Need some help with a new cable

[thegipper]

I'll try to make this as concise as possible. I have a 16ft 1984 starcraft with a 1970 60hp Johnson on it. I have added a CMC tilt to it.

My issue is the steering wheel is EXTREMELY hard to move. It has gotten worse over the last summer but I had about a million other things to address first.

With spring not too far away, I want to fix the steering before the lakes open up.

I have removed the steering cable from the motor. The motor is properly greased and moves freely as it should. The steering is still extremely hard with the cable disconnect from the motor. This leads me to believe that the cable itself is old needs to be replaced (possibly frayed wires as it binds up until it "pops" loose and then continues to be hard to turn). I do not see any visible problems with the cable but I'm assuming the inside is all rusted/frayed.

I have searched all over the cable/rack for a part number but cannot find anything. As you will see in the pictures, it also looks like maybe the cable is a little too long but if I go a foot shorter, it may be too short. I also cannot see how the cable could even be removed from the rack. Where it goes in, it looks like the rack is riveted and not meant to be taken apart.

You will also notice that I have the transom clamp style cable mounting bracket so I need to find a new rack/cable that works with this kind of setup.

Also, if I do order just a new cable, how do I know that the cable will work with the rack I have? Or should I just order a whole new rack and cable. If that is the case, will it work with my current steering wheel?

I didn't have time to measure how long the cable should be but I do have the instructions on how to properly measure the cable length.

Can anyone help me with this and possible provide some links to some options? I had to make a "custom" bracket to get the existing setup to work with the CMC tilt. I also don't know the proper name of this kind of steering cable so I don't know how to search for this kind of setup.

Thanks for the help fellas. PS I apologize for the crappy links. For the life of me, I cannot get this forum to post pictures correctly. I use several other forums and this one by far is the biggest pain in the butt to use.

https://imgur.com/71Fu3PA

https://imgur.com/9rRYy8K

https://imgur.com/YFJcYyl

https://imgur.com/cZOhS1j

https://imgur.com/5DrRUzq

 

[GA_Boater]

There's the cause of the tight steering - The kinked cable from increasing the motor setback with the CMC unit. A new cable won't last very long with that setup.




Does the motor have a tilt-tube, can't tell in the pic? I think the cable clamp should be mounted differently to straighten the steering cable, inside by rotating 90[SUP]o [/SUP]to inside the transom is better.

Lastly, I would replace the steering as a kit with a new cable and rack or rotary unit. Your steering should fit a new helm, the standard is 3/4" tapered shaft and that's probably what you have. Kits only cost a few bucks more than just the cable and your rack is probably as old as the boat.

 

[thegipper]

Thanks for the reply GA.

The tight steering did get worse after I installed the CMC lift but it was still pretty bad before hand.

The current setup I am using is actually the third mount I made up and the best option I could come up with. When I tried mounting it to the inside of the transom, the angle from the mount to the motor was too sever and would cause the ram to hit the transom when tilting up. It also seemed to make the tension even worse since the motor now sits back another 4 or 5 inches because of the CMC tilt. Moving the mount to the inside of the transom would only kink the cable worse or am I missing something?

There is no tube on the motor, just the metal piece that comes off the motor with a hole in it for the steering cable rod to attach to.

I'm really at a loss on how to make this setup work. I think the aluminum tube that is mounted to the swivel just screws into a standard cable mount. Can anyone confirm that?

Is there some other way I can make this work even if I have to use a different cable mounting system?

Thanks again

 

[thegipper]

GA_Boater

Here is a picture of how the cable rod is attached to the motor.

https://imgur.com/zbBL9bw

I cannot be the only person with an older motor that has a CMC tilt that needs a steering system that works.

 

[thegipper]

Or could I cut a larger opening through the splash well to increase the radius of the cable so it's not such a tight curve?

Something like this?

https://imgur.com/8M5Dojq

The way I have it setup now allows me to tilt the motor up/down all the way without any interference. The cable is perpendicular to the motor where as if I mounted it to the outside/inside of the transom, it would not be perpendicular. I know this because I already tried with several homemade brackets. The CMC lift pushes the motor back a good 4 or 5 inches, before I had that installed the mount was on the inside of the transom. It almost has to be where it is now because of the offset of the lift.

 

[GA_Boater]

Do you have more than one cable hole on the splashwell sides like mine?


?

 

[thegipper]

Unfortunately no, there is just the one opening on the starboard side of the splash well. I am certainly ok with opening it up more if need be.

As far as the cable itself, is there a particular one that I need for this kind of setup? Or will any rack and pinion cable of the correct length work with the aluminum tube transom mount style setup I got going on?

PS. CMC is no help. the instructions just say "you may need to modify your steering cable bracket to accommodate the motor being further back" or something to that effect.

I've searched all over the web and cannot find anything. Again, I cant be the only person with this problem/setup.

 

[GA_Boater]

All steering cables are the same on the motor end. The difference is the helm ends are unique depending on the type of helm and manufacturer. That's why recommended using a kit - New helm and cable.

