Please Help! I need to replace the steering cable on a 1978, 20' Arrowglass Siesta

[Joelk]

I was doing some work on my boat today and discovered that the steering cable is in very poor condition(outer housing is badly cracked and ready to fall apart) It needs to be replaced ASAP, before the boat can be operated.

The boat has a 305 Chevy Motor and a Mercruiser Sterndrive. It has power steering and I assume it is considered a RACK Type System, but I have never worked on boat steering, so I am not certain it is.

The manuals I have do not cover replacement of the Steering Cable. Can someone please give me some tips on how to replace the cable and perhaps links to online instructions, hopefully with diagrams and/or photos.

How do I confirm it is a Rack Steering System?

How do I measure for ordering a replacement cable?

Will this old boat use the same style of cable as a newer boat?

What style of cable should I order?

Where should I order it from?

 

[Ciera2450]

Re: Please Help! I need to replace the steering cable on a 1978, 20' Arrowglass Sies

Pull the old cable and measure it to determine length. When I changed mine, there were numbers on the control end to reference for a replacement.

 

[Joelk]

Re: Please Help! I need to replace the steering cable on a 1978, 20' Arrowglass Sies

Well I looked under the helm and it does appear to be a Rack System, but I did not see any ID #s on it and there is very little room to work there.

How do I disconnect the cable from the helm end?

There appears to be a bunch of cable ties around it and some wires so I will need to clip the ties to get the cable to pull through.

There is more room to work at the stern end, but I don't know how to disconnect it.

How do I disconnect the cable from the stern end?

 

[Ciera2450]

Re: Please Help! I need to replace the steering cable on a 1978, 20' Arrowglass Sies

Got any pictures of each end of the cable?
also, the details of your boat/motor set up would be helpful. There are some smart guys on here and somebody will be able to give you advice.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Please Help! I need to replace the steering cable on a 1978, 20' Arrowglass Sies

Well I looked under the helm and it does appear to be a Rack System, but I did not see any ID #s on it and there is very little room to work there.

How do I disconnect the cable from the helm end?

There appears to be a bunch of cable ties around it and some wires so I will need to clip the ties to get the cable to pull through.

There is more room to work at the stern end, but I don't know how to disconnect it.

How do I disconnect the cable from the stern end?

Ayuh,... On the stern end, loosen the Big nut at the end of the outer jacket, 'n pull the pin from the cable end...
It should slide out...

On the helm, pull the steerin' wheel, it's bezel, 'n the Whole Rack out....

Replace it as a Kit,.. a Cable, 'n Helm Kit....

 

[Joelk]

Re: Please Help! I need to replace the steering cable on a 1978, 20' Arrowglass Sies

Thanks for the replies.

I got the steering cable removed from the transom and took the rack off of the helm/steering wheel, but I have not yet removed it from the boat. I could not find any ID markings on the rack and could not see how to remove the cable from the rack. The rack seemed to be riveted together and as far as I could tell, you would need to drill out the rivets in order to remove the cable from the rack.

Did they make systems where you can't just replace the steering cable and HAVE to replace the rack AND the cable if the just the cable goes bad?