Transom shift cable tools

[Reinell-BRXL-191]

Re: Transom shift cable tools

and it really is not outdated works great any how it did for me. But you can do what works for you and the tools are not that much to buy if you own and want to keep your boat running right.

It is outdated. and the dimension keeps showing up over and over again because people keep using the Hastings website. They have good information there.. but that particular link people keep posting (http://www.hastings.org/~stuart/cobra/tcable1.jpg) is taken from a OMC manual that was written before they determined that the measurement of 7-5/8th was not correct - After they determined that the gear set was not the issue, and actually the way people were setting the cable length and bellcrank angle, they modified the dimension to 7-9/16th and issued instructions to use the tools instead of using other methods of measuring.. The graphic I put up, is directly from an OMC manual that was made AFTER OMC lost millions replacing shift cables and gear sets.. The dimension allows for slop of up to 1/32nd of an inch.. this is the dimensional difference between 9/16ths and 5/8ths - so, by using the 5/8th dimension, you have to be right on the money.. because all of the slop is now gone...

Believe it or not, a lot of the current metal tool sets being sold use the incorrect dimension of 7-5/8ths I am not worried about it, because this "critical" dimension has so many places it can gain or lose 1/32nds, its almost impossible to be truly exact... but the acrylic tools use the proper 7-9/16ths dimension called for by OMC after they realized the dimension of 5/8ths was not correct -

I just wish people would stop propagating that old scan of the original manual.. because it is incorrect and has been updated - and there doesn't seem to be any way to contact Hastings and have it updated

 

[MRS]

Re: Transom shift cable tools

You have to read all of the hastings not just the 5/8 that you seem to be stuck on. Like the 5 steps of the engin shift bracket adjustment. I am not trying to sell anything or trying to change anybodys mind just stateing what works for me. once I readed and adjusted to the hastings all of it not just one thing had no extra adjustments to do to make things worked right and are still working right. Plus on your new inproved model what is the trunnion barrel measurement that you added just wondering what it is.
I only post for things that have worked for me and to help others with the same problems.

 

[Reinell-BRXL-191]

Re: Transom shift cable tools

MRS, you seem to be taking this personally and you shouldn't be.. I am just saying, that there is contradicting informations being used at Hastings that is incorrect, here is a excerpt from his site, notice the mention of the proper dimension for the cable length, and then he goes on to show a few old manual pictures, and then reverts back to using the wrong dimension..

C. Perform the transom bracket shift cable adjustment. Use only the 914017 alignment plate to hold the bellcrank at the 90 degree position. Always use the new 915271-M tool to hold the 7 9/16" dimension. "PW" (1990) and newer models may have a collared retainer nut on the aft end of the shift cable core wire, leave it off!

Note from Stuart: OMC demands that this adjustment be made using two of their special tools (see Recommended Tools for adjusting the Cobra shift linkage (76k JPEG)). I found the previously OMC-recommended procedure in the OMC Cobra Service Manual: see 11-16 (290k JPEG) and 11-17 (288k JPEG). This "obsolete procedure" requires only a straightedge, ruler, and some wrenches, although it would go faster if you have a helper. When I last performed this adjustment, I had to climb into and out of the boat five or six times; I've decided that's O.K. since I'm only adjusting one boat. If I worked at a marina, I might feel otherwise.

The intent here is to adjust the distance between the hole in the cable end and the cable jacket. The adjustment is simple if you have the sterndrive off. Examine picture #83 in 11-16 (290k JPEG); if your dimension "D" is 7 5/8 inches (+/- 1/32 inch!) when in Neutral, you need adjust nothing. Of course, if you have just replaced your transom shift cable, you already have the sterndrive off, and you can adjust this yourself easily.

(notice the M behind the 915271 tool number, this was for "modified" - the original tool sent to the OMC mechs had the original 7-5/8th dimension, once it was determined it was incorrect, they recalled those tools and replaced them) These tools were meant for OMC mechs, not the general public, once the tools filtered in to the private sector, there was a mixed bag of proper and improper dimensioned tools.

This topic has been discussed over and over for years now.. and it always seems to come back to everyone questioning what the great "OZ" has said... here is one example http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=55771

What I am stating is this.. the dimension you use in this thread is incorrect, and you got this dimension from a website that is showing what the dimension "WAS" before it was determined that the dimension contributed to the failure of "MANY" gear sets - This is not a shot at you, so it is not meant as a personal attack.. it's just that this particular part of the explanation on how to set this dimension is incorrect, and should not be propagated continuously around the internet. There are people on eBay making aluminum tool sets (and this may even include retail units from GLM) that are using the wrong dimension from this "old" manual.. sure, it will work.. but it's not right - and a person coming on to this forum looking to solve a shift cable problem, should not see "positive" posts from respected members, telling them to follow the incorrect dimensions shown at Hasting's site. Hastings should have just transcribed the original documents calling for the use of the tools and the dimension of 7-9/16ths and been done with it.. but he had to add his personal thoughts that interjected a improper dimension in to a proper OMC document. And that's how it begun.. and that's why we are having this discussion.