For example;

A universal replacement cable costs $130 - http://ww2.iboats.com/Boat-Rack-Pin...id.171381326--uattr.brand:257--view_id.246969

A full kit is $147 - http://ww2.iboats.com/Uflex-Racktec...01566009--session_id.171381326--view_id.49378

You can see why a kit is a better deal and you end up with an all new steering system.

Now on the transom clamp and motor connection - That may be a bit more of a puzzle. A new hole forward of the existing hole might de-kink the cable. Maybe others have a better idea.

 

[thegipper]

Ok thanks again GA, I appreciate it.

 

[roscoe]

I would make a new opening.

Here.

Make as long and sweeping curve with that cable as you can.

 

[thegipper]

I would make a new opening.

Here.

Make as long and sweeping curve with that cable as you can.

Sounds like a solid plan.

As far as ordering a new steering cable/rack, is there a specific brand/type that you guys would recommend given my circumstance. I'm not opposed to spending more money if it means I'm getting a better setup.

Also, I'm assuming I can reuse the aluminum transom mount tube that my existing setup has? It should fit any steering cable setup I order correct?

 

[roscoe]

Also, I'm assuming I can reuse the aluminum transom mount tube that my existing setup has? It should fit any steering cable setup I order correct?

It Should but... ?

 

[thegipper]

Yeah I can't imagine it not being able to be re-used.

I'm looking at the Uflex Racktech. For a hundred bucks more I could get the tilting version which I'm kind of leaning towards. I'm a big guy and its a little tight to slip in and out of the drivers seat.

Are there any downsides to the tilting steering (reliability ect?)

 

[thegipper]

UPDATE:

I removed the old steering cable. It was all rusted and frayed near the motor, up by the rack it was still silky smooth.

I have a question about which type of steering system I should go with (rack vs rotary). As you will see in the links I post below, the old steering rack system is a little different than what all of the replacements look like.

There is a "extension" for the steering shaft between the helm and the rack. I doubt any replacement will accommodate this old setup. I am assuming this extension was used to allow the rack to help clear the switches/breakers under the dash.

If I install a new rack and pinion system, I am worried that the rack wont clear those obstacles.

Would a rotary system be a better choice given my setup?

Also, I measured the black sleeved section of the old cable and it measured exactly 11 feet. So, if I do go the rotary route, according to the measuring instructions from teleflex, I would take 11 feet, add 18"s and round up to the nearest foot which would be 13 feet.

If I went with another rack and pinion, I would need to order a 14' correct (11' plus 30" and round up to 14')

Is that correct?

https://imgur.com/zTRvqMx

https://imgur.com/srEGkAm

Thanks for the help again guys!

 

[Bondo]

If I install a new rack and pinion system, I am worried that the rack wont clear those obstacles.

Would a rotary system be a better choice given my setup?

Ayuh,.... It comes down to whichever 1 will fit,.....

I'm guessin' either might fit if ya move those 2 what appear to be circuit breakers,...

 

[thegipper]

Bondo GA_Boater roscoe

After doing some more measuring, I think the rotary still would be my best best because of the other switches and stuff under the console. The old setup had an extension to clear these items but no new setup has that. I'm looking at the Uflex Accura no feedback rotary with tilt.

I actually did find a part number stamped on the old cable, it was a teleflex. It was "13.5 SSC10566", I'm assuming that means it was a 13.5' cable. I measured the A / B / C dimensions three times and came up with 155" total (12.91 feet). According to the uflex measuring instructions I would subtract 8" (4 " for each 90 deg bend) giving me 147" and I would round up to the nearest foot (13' cable).

Again, the stock cable was 13.5 feet but no one sells them in half foot sizes. I had a little bit of slack (see link below) in the stock cable, so is it safe to say that I should still order a 13 foot cable system? The only other thing to consider is I will be drill a new hole in the splashwell to accommodate a wider radius with the new cable which in theory would take up some of that slack. So maybe 14 foot?

Thoughts? Thanks again for the help!

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... That's Yer call to make,....

I've had to hide excess cable in a gunwale before, But,....
I've never Ever been able to hook up a cable that's too short,....

 

[thegipper]

That's kind of what I was thinking. I can always snake some of the cable up along the gunwale but if it's too short, I'm out of luck.

As it turns out, I did some searching and found the teleflex replacement part for my old setup. The factory replacement would be the SS-141 or the SS-151 (no feedback version). It has the same style "extension" as my old setup. The thing is, its only 50 dollars cheaper than a rotary setup with tilt.

I'm thinking I should just go the rotary route (14 foot). I may have to move the small circuit breaker over but that's not a big deal. The issue with the standard racks (that don't sit further away from the console) is there are a bunch of switches that cannot be moved that would certainly interfere with the rack.

 

[GA_Boater]

I prefer a rotary helm because the footprint is so much smaller than a rack system. It takes up so much less room behind the dash.

Which ever way you go, here is how to measure for the cable which you may have looked at already. On the bottom of this page - http://ww2.iboats.com/Boat-Controls-...401--view_id.8

I think the idea Roscoe has about making a new opening is a good way to straighten the cable to the transom clamp. The cable radius will increase and that will add life to the cable because the liner won't be worn out as fast. The transom clamp will probably need to stay the way it is because of the CMC unit.

 

[thegipper]

Sounds good, thanks again guys. I'll order one up tomorrow.