Changing the steering cable.

chorscroft · 16 June 2008, 20:46

As soon as I get a jockey console bought, I will begin the work on my boat. One of the things I will have to do is get a longer steering cable.
Can anyone advise me what cable to get and how to remove the old one, and fit the new one?
Are there any specialized tools required?
Any general advice on the matter would be appreciated.

Regards

Conor

chorscroft · 17 June 2008, 21:07

Went out to the boat and tried to see if I could remove the cable, but I still don't see how it is removed - help please!
I removed the nut and turned the wheel till the inner bar slid out but it stopped at a certain point - how does the cable detach and a new one reattach to this bar?
Also how does it detach/reattach to the helm unit?

Some pics. included.

Thanks in Advance

Conor

Pete7 · 17 June 2008, 21:40

Conor, at the outboard end you need to keep pulling. However on a small rib you might run out space if the A frame gets in the way. I have had to unbolt the engine before now to get the cable out of the engine saddle, but it will pull out.

I don't recognise the steering wheel hub, normally they have a pin and large nut on the cable which when undone allows the cable to be removed by turning the wheel to wind the cable out. Try undoing the two nuts that look if they hold a cap on were the cable goes into the steering hub and exits the hub. You can do no wrong so just go for it, oh and the white plastic pipe should just pull off, its only a cover for the inner cable.

On re assembly use lots of grease as the cable goes back into the steering hub.

Pete

chorscroft · 17 June 2008, 21:43

Cheers for that Pete!

Will try that the next chance I get.

Conor

Cypman · 17 June 2008, 22:00

Hi
It really is not too difficult to change steering cables, the only likely problem you will encounter is corosion, which will make separation of the parts somewhat more difficult!!! You need to remove the single long bolt from the stering box in order to remove the cable. It locates in an indent in the cable end fitting which holds the cable in place. Once removed you should be able to wind the cable out by turning the steering wheel. At the engine end the cable fitting is a tight fit in the torque tube of the engine mount, this is almost certainly siezed in position due to corrosion between the two different metals. Judicial use of penetrating fluid, rubber headed hammer and even gentle heat may assist. Before you undo the cable attachment at the steering wheel end you may be able to release the engine end by firstly undoing the large nut securing the cable to the torque tube then apply loads of penetrating fluid. Once this has been given time to "work" you may be lucky and by turning the steering wheel in the direction which extends the arm to its maximum extent, and then beyond, you may "break" the joint at the large nut point. Before installing the new cable make sure that the internal surface of the torque tube is free of corrosion and well greased so that the next cable replacement will be easy. Good luck.

spartacus · 17 June 2008, 22:08

The steering is an Ultraflex unit. You need to undo both bolts on the steering helm.

Undo stainless-steel return arm on the outboard, unscrew the collar nut on the outboard and withdraw the steering cable. If it's been greased (and it should) it will slide out easily.

Turning the wheel anti-clockwise the cable will unscrew itself. The plastic protection tube sits in a recessed bush. Once the bolt has been removed - you will be able to withdraw it.

Fitting is as reverse - starting with the steering helm. Incidentally - the minimum bend radius for M66 steering cable is 8". Remember to lightly grease new steering cable with marine grease, both in steering helm and especially at outboard.

chorscroft · 17 June 2008, 22:24

Thanks for all the replies guys - one last question.
Where would you recommend getting the cable from - basically looking for as cheap as possible but that isn't going to break within a week

Regards

Conor

Pete7 · 17 June 2008, 23:05

Given your location I would speak with Redbay boats and ask them to order one for you.

Pete

chorscroft · 18 June 2008, 08:43

So am I right in saying that the cable can be detached from the inner metal tube and a new one clamped in?
If so can I just buy a standard teleflex steering cable of the required length on ebay and clamp it into the helm unit and the inner bar and slide it in?
Or do you have to buy a cable with the bar preattached?

Thanks in advance

Conor

Pete7 · 18 June 2008, 08:56

The new cable will come with the bar attached for threading through the engine saddle on one end and several feet of curly spring at the other for winding into the steering box. You won't need anything else, other than lots of grease.

Pete

chorscroft · 18 June 2008, 17:34

I've found cables on ebay that seem to be far cheaper than any other ones I've been quoted.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TELEFLEX-MORSE...2em118Q2el1247
Do these cables come with the two sliding bars at one end and the bare springed bit at the other end?

Regards

Conor

Pete7 · 18 June 2008, 19:05

Thats a throttle cable not a steering one.

Pete

chorscroft · 18 June 2008, 19:07

Yea, I figured that out shortly after I posted it.
I've found this on ebay, which seems to be a good price (yes/no?)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Teleflex-Stand...2em118Q2el1247
Does this look acceptable?
Unless anyone finds something wrong I'm gonna measure up, and go ahead and order it.
How accurate do you have to be in your measuring if your say 30cm out, is that a major problem?

Regards

Conor

Slaphead · 18 June 2008, 21:22

There are two sources of steering cables in Newtownards. First one is Outboard Services who are the Suzuki agents on Donaghadee Road. He(Ralph) either does ultraflex or teleflex, can't remember which.One does one. One does the other. Try him first.
Second is CH Marine on Jubilee Road. Remember to bring your old cable with you to match up. Failing that try Martin Stitt who is the Mercury/Tohatsu agent on Gobbins Road, Islandmagee. The serial number and length of cable is stamped on the sleeve of the cable. Expect to pay around £60 for one. Telephone numbers of all are in the yellow pages.

Pete7 · 19 June 2008, 08:41

Good guy Martin as is his brother, helped me out more than once out of hours

Pete

chorscroft · 03 July 2008, 14:28

The jockey seat we ordered from redbay is almost ready, so I'm going to order the steering cable, but I just need to get the length right. From what I've read online, to measure for a new cable you measure from the wheel to the gunwhale, the dash to the transom, the gunwhale to the centre line of engine, and add 300mm for a thru tube. But I thought it would be easier and probably more accurate if I measured how much I'm moving my console.

I'm moving it 56cm forward and 12cm to the left which means I would add 68 cm to the 304.8 cm of the current cable (10ft) giving me a cable length of 372.8, or a standard length of 3.75m.

Can anyone see any problems with this theory?

Thanks in advance

Conor

Poly · 03 July 2008, 20:56

How does that compare to the "normal method"?
Are your current cables correct?

chorscroft · 03 July 2008, 21:02

Yes my current cables are correct, so I thought that I would just be extending the length from "wheel to gunwhale" and from "dash to transom". I will post a picture of what I was going by to give you a better understanding.

regards

Conor

Poly · 03 July 2008, 21:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by chorscroft

Yes my current cables are correct, so I thought that I would just be extending the length from "wheel to gunwhale" and from "dash to transom". I will post a picture of what I was going by to give you a better understanding.

regards

Conor

when I got my boat I did the same with throttle cables etc. I found that actually they didn't follow the down to floor, out to side, to the stern, in to middle, up to top of transom route the expected (on bigger boat they would be more dramatically taking that form - on my wee boat thats way too many sharp turns) - so I ended up with cables which are too long and had to change them. Dealer said this was a common issue - so I would be inclined to take the approach you suggest of simple ajusting for position.