I have 2 steering cables on my little 1995 sprint 286 boat with a Yamaha 150. The cables on my boat are very stiff and was wondering if anybody has ever been able to loosen them up. I unhooked them from the motor and it is in the cables. I cleaned everything I could and attempted to spray WD 40 down the outside shell but it didn't help any. Any ideas? I really don't want to spend $200 bucks for new cables but would like to free these up.
I've been through this and here's my take away...don't waste countless hours mucking around with air compressors and transmission fluid trying to save yourself a few bucks. That boat is quick enough that a steering failure could cause serious injury and for what, a couple hundred bucks?? Buy new cables and rest easy. Good luck!
Originally Posted by grimsbylander
I've been through this and here's my take away...don't waste countless hours mucking around with air compressors and transmission fluid trying to save yourself a few bucks. That boat is quick enough that a steering failure could cause serious injury and for what, a couple hundred bucks?? Buy new cables and rest easy. Good luck!
this^^^^^^ Been there years ago. Replaced the cables and when we pulled them out of the sheathing they were frayed. Frayed cables dragging on the inside of the sheathing is one reason the wheel is hard to turn
I agree with the above. Spend the 200 bucks on new cables and 200 less on new baits. Not worth having a cable break and loose control of your rig. Ask yourself if your life and the lives of those with you are worth 200 bucks.
Been down this road before...spent as much money on products that didn’t solve my problem. As stated above, buy new cables.
I agree that I should just buy 2 new ones but It really isn't that bad. It isn't that it takes both hands to turn but was just wanting to see if I could make it easier. I guess honestly I'm spoiled by the hydraulic steering on my other boat.
Don't risk it.
Replace!
2014 Phoenix 721XP, 250 SHO, Bobs Action Jack, Dual Blades, 112 Ultrex, 2019 Lariat FX4 F150 Supercrew 4x4
It it will get worse. Ever see what happens when a steering cable snaps at WOT? You can't hang on to the wheel tight enough to keep from being thrown out.
Have a friend that had a single cable snap at 27mph, this is on a 15' boat with a 50hp. Me and him are old guys. Nothing bad happened but he said it put the fear of God in him. Just Sayin
Speed cost money. How fast ya wanna go?I have done so much for so long with so little. I can now do the impossible with nothing!
If you want some piece of mind that you aren't wasting money, you can try what I did. I made a cable lubricator out of a length of tubing that fit over the threaded tubes the cables go into, which had an air compressor fitting clamped on the other side. I made the tube long enough I could bend it upwards to hold some fluid. I poured some Marvel Mystery oil in, then connected the air compressor. One cable which wasn't too terribly stiff freed up like new. It was just a little stiff and in need of lubricant, not seized. The other cable did not free, so I replaced it. I can easily spin my steering wheel with one pinky finger, so I know my cable set up is in good shape. Don't waste a lot of effort though, if the cable doesn't free up quickly as the oil shoots through, then its corroded or,like stated above, frayed and needs to be replaced. You can get the cables for a little over $100 a piece and they really are worth it both from a safety stand point, as well as comfort. Proper cable steering is just as easy to turn as hydraulic steering, if it isn't, then there is a problem which needs to be fixed. I also like that dual cable steering is redundant, in that if one cable breaks, the other one keeps the boat under control.
After two sets of cables on my Sprint 207, I gave it up and went hydraulic......should have after trying to loosen up the first set.....JMHO
How do you figure out what cables you need? Have same issue on a 91 stratos 295
Well I ended up putting a 3/4 hose over the end of one of the cables and hooked it to a air compressor. I filled the hose with Marvel Mystery Oil and turn on the air compressor. Then I worked to steering wheel a few times and noticed it seemed better. I then repeated on the other hose and now steering is smooth as butter. I know what everybody said about buying new but the cables weren't damaged the boat had just set for a long time and the cables were stiff. I saved $240 bucks. If they every start getting stiff again I will replace them then but for now I'm good to go.
Cable housings have a liner inside that gets worn with use. It wears faster if it gets dry inside. Sooner or later cables need to be replaced as a grove gets cut into the liner but IF they are lubed every now and then they can last a long, long time. I have a tool for lubing my motorcycle cables that seals the end so I can pressure lube the cable until it comes out the other end. Sort of like what you made. While Marvel Mystery Oil is probably not the best for lubrication it probably loosened up some of the original (grease?) lube that was in the cable and spread it around. I think most lubes these days are synthetic.
Lubing cables is one of those things people just don't think about doing. Good to hear yours loosened up!
Mine got stiff And i put off fixing , then one day as I was getting on plane something in my helm snapped lucky I wasn't on pad yet or it could of been bad, get new
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