snapped/frayed steering cable help

[jeffconnell12]

Hey guys, i took my boat out of storage this weekend and expected to go for a nice cruise.. i pushed off the dock and noticed my steering was locked up.. stubbornly i tried spinning the wheel (so stupid) and snapped the steering cable. I am fairly new to working on boats but i am hoping i can tackle this one.

My main issue is that i have the outer shell/casing of the cable stuck in the helm. I cranked the steering wheel and got the line out and noticed the metal piece was missing. I keep reading that you remove the lock bolt (which i have photo'd) and stick it in a slot which will release the piece that is stuck. I have searched everywhere on the helm and cannot find anywhere to put this bolt. I can grab onto the casing with pliers and move it around and slide it a half cm back and forth but that is it. Any help would be greatly appreciated as its just sitting at the docks now I also couldnt find the tag with any info/product number on the cable so i guess i will have to measure it.

where the line split open

the tip of the cable

the piece that is stuck in the helm

the lock pin?

 

[jeffconnell12]

Re: snapped/frayed steering cable help

i took the bolt/lock ping from the top left of the helm (se attached photo). You can see where the identical one is still in the helm on the bottom left.

 

[wrench 3]

Re: snapped/frayed steering cable help

On the ones I've done, there were bolts in both holes at the cable, but with them removed the cable just pulled out. There should be a part number stamped into the cable toward the aft end. The new cable should come with instructions.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: snapped/frayed steering cable help

Time for a full replacement of ever thing.

 

[jeffconnell12]

Re: snapped/frayed steering cable help

any more explanation as to why hawker? Id like to keep the work under budget, i believe the helm is fairly new. Am i not able to pull that piece stuck in it?

thanks

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: snapped/frayed steering cable help

Well I have tried replacing things like that a part at a time, and tracking them down and praying it fits and it often dosnt, It is just a lot simpler to replace ever thing needed and then you have some thing you can use trouble free for years.

Yes you can find it one part at a time, but its a lot easier to replace it all.

 

[wrench 3]

Re: snapped/frayed steering cable help

How about taking the helm out of the boat so you can work at it better.
There should be a part number embossed into the cable about two feet from one end.

 

[Bondo]

Re: snapped/frayed steering cable help

any more explanation as to why hawker? Id like to keep the work under budget, i believe the helm is fairly new. Am i not able to pull that piece stuck in it?

thanks

Ayuh,.... Helms, 'n cable Wear,... By the looks of yer cable, I doubt the helm is worth savin',...

Look at the Kits available,...
By the time ya buy the Cable,... the Helm is darn near Free anyways, by goin' with the full Kit....

'n besides, it's money Well spent on yer families Safety...

 

[64osby]

Re: snapped/frayed steering cable help

http://www.cpperformance.com/Instructions/Uflex-helms.pdf

Section 2, Part #3 guide tube bushing, appears to be the one that is stuck. With the retaining bolt out it should pull out but might need a bit of fineness. Or a nice pair of needle nose vice grips.

 

[louiefl]

Re: snapped/frayed steering cable help

Scroll down to my post on the thread below.

http://forums.iboats.com/boat-topic...ics/steering-trouble-94-starcraft-571891.html

It looks like your helm holds the cable in with two bolts (as does the spent tube). You need to remove the other bolt. The cable end should fall right out - normally you back it out by turning the wheel, but the inner part of the cable is already out. The cable end has a groove in it that is secured by the two bolts. The second bolt is holding it in.

Look for a marking on the cable - it could be either end and is liklely stamped into the plastic hoousing and then filled with white paint. The white paint may be rubbed off, so look for the faint impressions of numbers. If all else fails, my post has directions on measuring the cable.

I've never seen a cable end destroyed like that, so hopefully the helm gears aren't gone. You could try to replace only the cable, but you may end up needing both.