Have searched and read on shift cable bellows, need some clarity, have a pic for ref.

pcweber

Cadet
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
Messages
28
OK, I have searched and read for hours. Most say to pull the core cable first, then magically unscrew from the outdrive side and pull out the outer cable shield. This is where it gets dicey for me. I have it all apart up at the engine side. I did start to pull the core and it stuck at around 15 inches out. I did get it back in but assume if I give it heck I will have it out. But then the next part I don?t understand. It says unbolt at outdrive and pull the sheath out. Well as you see in the pic attached on the engine side of the sheath more stuff for adjusting, etc. that I can?t imagine can go through. Or is this cable ***. a 2 piece of some sort? On top of all this I can?t even see let alone reach where my cable goes after it curves down at back of boat. I cannot imagine how I will get it fed back up and via the same route when I can?t even see it let alone reach it. Anyhow, maybe words of expertise will coach me to press on.

PIC link: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7PGuYWONu4KX7AeQYgJMWdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=email
 

makonnen

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 4, 2012
Messages
184
Re: Have searched and read on shift cable bellows, need some clarity, have a pic for

The shift cable is two pieces .... an inner solid metal core and outer rubber sheath.

Locate the black plastic housing, undo the two square screws that secure the end of the inner core of the shift cable to this housing. You can now pull the shift cable out of the outer rubber core. Don't worry, its easy to install. Careful, when you undo one side, the other side will fall out.
st001-1.jpg

Loosen the brass nut, unscrew the stainless steel end from threaded brass end of the shift cable
st002-1.jpg

Before you pull the outer core of the shift cable out, tape a wire to it. This will act as your lead / pull wire to help you install the new cable.
st003.jpg

I'm guessing you are replacing the shift cable. You can buy the inner core separately from the outer core. I know its kind of scary in that youcan't see from the bilge where the shift cable comes out ... but I've pulled it out without a lead wire and managed to get it in OK. Better to have a pull wire to guide you though.

edit: I'm sure achris will ring in, he has a great video on shift cable adjustment.
 

ericp501

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
May 14, 2011
Messages
149
Re: Have searched and read on shift cable bellows, need some clarity, have a pic for

After u pull the inner core from the bottom, run it back through at the top. Then pull the cable cover out from the bottom. This will leave the old core in place as a guide. Take the new cable cover a feed it up using the old core as a guide. Once the outer cable is in place pull out the old core from the top and put in the new core at the bottom. I don't know if that makes sense or not, but read it a few times cause its the only way to do it IMO.. Just did mine
 

makonnen

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 4, 2012
Messages
184
Re: Have searched and read on shift cable bellows, need some clarity, have a pic for

After u pull the inner core from the bottom, run it back through at the top. Then pull the cable cover out from the bottom. This will leave the old core in place as a guide. Take the new cable cover a feed it up using the old core as a guide. Once the outer cable is in place pull out the old core from the top and put in the new core at the bottom. I don't know if that makes sense or not, but read it a few times cause its the only way to do it IMO.. Just did mine

What he says. Good trick ... though I wouldn't do that if you are planning to re-use the inner core.
 

pcweber

Cadet
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
Messages
28
Re: Have searched and read on shift cable bellows, need some clarity, have a pic for

Any tricks as to whe to use to loosen the outer core nut down at outdrive? I read posts where if you try to use anything but the specific tool made for it you go striaght to hell, ruin everything in shop and wife is pissed at same time.
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: Have searched and read on shift cable bellows, need some clarity, have a pic for

Chop the cable between the bellows and the bell housing, then you can use a standard socket to remove the bit left in the bell housing... Clean up the threads in the bellhousing as outlined in the manual. Feed a cord through the bell housing (the new cables go in from the aft/drive side). Attach the cord (about 2-3 feet long) to the old cable that's still going through into the boat and pull it through. Attached the cord to the new cable and pull that in with the cord.... Easy.

Here's the video of the cable adjustment... -> http://youtu.be/-s_tgevX2aI

Chris....
P.S. You don't need to reuse anything from the old cable (inner cable, slide, attaching hardware, ect)
 

pcweber

Cadet
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
Messages
28
Re: Have searched and read on shift cable bellows, need some clarity, have a pic for

Can someone enlighten me to this topic of Shift cable "wrapping" I keep reading about? Is it up at the engine end of the cable or down at outdrive between bell housing and transom mount?
 

81 Checkmate

Lieutenant
Joined
Jul 20, 2010
Messages
1,360
Re: Have searched and read on shift cable bellows, need some clarity, have a pic for

Put the wraping on the outside of the outer cable on the inside of the boat down by the transom, Next to your exhaust pipe or in that area. Should be at the point were it comes thru the transom. It is to help your cable from being melted.
 

makonnen

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 4, 2012
Messages
184
Re: Have searched and read on shift cable bellows, need some clarity, have a pic for

Any tricks as to whe to use to loosen the outer core nut down at outdrive? I read posts where if you try to use anything but the specific tool made for it you go striaght to hell, ruin everything in shop and wife is pissed at same time.

Just use a long-body 3/8" drive but don't let the male end of the 3/8" drive fully engage the socket. This will give you room to sneak out that nut.

bravo05.jpg
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: Have searched and read on shift cable bellows, need some clarity, have a pic for

Just use a long-body 3/8" drive but don't let the male end of the 3/8" drive fully engage the socket. This will give you room to sneak out that nut.

bravo05.jpg

That's a Bravo drive, he's working an Alpha One Gen II.... The socket is a 9/16".

Chris.........
Here's a link to a previous thread where he tells us what he has... (Which he should have done at the beginning of this thread! :mad:)
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=548368
 

pcweber

Cadet
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
Messages
28
Re: Have searched and read on shift cable bellows, need some clarity, have a pic for

I got it done tonight. I must say I own a 15 ft cut tripple deck mower, a 6 ft. front deck mower, a skid loader, 6 licensed and insured cars, have a 40 ft waterfall going into a pond at bottom of our deck, pool, etc. That about took the cake for the smallest actual amount of accomplished result for the effort needed mechnaically to get there. Heck, I even had to get the wife involved. My son replaced the turbo on his car and was done before I was at putting that dam bellows on. Take dam good care of those shift bellows, the replacement is the least rewarding mechanical work I can recall....
 
Top