Steering Cable Problem

DrCC wrote: Scott,   Yes, the 16' (192") would be the proper cable, However, in your situation you might be glad you have the 17' (204")    Any identifying markings on the cable will be in inches. I suppose I should have gave you both prices and let you decide which one you preferred. Question: How many big brass screws did you put in the rear floor section? From your pic, it shows you carpeted it separately. Slowly and carefully, with a putty knife, peel back the carpet.   The glue is still fairly fresh, so this should not be too much of a problem. If you feel you need or want to screw the floor back down, all you would need is 4.   Oval head stainless with finish washers, on top of the carpet. Front two- hidden under the motor box. Back two- hidden behind the rear panel. Or if your motor box hinges line-up directly above the stringers, only one longer screw in each hinge. Ok, Up front.   I'm assuming I see 3" white PVC schedule 40? This is why I say a steering cable will not pass through a 3" PVC 90*. I personally would dig out the old cable and install a flex tube just for the steering cable. AT

I like you idea about the screw locations under the back panel and engine cover. I think I used 8 large brass wood screws. I know, overkill but it never crossed my my to do what you said. Great suggestion!!!!

Change of plans,

Back at a computer.

I think you and I are not on the same sheet of music. The way I have it planned, and I may be wrong, I am not planning on digging anywhere or using any drills. I am not planning on touching any foam. I plan on drilling a hole on the side of the clear tubing that will accomodate the new cable about 3 or 4 inches above the decking. The cable will run inside the tube, in to the bilge beside the battery box, turn towards the drivers side stringer and then back to the rudder assembly. Now, whether the cable clamp coming off the primary will clamp the diameter of the new cable and if the new cable will attach to the arm is another question I will deal with when I get the cable in.

I am just hoping a 17' cable will be long enough. I will not be able to work on the boat any until friday so I won't be able to post any progress until then.

scott

Hi Guys!

I have a very important question to ask you all before I go any further. Your answer could save me $100 and two days of work.

Can someone tell me how the steering cable actually works? By this I mean what does the worm gear do between the cable clamp coming off the stringer and where it attaches to the rudder arm? Does the gear push something, is it attached to something, ect.? I am thinking that since the gear is circular in design that it feeds in to something which in turn pushes a rod attached to the arm and turns the rudder.

Here is what I am getting at. I found this leftover piece of air line:

jammed between the back of the rudder arm and the transom of the boat. The rudder arm will start going back towards the transom and then hit this %#!*? thing thus preventing any further movement of the cable arm in the direction of the transom. I have to do some more checking but if you are sitting in the drivers seat and look back at the rudder area, the rudder seams to work perfect now that this leftover piece of air hose has been removed.

Anybody have any thoughts for now? I am going back outside to do some more checking. Worst case situation is I still need to replace the cable. Best case is this scrap piece was in the way and I am out a small piece of carpet, return shipping on my cable and a restocking charge all totalling about $35.

I just want to make sure of my situation before I put her back in the water and have to be towed in again.

Thanks,



Scott

DrCC wrote: Scott,    Go the other way!    Make right hand turns. Sit in the drivers seat, turn the wheel to the right, keep on turning right until all the broken cable core comes out. AT

AT,

I think we are not on the same sheet of music.

I am NOT trying to get the cable out. In fact, I am trying to determine if my cable is in fact broke at all.

Let me explain it again. I found the above pictured scrap piece of tubing lodged between the rudder arm and the transom of the boat. How it got there I don't know. If I turn the steering wheel left to make the arm travel towards the back of the boat, the rudder arm would hit this 3" piece of tubing(that's not supposed to be there) sitting on the floor beneath the transom thus stopping any further movement in that direction. If I start turning the steering wheel in the opposite direction(or to the right), the arm will start moving towards the front of the boat and the cable would start gathering in a wad underneath the dash IF I had not purchased a new cable protector that screws on the the lower side of the helm. This is the item I bought from Skidim that keeps the grease from the cable from drying out AND traveling too far towards the drivers side gunwail.

As it stands now, you can sit in the drivers seat, look back at the rudder arm and turn the steering wheel left and right thus moving the rudder arm and of course the rudder.

Is my cable broke if I can do this? I am thinking it may not be and this scrap piece of tubing was the culprit. I can take a picture of how I found it if it would help matters.

scott

Re Read your post 26-Jun-2010
Cable feeds out with out stopping.

Ok, Rudder was not turning, now all of a sudden the rudder is turning?

You probably jammed the broken core back together.

AT

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

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,

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

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

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.   

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!

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

Scott,   Happy Boating!


AT