a hammer, but I was able to press it out with a hydraulic bottle jack using a piece of 1/2" rod as a drift pin. To clean out the tilt tube after you get the cable out, use a 1/2" plumber's wire brush chucked into a 12" drill extension and a power drill. When you reinstall, buy a tilt rod nut that has a seal bult in. There are 2 brands available, the Davis Cable Buddy and the Steersman. I had bad luck with the Davis, the seal is pressed in and popped out when I greased it. The steersman has an o-ring inside a captive groove, and has worked fine.