Steering Cable Problem

Monty,

I would just look at one of the places you found in the google search or call skidim, white lake marine or marineengineparts.com and I am sure somebody has it but it is definitely what you need.

scott

Monty,

Do a Google search and type in SA27620 or Teleflex sa27620 and you will see the part you need.

I bought my cable from marineenginepart.com and this connector was in the box with the cable. It is about $14-$16 if you buy it separate. All you do is screw this in to the top of your helm and insert the cable until it clicks. Then you insert a cotter pin per the instructions and your done.

Be sure to take the plastic off the end before you insert it in the helm



Scott

I think the life on these steering cables must be about 30-35 years. Luckily the PO of my boat had to replace mine 3 years ago when it broke and left him stranded. It seems that the steering cable might be a good "replace while your in there" item on 70's and earlier boats. Either that or make sure you can easily pull a new one.

Glad you worked it out Scott. Good Idea cutting out the back of the Elbow. I used two 45 degree elbows joined by about 6 inches of straight pipe to achieve a 90 and it worked great. I was able to pull all my cables with no problems. I actually had a 90 in place at first and returned it after reading up on here.

Scott,
Glad to hear you will be on the water again. Look at all you have learned and what a nice boat...
That is what I was trying to suggest back on page one. Sometimes I can't get my thoughts to the keyboard.
Anyway I ordered a new steering cable for my boat after reading about your ordeal. I think mine was original. Monty

Keeganino wrote: In the words of the late great John Lennon- "There are no problems only solutions." You will get this thing licked!

Oh, you are so right............I just finished putting it in and I believe she is good to go.

Here was my plan:

If I ran the cable up the air tube, it would be too short.

I could not pull the old cable out so I cut it off and only left three or four feet encased in foam beneath the floor.

I could not return the cable and get a longer one because I had scratched this one messing with the above options.

So this is what I thought up two nights ago in the darkness of Mississippi: I would run the cable up the PVC tube with the electrical, bilge hose and transmission and throttle cable. I was worried about the 90degree turn until I talked with Tommy at White Lake marine who assured me that anything other than bending completely in half would work fine. So after a lot of struggling pulling the cable up the tube to where it comes out underneath the dash, I used a sawsall, coping saw and a straight hack saw blade to cut out the back side of the tubing after removing an area of foam about the size of two softballs laid side by side. The cable now comes out the back of the tubing, makes a big sweeping turn and right in to the helm like it did 35 years ago.

I hooked up a quick connector that was shipped with my cable and the new cable snapped right in. The clevis kit and tube clamp in the back went in perfect. Cost me about $190 for everything.

Now I need to spend a day putting it all back together and making a couple of changes while everything is apart.

Thanks to everyone for your support especialy AT, Pete and Keegan. I wish I had your knowledge and skills because as frustrating as this boat can be sometimes, I like fixing what's broke. I also like the comments I get. A guy at the gas station literally begged me to sell him the boat........maybe I should have talked to him as he was driving a brand new Land Rover$$$$$$

Will post a couple of pictures later......If I drank alchohol, I think I would have myself a cold one right about now.


scott

I had a brainstorm to fix my problem last night about 10:00 headed to memphis and if it works, it would solve everything. Will let you know yea or nea. Wish me luck.

Scott,   Happy Boating!


AT

Scott,   Do you have the old cable disconnected from the T-Helm?

With the "new" up the vent tube, do a trial test fit.

The 17' should be plenty.

I had a 17' in my old Mustang.

I would not pull the "new" with a come-along.
And I would not use anything but the clevis from Teleflex.

AT

Don't feel too bad Scott I dropped my boat off Thursday to have the engine put back in and have not heard anything from them yet. They are about to hear from me though!

Well, I screwed the support tube on to the new cable. I then ran the helm end down the bilge, around the battery, up the air tube and beneath the dash. I don't have a good feeling about the length. I have a new 17' cable but I lost some length when I went up the air tube. In hindsite, I probably should have measured more closely before ordering and got an extra foot or so. I am going to have to do a lot of checking and figuring to make this work. I can see what I have to do but I don't feel very confident it is going to work as it is now.   

AT,

Thanks.

I have some more problems, I think. Look at these pictures:




Could you go to www.marineengineparts.com and look up part #SA27256P? This appears to be what I need to fix my problem. It looks like I cannot attach the rudder arm to the cable or the cable to the original bracket shown(because the old one is way to big)without this kit and another $110. I now need to check out the helm to see if the helm I have will accept the new cable or it's more money I have to spend.

Thanks,
scott

AT,

Not yet but they have a two for one deal at Home Depot on Charcoal
in case this does not work out........

Btw, I just finished removing the floor. I have to decide now whether I want to try and pull the old cable out and try and put the new one in it's place or just run the new one as you mentioned up the air intake hose to the bow area. The second option sounds like the least work by far. I just need to make sure I have enough length. I think I will make up a dummy line and run it through the tubes and see how much length I have to play with. Will update you later.

Any advice on what to use to cut the cable in half? I thought about using my angle grinder with the diamond cutting blade I used in my stringer project and just saw it in half it possible. Bolt cutters would work but can't get them down in the battery area. I could only use them in front of the engine and where the cable comes out from the floor underneath the dash.

Thanks for the advice.



scott

DrCC wrote: Ok, Rudder was not turning, now all of a sudden the rudder is turning? You probably jammed the broken core back together. AT

I think this is exactly what has happened. See my last three posts.

scott

AT,

UPDATE:

I went underneath the boat and turned the rudder by hand all the way each direction and the steering wheel will not turn. I think it's broken somewhere because the steering wheel should turn each way as I turn the rudder by hand, what do you think? I was hoping it was not broken but it does not look good.

This sequence of events could have happened this way:

The piece of hose pictured above got caught behind the rudder arm. When I turned the boat hard, the arm may have been forced against that hose(which is wire reinforced and almost like the exhaust hose)and something had to give and maybe it was the steel worm gear inside the steering cable sheath. Just a guess but what is yours and anyone else's opinion now given what I just found out?

scott