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Several boat mechanics wanted 700 just to replace the cables. Replacing steering cable on an inboard boat.
Replace tube if needed.
Replace steering cable on boat. Replacing steering cable on an inboard boat. Start date Jun 28 2004. Codyandamber Petty Officer 2nd Class.
Joined Apr 5 2003 Messages 106. Jun 28 2004 1 I have replace steering cables on IO before but never on an inboard. I have an 85 mastercraft and the steering is tight.
I do not see the part number on. For outboard boats under 25 feet you can expect a replacement steering cable to cost under 130. Teleflex systems are particularly effective where the installation requires long cable runs andor multiple bends between the helm and the engine.
A stiff plastic jacket protects the inner cable. The Basics On How To Lube Steering Cable On Boat. When lubricating the steering cable on your boat you will need to have a few things on hand.
These include the following. Stainless steel steering tilt tube. Nut with zerk fitting.
If the steering wheel moves freely but the cables motor end does not move then look for a stripped gear at the helm. There will either be a bare spot in the rack or a stripped gear on the steering shaft. If there is a bare spot on the rack you will need a new cable.
If it is on the steering wheel shaft replace the gear. There are 4 small black brackets with 2 screws each that hold the tank in place. Unscrew them and voila - you can slide the tank forward about 6 inches plenty to get the steering cable through.
Dont forget to slide the tank back into place and hopefully you were able to save some time and frustration. At some point in every boats life if it has mechanical steering youre going to have to replace the steering cable. In the case of this particular cable that I have in front of me its from a rotary helm and once you take the cable off the boat if you look at the engine end of the cable.
Attach the new cable to the helm and insert the cotter pin to secure the connection. Run the new steering cable along the same path that the old cable followed to the tilt tube. Liberally apply marine grease to the end of the new cable and push it through the tilt tube.
Thread the 916-inch nut back into place and tighten with an adjustable wrench. However a problem I run into is that theres no room to pullinsert the cable inout of the pivot tube. Im probably going to have to remove the motor to change the cable.
Steering is okfor now. I would like to get this fix sometime though. Check your boat to see if youll have similar issues.
I work swingshiftcatch up to me on the line. Boat steering cable replacement cost at a dealership will run you anywhere from 300-650 depending on the make and model of your boat. However many folks opt to do it themselves as the boat steering cable replacement job is relatively easy.
If you do go the DIY route for your marine steering cable replacement you can find the best and usually cheapest replacement Teleflex cables. Replacing a boat steering cable can be challenging but its a repair that is totally doable for the mechanically-inclined boat owner. Inspecting Replacing Your Boat Steering Cable - Marine Parts Source.
The best way to remove the cable is to remove the pin out of the clevis at the end of the cable where it attaches to the rudder arm then remove the clamp block that holds the steering tube. Pull the whole assy out Then you can get at the 1 18 nut that holds the cable in the tube. It is not uncommon to destroy the tube on badly corroded systems.
Replace tube if needed. When loose pull the cable forward out of the tube and lay down on the floor. 3 Under the dash remove drivers seat if needed find cable entering the helm on older boats there will be a large nut holding the cable.
As I researched replacing my cables I decided that it was probably time to replace the helm too ie. The part under the steering wheel - it contains the pinion gear. Several boat mechanics wanted 700 just to replace the cables.
It would have cost me 1000 to have them replace the cables and the helm. After doing some reading on the net. Boat Steering Cables for Like New Performance and Maneuverability.
Its a good idea to replace your boat steering cables with the same type as originally installed. This is not only a sound practice but also makes the installation process that much simpler. Steering Cables Dual Twin Cable Systems.
Mechanical steering systems rely on push-pull steering cables to move your engine or rudder but all cables include some backlash or lost motion due to the nature of their design. Some high-performance boatengine combinations with maximum speeds above 50mph cannot tolerate this amount of play and develop high-speed instability.