cable/cord steering

[nineteensixtycaddy]

Ok.. I really like the cable steering I've seen on several "new" boats.

But... the only boat I ever drove as a kid, had a cable, wrapped around the part of the steering wheel just under the dash, which went to two pulleys right on the starboard side right by the dash, then to the stern, to two more pulleys, and then up to a number of pulleys and bolts at the stern on the port and starboard sides. Basically there was an anchor at each side of the stern, and then two pulleys attached to the bow end of the outboard.

So... why do I mention all this?

Well.... the boat I am working on now, came with this same archaic cable/rope/cord whatever type of steering with all the pulleys. But.. some how the cables were removed, and I have nothing to go by, except for the pulleys being attached close to the dash, and then again at the stern.

How do I route these, along with a couple "floating" pulleys, so that when I turn the wheel left, the boat steers left, and when I turn the wheel right, the boat steers right. You know... basic stuff.

If anybody could show me, or draw me a diagram of how to route this cable so that I can steer my outboard, I'd be greatly appreciative.

Thanks
Chris

 

[gcboat]

Re: cable/cord steering

TD had an excellent post about this subject. Looked and couldn't find it.:redface:
Hopefully he'll see this and do a repost for you.

 

[nineteensixtycaddy]

Re: cable/cord steering

anybody have a diagram of this? please ?

I've got a cord / cable steering mechanism, that runs from the steering wheel, to two pulleys by the dash on the starboard side, to two pulleys at the stern on the starboard side, to the motor and to the port side with a bunch of pulleys and a few tie down ends, and I'm completely unsure what to do at the stern/back of the boat end, to make it steer

so

help please

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: cable/cord steering

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=200994

 

[oops!]

Re: cable/cord steering

******DISCLAIMER******* i could never get mine to work right......
but ill try to remember.


ok.....go get yourself a long peice of clothesline....(wire wrapped in plastic)

start at the motor.....feed thru the pully.....and tie it off....(with enough area between the pully and motor that you can turn the motor fully left or right..... then thru the hole in the splash well to the rear pully in line with the pully on the motor.

feed the cable around the pullys...up the side to the foward pully under the dash.........

with the motor set in the middle...and the steering wheel the way you want it..take the slack out of the newly fed side....and wrap the cable around the big hub behund the sterring wheel..(under the dash).......the direction you wind it (i cant remember wich way) is the direction the motor will turn....

then take the rest of the cable, and feed it thru the remaining pullys....all the way to the motor....following the same rout as the other side....then tie it off in the same fashion you did on the other side of the motor......making sure to take all the slack out of the cable.

this system is not that far off a kids go cart......it is the simplest way to have sterring on a boat.....newer systems require less care and maint....but it works well......

failing this crazy method of wiring.....pm td....he has all that stuff at his fingertips......or could draw you one in his sleep !

cheers
oops

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: cable/cord steering

WRONG!!!!!! thats why it didn't work. you will need about 50 feet of coated cable, lowes sells it. find center. now thread the drum as above. hold cable to drum with duct tape. take the wire off the bottom of the drum, thead it thru pulleys, (Purple) to the port side of the transom. now take the wire of the top of the drum, thead it thur the pulleys (Green)to the starboard side. DO NOT CROSS THE CABLES, this causes binding.

set the steer wheel to center. now take the wires from each side, run thru pulley on motor bracket (Brown) and back to their sides, should be a spring (samll blue) on each side with a loop or pulley. run the cable the the loop or pulley, bring dead end out tighten the cable putting tension on the spring. and clamp the cables together. you have to have a good bit of tension, as the tension is what keeps the system together.

looking for more pics.

 

[oops!]

Re: cable/cord steering

td........ you would have saved me hours of floating on the lake with my head under the dashboard


see.....what did i tell ya.....td could draw one in his sleep !

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: cable/cord steering

found them:

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: cable/cord steering

some more:

 

[nineteensixtycaddy]

Re: cable/cord steering

Thank you td and oops. I am thoroughly educated in the ways of steering cables now... I think...

The diagram in combination with the photos, makes it clear as day.

Now.. I just need new cable from the hardware store...and I should be all set.

and oops... did you really use clothesline?

and td... were those leaves in the splashwell of your boat?

 

[oops!]

Re: cable/cord steering

and oops... did you really use clothesline?

yup....its allmost exactally the same stuff in td s pics.....it was cheeper than aircraft cable

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: cable/cord steering

its tie down cable. in the rope section of lowes. yes those are leaves, i have 4 125ft sycamores along the back fence.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: cable/cord steering

Get the right size cable for your pulleys...it should ride down in the pulley groove...cable too large will come off the pulleys but still ride on them.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: cable/cord steering

i think i used 3/16 cable. but it's been a while.

 

[nineteensixtycaddy]

Re: cable/cord steering

wow, thank's again for the replies. I wouldn't have thought that clothes line would be strong enough, but I guess I don't see why not. As to my comment about the leaves... I was just kidding. My boat was so full of leaves when I pulled it out of the woods, that I didn't know if the boat had a floor or stringers, or not. I've always claimed to be a member of S.A. anon. Except in my case... S.A. doesn't stand for substance abuse... but Smart A... well you get the point. TMCalavy thanks for the post about cable size, as I would have thought larger would work, but it makes sense about it coming off the pulleys.

My only remaining question is... how did you guys go about tightening the cable, so that it has enough tension to hold things in place? Some sort of come-along? or just a good strong grip with your hands.

Just curious

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: cable/cord steering

good strong grip. also if you put it together not connected to the motor, as in the one picture, when you connect motor it will put more tension on it. as you have to stretch it up to the connection. the cable is going to stretch over time, and will have to be readjusted. if not what happens, (oops! knows) you are under the dash trying to rewind the drum. which is nearly impossible, because when the cable come off the cross, and you have to figure out which one goes where, like a rubics cube.

 

[oops!]

Re: cable/cord steering

man ...i fought with mine for hours on the lake.....it would work for a few days...then when your turning a corner or picking up a skier.....the system would fall apart...

no wonder it wouldnt work for me....however....i had major fun on that boat...little fifty merc with a 12 inch prop....pulled a 250 lb guy outta the water on skiis.....when we knee boarded behind it....and went way out to the side and dug in...we could put so much pressure on the rope...we could allmost stop the boat....imho...it was a perfect rig for fun and fishing

sold it for a grand just after i got the sea ray (the one im working on now) up and running

cheers
oops