Under floor steering cable

leehebs · 25 August 2021, 09:47

I managed to break my steering cable yesterday, having never changed it on this rib before, are there any tips or tricks to get it out and the new one ,when ordered back in, I ask this as it’s routed down from the consul and under the floor of the rib coming out at the water well at the rear along with all the other cables.

Is it worth tying cord to the old cable to drag it back up or are they normally easy enough to do.

I did consider changing it to this, but as a there is no U.K. feed back was a bit unsure

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B074C8ZZ...v_ov_lig_dp_it

paintman · 25 August 2021, 10:13

Whenever I've had to replace something that runs through a tunnel I've always taped cord or flexible electrical cable to the old one so I've been able to just attach the new item and pull it through.
Cable's stronger.

I build up with tape so the join is smooth and no bits are sticking out that could snag.

Poly · 25 August 2021, 10:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by leehebs

I managed to break my steering cable yesterday, having never changed it on this rib before, are there any tips or tricks to get it out and the new one ,when ordered back in, I ask this as it’s routed down from the consul and under the floor of the rib coming out at the water well at the rear along with all the other cables.

Is it worth tying cord to the old cable to drag it back up or are they normally easy enough to do.

It will always be easier to feed a cable if you have guide / mousing line for it - nobody ever regretted adding one but plenty have regretted not doing it!

How easy/fiddly will depend on the particular boat design and what else goes through the same conduit. Fairly liquid and water will help lubricate its passage, but it may still be a PITA job.

[QUOTE]I did consider changing it to this, but as a there is no U.K. feed back was a bit unsure

Quote:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B074C8ZZ...v_ov_lig_dp_it

That is cheap. As you'll gather in your other thread - I'm a fan of hydraulic. Is it just your cable that needs replaced, or did you mash the helm unit when you applied enough force to break the cable? If you are replacing helm unit too then I'd be seriously tempted to order that. If it looks shit when it turns up you can send it back. Beware installing hydraulics is really a two person job (you need one working the wheel when the other close bleed nipples etc) and needs clear instructions each system has its own optimal way too - if the manual is written in dreadful english I'd send it back.

Nasher · 25 August 2021, 10:17

If you do pull a 'Mouse line' through with the old cable make sure it's at least twice as long as it needs to be so you can leave it in place permanently after you've used it to pull the new cable through.

Next time you add a new cable for a new piece of kit you'll be glad you have it in place already.

Nasher.

leehebs · 25 August 2021, 10:24

The boat was laid up for 4 years after my wife passed away, so I spent time over the spring cleaning up and checking everything worked ok, the steering was tight but not unusable , so I took off on the engine end to clean it all, was still a little stiff but ok, launched yesterday and as soon as I backed off the trailer and turned the wheel, I lost all steering. floppy engine, but better to happen there.

leehebs · 25 August 2021, 13:37

I would say this has not been off for many years, seems to be the easiest way in to give me room to work

https://flic.kr/p/2mjbomT

https://flic.kr/p/2mj7xYh

leehebs · 25 August 2021, 15:32

Thank you all, I now managed with only a little blood to pull my cable connected to paracord free of the boat, it's Ultraxflex m66m 4.25 meters, is it best to replace it like for like or are some other makes better

leehebs · 06 October 2021, 17:45

I have been working away for a while, having a day without rain, I decided to put on the new cable, to get the steering arm into the outboard, I had to remove the ribs a frame, deflate the right had tube completely, job done at that end, but will the hell pull trough on the paracord guide rope, gets about six inches in and jams solid, had to give up for the day as high winds and rain came, so fingers crossed for Sat.

Any other tip as well as washing up liquid, it shares the tunnel with throttle cables, fuel lines, radio ariel, and nav light wiring, bilge pump cable , so all a tight squeeze.

paintman · 06 October 2021, 18:02

How have you connected the paracord to the cable?

As I said in my earlier post I cover the whole joint area with electrical tape so it's a smooth taper with no sticky out bits.

leehebs · 06 October 2021, 20:27

Yep, tied twice then taped down over the knots and cable

GuyC · 06 October 2021, 21:45

I'm not sure what the end of the cable looks like but I tend to wrap the cable only with insulation tape for about 4" and then lay the mousing line alongside it and wrap the two together rather than tying the mousing line on to the cable. Because insulation tape likes to stick to itself, wrapping the cable first gives the second lot of wrapping something 'solid' to stick to.

You could try a thinner mousing line, like fishing line for example.

leehebs · 07 October 2021, 06:30

Thank you Guy, I will try any thing at the moment, once this rain eases off I get back out there.

GuyC · 07 October 2021, 08:31

Sometimes wobbling the other cables whilst pulling also helps to shake it through.

Oldman2 · 07 October 2021, 08:59

If its really difficult to pull though, and it seems this is the case, I would suggest you first draw through a new mouse and a secondary one as a backup should the worst happen and the draw wire/rope/string let go of the cable you are trying to pull through.
This has the advantage of giving you a trial run to see just how hard or not it is to pull through just 2 draw wires, if that in itself is difficult maybe the cable you are trying to install needs a new route through the trunking?

leehebs · 07 October 2021, 10:17

Good idea Oldman, I have some more para cord handy , so a back is good idea, maybe leave it in place for later use as well. Ta