Stiff Steering Repair
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=37175
Printed Date: November-17-2024 at 1:42am
Topic: Stiff Steering Repair
Posted By: Cuda
Subject: Stiff Steering Repair
Date Posted: August-25-2015 at 1:28am
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Friends, I have a '69 Barracuda with very stiff steering. I've isolated the problem to the cable (rudder, guide tube and steering wheel move freely) but cannot figure out how to remove the cable for replacement, nor am I sure what new parts will fit. I've gotten some parts I.D. from support@nautiqueparts.com (cable with helm adapter, clevis rudder adapter, and potentially a new steering guide tube). My questions: (1) How can I get the cable core to retract from the helm? The wheel stops at three turns and I cannot find a way to release it. (2) How can I get the steering guide tube off the cable? It will not slide over about the last two inches of the ram shaft, and after that the swaged-on ball-socket quick disconnect for the rudder arm is larger than the ram shaft. Since the white cable sheath is as stiff as copper tubing, I expect I will have to cut the cable in a couple of places just to get it out of the boat. Once that is done I should be able to pull the core out of the sheath and remove the guide tube the back way. All steering components appear to be original (I've owned her since 1982). The white (now yellowed) cable is marked T 17 FT S. The helm appears to be a Big-T. Ron ------------- Ron, happy owner of '69 Barracuda |
Replies:
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: August-25-2015 at 2:08am
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Welcome Ron. When you get a chance post some pictures of your Cuda. When you replace your cable the whole cable assembly comes out jacket and all. Go to the helm end and you'll see where the cable attaches,it's what looks like a nut,it's part of the cable. You unscrew that and just pull the whole cable,jacket and all,out of the helm. Then at the back of the boat you'll see the support pipe that connects to the stringer. At the front of that you will see a nut. You might have to hold that pipe with a pipe wrench but all you do is loosen the nut and after disconnecting the cable from the rudder pull the whole cable out of the support tube. Tie a rope on to the old cable,I pulled mine out the back, which will help you pull in the new one. Sometimes there are cable tie's holding the cable along side the stringer which will have to be removed too. Took me about a half hour to remove and install a cable in my Mustang by myself. My 95 took a good chunk of a day since the floor and interior had to come out,which I had never done before. I always change the seal on the transom end of the support tube too,after all those years it will be hard and not do it's job. I'll look up the part number tommorow. While not the same at the helm end this thread will help. http://www.correctcraftfan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=31166&title=steering-cable-replacement-with-pictures" rel="nofollow - link Here is the seal ,not everyone has it,but this place can get it. It has the part number listed too. http://www.fisheriessupply.com/teleflex-marine-tfx-sa37868p-sa37868p" rel="nofollow - Link for seal ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: Cuda
Date Posted: August-25-2015 at 12:48pm
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Gary, your tutorial is super, but my steering is rotary, not rack. And my hangups with cable removal are after both ends of the sheath are detached (no nut on the rudder end, just threaded into the tube. I expect there must be some way to get the steering wheel to turn beyond the 3-turns stop so the cable core can come out of the helm. A release pin, bolt, latch or some such device, but I cannot find it (pic). At the rudder end the guide tube will slide freely after it is released from the stringer swivel mount and the cable sheath is detached, but it stops hard about 2 in. short of the ram end (pic). And then there is the large-diameter ball-socket rudder connector that is swaged to the end of the cable and will have to be cut off if the guide tube is to be salvaged. Bottom line: The cable is free at the rudder end for removal from the boat, but unless I can get the cable core out of the helm it's a no go. Without more insight the only option seems to be to cut the cable off at the helm, then take the cable and helm out to work on the bench. Thanks for the lead on the guide tube cap -- I will probably need one. I'm hauling the boat out today and switching over to my other boat for the rest of the season (short here in Minnesota). Sorry, I can't find a way to attach my pics. I could send by email. ------------- Ron, happy owner of '69 Barracuda |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: August-25-2015 at 1:19pm
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If this is a teleflex big t rotary helm, as would have been standard late 60's forward, there should be nothing preventing the cable from being removed from the helm, there is not built in stop- just the cable reaching the end of its throw. You may need a new clamp tube at the rudder end. They are readily available and inexpensive. |
Posted By: Cuda
Date Posted: August-25-2015 at 2:04pm
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TR, Maybe there's no built in stop, but it comes up solid after 3 turns. Yes, I will need a new clamp, a clevis kit in nautiqueparts.com language. $48. I'll get it all out on the bench and see what I can do about getting the cable out of the helm. I don't want to force it, risking my old helm gears. Any thoughts about the rudder-end thread-in guide tube attachment as opposed to a retaining nut on the cable? As you know all this stuff is 46 years old and hard to fix, same as my son who learned to be a professional skier behind the old gal. ------------- Ron, happy owner of '69 Barracuda |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: August-25-2015 at 2:12pm
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No maybe if it's a big t. Try pulling the cable gently while turning the wheel. If it jams up then something is either boogered on the cable or the helm. Take the plastic jacket off the other feed through while the cable is fully insterted in the helm and inspect the spiral for damage. I'm not entirely following you on the rudder end. I can't remember if I've converted a cable that old to the new style but I didn't think it required more than the clevis kit. Maybe a clamp tube if you can't get the old one off the old cable. Clamp block should have been reusable. The nut that the clamp tube attaches to is part of the new cable assembly. |
Posted By: Cuda
Date Posted: August-25-2015 at 7:06pm
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TR, Thanks! I'll try the your "pull gently" approach when I get the stuff on the bench. I had examined the tail end of the cable, and all looked good. We'll see what the problem is. Regarding the rudder end, the cable sheath end fitting has male threads that screw into female threads in the guide tube. No retainer nut. I will verify with nautiqueparts.com that the end fitting is compatible and if not will have to get a new tube to match (the catalog illustration does not show that part of the cable: P/N 6301413, http://www.nautiqueparts.com/steeringcableto1981.aspx. The project may go on hold for awhile as I am getting ready for a trip abroad, I'll be back when time permits digging in. ------------- Ron, happy owner of '69 Barracuda |
Posted By: Tim D
Date Posted: August-28-2015 at 8:13pm
If the cable won't come out of the helm, the outer "spring" that's around the cable is broken. The heavy spring is what the gear in the helm grabs onto, and when you're trying to turn to the right, or push it out it is bunching up on itself and getting stuck. You need to take the helm apart. You will probably find a big hair ball of broken cable fibers in the grease. So that will need to be cleaned out. Your white cable is the original. You will also need a new support tube because where the cable attaches, the treads are not in the right place. (inside the tube/outside the tube) and the new cable is made different at the end where it attaches to the rudder arm so you also need a clevis kit.  ------------- Tim D |