Tight Steering?

C1Todd

Cadet
Joined
Dec 21, 2006
Messages
12
I have a Mariner 115 (1989). The steering has become increasing tight over the years. I disconnected the cable from the motor end and the steering was still tight and the rod seems to move freely through the tube when I manually push it. I took apart the box behind the console that the steering wheel connects to and nothing seems wrong there, the gears looks good. So it appears that the cable is bad. Is there anything else I need to check for? Also, if the cable is bad, will I have to order the box with gears behind the console? Any help is appreciated, as I am a little confused about which parts I will need, thanks.
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: Tight Steering?

When the cable is laid out straight it should be easy to move it in and and. If you can't move it, replace it.... or if you want to try and squeeze another year from it you could try an oil grease mix and see if that helps.

Chris...........
 

C1Todd

Cadet
Joined
Dec 21, 2006
Messages
12
Re: Tight Steering?

Ok, I got the cable out of the boat and stretched it out the best I could on the garage floor. Should the inner rod move freely? Mine is froze so tight that it won't even budge. Time for a new cable? Should I get a whole new system Steering wheel, cable, and gear box) Thanks again
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: Tight Steering?

If you can't move the inner easily then yes, it's time for a new cable. If the helm unit is ok and with nothing broken then there is no reason the replace it. Usually a new cable does the trick. There should be some makings on the cable, near the engine end usually, that will indicate the length of the cable. It's not just a matter of measuring it with a tape measure, you have to know which points the manufacturer used as their references.

Chris........
 

Texasmark

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
14,544
Re: Tight Steering?

Teleflex and Morse merged into a common company years ago....stopped competing with each other. They make a lot of cables, maybe most. Since you have the cable out you know how to get it out and what you need to buy.

On their cables, usually black plastic covered, near the end that connects to the helm there is a series of numbers which identifies your cable. The length is the last numbers and is in inches.....like .........144 is a 12 foot cable.

If everything else works ok, no need to buy other parts unless you just want to.

They have a www site and are extremely nice folks to work with. BTDT

Mark
 

C1Todd

Cadet
Joined
Dec 21, 2006
Messages
12
Re: Tight Steering?

Everything seems ok, except for the cable, I just didn't know if the new cable would fit the existing gear box (rack and pinion). Are the cables universal? I am looking into the Teleflex cable.
 

Texasmark

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
14,544
Re: Tight Steering?

Contact them as there are differences. Again, they are extremely helpful and bend over backwards to help you.....did me.
 

Chris1956

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 25, 2004
Messages
27,033
Re: Tight Steering?

Todd, Teleflex has stopped (or nearly stopped) selling just the cable. You may need to buy the whole steering package. The good news is that it is just a few $ more than a cable alone.
 

j_martin

Admiral
Joined
Sep 22, 2006
Messages
7,474
Re: Tight Steering?

Todd,
Put the part number up here. Someone may have a used one laying around from a changeout. In the old days, single and dual cable systems used the same cable. Sometimes one cable will freeze in a dual system, the system gets changed out, and the good cable is laying in the corner.

hope it helps
John
 

C1Todd

Cadet
Joined
Dec 21, 2006
Messages
12
Re: Tight Steering?

Thanks for all of the help, I actually found my cable on ebay. But here's what I found out for others that might help. My cable was a 14 foot DETMAR. The problem is that apparently DETMAR is no longer in the cable business. Other companies (Morse/Teleflex) make a replacement cable but you might need some adapter depending on your helm (or at least this is what I read in a couple of places). But I found an original, so hopefully it will go right in.... Thanks again
 

donpilot

Recruit
Joined
Dec 6, 2007
Messages
1
Re: Tight Steering?

I need a teleflex steering cable model ssc7271. It also says on the jacket 11.5 ft
 
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