Steering cable removal

[mmead1014]

Hey all. I just got my first boat which i'm stoked about. I'm going to post another thread with pics and a bunch of questions after this. This right now is my most pressing concern i need to get this out of the way. I need to either replace the steering cable. can some one please give me some pointers as to how to get this out of the motor? Also I don't know what anything thing is called so if you want to correct my terminology that would also be super helpful.

I understand that the end of the cable needs to be unbolted from the motor and then slid out from the rear bracket tube. my problem is the tube slides out about 6 inches and then cant go any further. this is because of the boat being in the way. I'm hoping there is a trick that doesn't involve taking the motor off.

i have a 1990 Cajun 174 Adventure with a 2002 mercury 115. Once i figure out how to add pics i will

[barbarian]

My best advice is go to youtube. They have some good videos. It's one of those things that until you see it, it is hard to understand. Then when somebody on here gives you a good explanation on how to do it, it will make a lot more sense. It is not hard, but it is tricky. I've done it, but not enough to walk you through it.

[mmead1014]

Agreed. I went to youtube a few days ago and understand the basics. Maybe i've got to look for a video that is closer to the design of my boat than what i saw. My problem is when you pull the tube out of the motor is goes about 6 inches and then gets stuck on the fiberglass of the boat and limited amount of bend in the steering cable. it physically can't move any further than that and it's only about half way out. I really feel like i've got to unbolt the motor bracket and almost remove the motor to get the tube out. I really don't want to have to do that.

thanks for the reply

[Lil Mo]

You may be able to pull some of the slack cable from inside the hull out (towards the back of the boat) and this may give you enough flex in the cable to pull it out of the steering tube. The other alternative is to unhook it from the steering box under the dash and pull it from there. If you do it this wa, tie a small rope to it so you can have a way to pull the new cable thru. Unfortunately, if you don’t have enough room in the splashwell, you may have to loosen the motor if not remove it to give anough slack to reinstall in the steering tube. Be sure to reseal your bolts for the motor.

[mmead1014]

Yeah it looks like I've got to move the motor theres no where near enough room to get the tube out. My next problem is there is nothing holding the motor to the transom if I take the bolts out. I cant seem to find and lift points on the motor.

[jarhead175]

Motor has to move you can buy a lifting eye for about $30 changed the cables on my uncles Cajun a few weeks ago.

[mmead1014]

Alright alright. Where does the lifting eye attach? Maybe the threaded rod that comes up thru the real for the pull start?

[mxmike]

The lifting ring screws onto the center of the fly wheel on the very top of your motor. There should be a yellow cap/plug right in the center of the plastic flywheel cover. Pop the cap/plug out and you will see the threads.

[jarhead175]

The lifting eye he bought screwed into the crank shaft in the center of the flywheel. Depending on the motor they have different lifting lugs you can use Google and find the specific one for your motor.

I wanted to use two lifting straps wrapped around the mid section of the motor one on each side he decided to buy a lifting eye. I used straps to hold my 175 when put on a jackplate.

[Rip Bass]

If you have room in the bilge,you can bend the cable in the bilge so that the cable slides straight into the splash well grommet instead of bending in the splash well. The easiest way to remove is just cut the old cable and feed the new one through the grommet from inside the bilge,again,if you have room.

[mmead1014]

Agreed. Unfortunately do to the alignment of the bracket attached to the transom and the grommet hole the motor needs to be moved. I guess I didn't think about cutting it. I guess I was hoping that I could clean the cable to free it up without having to replace it. At least that was going to be step one.

My next concern is finding a replacement. I don't see any part numbers. How do I know I'm getting the correct part?

[mxmike]

More than likely you have a Teleflex cable. As others have said. The numbers are on the cable, You will have to get the cable off to find the numbers as they are never in a readable spot when installed. First numbers will be the part number and the last two will be the length. 12',13' 14 ect. Should be able to find replacement (once you have the number)on E Bay.

[mmead1014]

Thanks. I agree. I was hoping to be able to find the numbers asap so i could order and then do the removal and install this Friday all at once while i have the time. I'll just have to be patient. Which is hard for me right now i'm itching to get this boat in the water.

[jarhead175]

Agreed. Unfortunately do to the alignment of the bracket attached to the transom and the grommet hole the motor needs to be moved. I guess I didn't think about cutting it. I guess I was hoping that I could clean the cable to free it up without having to replace it. At least that was going to be step one.

My next concern is finding a replacement. I don't see any part numbers. How do I know I'm getting the correct part?

Personally I would never run a cable that has been "cleaned" their not very expensive.

Motor has to be moved no way around it. Get a lifting eye or use straps and a way to hold the weight of the motor a big tree limb will do if you have nothing else.

Crawl under the dash and hook the cable from the rack. While you are under there tie a rope on the end of the cable or both if it has a duel cable system. Support the motor and losen the motor. It will only need to move a couple of inches. Pull the cable out of the tube on the front of the motor. Pull the cable out of the boat. Place the new cable in the boat and tie the rope on the new cable. Use the rope to pull the cable threw the boat. I have found it easier to pull threw if someone is in the boat feeding while someone is pulling on the cable. Once the cable is threw the boat feed into the tube on the front of the motor then put everything back together.

While you have the motor lose I would take the time to reseal the motor bolts before you replace the motor.

Sounds like a lot but if you get everything ready before you start two guys can complete the job in a couple of hours.

[jarhead175]

If you go back out to the main page and scroll down to the Cajun page and ask the question about which cable or part number I would bet one of the Cajun guru's can tell you what you need.

[stratoblaster]

Cut the old cable off at the motor and then remove the rest of it out of the tube. Then take it loose at the helm and tie a rope to the helm end and pull the cable out of the back of the boat. Them connect the motor end to the motor and then tie the rope to the helm end and pull it to the helm, it helps to have someone at the engine helping bend and feed it through. I have done it that way on several bass boats.

If you don't want to cut the cable you can take it loose at the helm and tie the rope to it and pull it from the back and you should be able to get a big enough loop to remove it from the engine.
Bill

[WarpedNitro]

I ended up drilling a new hole because the bend was too drastic from the factory and I didn’t want to keep removing the motor every year to clean and lube it. I just covered it with a chrome clamshell to leave clean look. When bending the cables too sharp the sheath can separate causing damage which results in frayed cables.

[mmead1014]

Thanks for the detail I appreciate it. I ordered the lifting eye yesterday, and have access to a full garage with an engine hoist. Since this is my first boat I'm a combination of excited and nervous and want to make sure I'm not going to screw anything up or half ass it.

[jarhead175]

Cut the old cable off at the motor and then remove the rest of it out of the tube. Then take it loose at the helm and tie a rope to the helm end and pull the cable out of the back of the boat. Them connect the motor end to the motor and then tie the rope to the helm end and pull it to the helm, it helps to have someone at the engine helping bend and feed it through. I have done it that way on several bass boats.

If you don't want to cut the cable you can take it loose at the helm and tie the rope to it and pull it from the back and you should be able to get a big enough loop to remove it from the engine.
Bill

Never thought about cutting the cable off in front of the tube to get them out I like that idea. Then again a Cajun is the only boat I ever heard of that the motor has to move for cable replacement. Cajun dang sure didn't think about the user in designing.

[Bushbeater]

Cajun's not the only one, had to take the motor off my Stratos to replace the cable. Not a big deal with a hoist, I used straps and did it by myself.