NOWHERE in these 2 documents will you find the mention of the 7-5/8th dimension - yet when Hastings transcribed it, he added that dimension and graphics from old manuals to them

http://www.hastings.org/~stuart/cobra/kwshift1.jpg

http://www.hastings.org/~stuart/cobra/kwshift2.jpg

If you can make these adjustments without the use of the tools, then of course do so, but be very cautious, because the original manual showing how to make these adjustments with rulers and straight edges is what led to the downfall of OMC - even thier own trained mechanics couldn't do it properly, and were responsible for 1000's of gear set replacements covered under warranty and recall by OMC.
I am stating right here and now, under no circumstance would I ever tell anyone to make these adjustments without the use of these tools. This is motivated by only one reason, I hate hearing about people losing a upper or lower unit because of a failed shift cable.. I have been in the car restoration game for many years, and I know how improper information is propagated.. and then 40 years down the road, we see "restored" cars that are not correct, and people arguing over what "was" right back 40 years ago.. I don't want to see that happen with the OMC stern drives..

Here are the links to only 3 documents needed to set a shift cable properly, these documents are taken directly from an OMC manual, written for the Cobra Sterndrive. This manual was second edition, and was written after they determined the first manual had incorrect information in it that lead to the "failure" that cost OMC millions of dollars to correct. This incorrect information is what is being shown at Hasting's site, and was updated & replaced with these documents (unfortunately, the old manuals used by Hastings, are still being sold to people on eBay.. so we may never see the right information being given to people)

http://www.midnight-wolf.com/Cobra_Shift_Cable_Install.pdf

http://www.midnight-wolf.com/OMC_Cobra_Shift_Cable_Adjustment1.pdf

http://www.midnight-wolf.com/OMC_Cobra_Shift_Cable_Adjustment2.pdf

 

[Idlespeedonly]

Re: Transom shift cable tools

In the end it was determined it was a faulty "black" cable and nothing else. 1/16" will not make a difference. The reason for this tight tolerance is so that the shift cable guide doesnt bottom out on the outer jacket (black plastic piece with the 2 set screws).

 

[Reinell-BRXL-191]

Re: Transom shift cable tools

In the end it was determined it was a faulty "black" cable and nothing else. 1/16" will not make a difference. The reason for this tight tolerance is so that the shift cable guide doesnt bottom out on the outer jacket (black plastic piece with the 2 set screws).

SOURCE?

The shift cable guide, doesn't get anywhere near the outer jacket, if it was to bottom out, it would hit the trunnion barrel first, and if you are adjusted to anywhere even semi-close to the right dimensions, there is a lot of room from the casing guide to the trunnion barrel. And if this was an actual concern,
why don't they just shorten the cable guide ( because all of that plastic is not needed) and let people install these cables all willy-nilly like? Maybe because the bellcrank has a motion of travel that engages the gears properly in both directions, and having more than 1/16th on the top versus the bottom, will cause the gears to not fully engage in one direction and cause their demise as the teeth skip across one another, as the clutch dogs struggle to pull them together

OMC didn't determine this was a critical dimension because they didn't want to shorten the cable guide - The "black" cable was replaced because it caused too much drag, not allowing the gears to fully engage.. then, OMC mechanics replacing the black cable with the new red ones, installed them with straight edges and rulers, and the gear sets kept failing - Tah Duh! Tools - with new dimensions... Like in a few other posts I have made on the subject, I understand there is enough slop in the shift actuator on the end of the cable where it contacts the bellcrank, to well exceed the "critical" dimension of 1/32nd - but you really need to be as close as possible to make sure the range of motion of the bellcrank is fully engaging the gears..

Tons of people each year, go off half-cocked and replace their shift cables... they attach it at the engine side just like it looked, and then screw the cable anchor down and shove the drive back on... then they are in here asking about why the ESA is now activating, or about the dreaded THUNK - the 90 degree angle, and the cable length dimension are required in order to center the bell crank in it's full range of motion.. It's not as simple as replacing a bad "black" cable

I want people to know, I make these statements based on hundreds of hours of reading archived documents on this forum and other internet sources.. including Hastings site.. During my research to make my current tools, I was provided or purchased several sets of these tools.. only one set had the correct dimensions..and it was made by OMC in steel - I am not the first to point out the incorrect information on Hastings site ( made over 14 years ago) - but I will be the first to continually bring it up that the information is incorrect.. I won't let it go by the wayside every time I see it incorrectly posted

and in the words of a great man " That's all I got to say about that" -Forrest Gump

 

[Lou C]

Re: Transom shift cable tools

Thanks to all who posted all this information, which is a great help to OMC owners who have no good local techs to set up the shift cables. I was curious, so I pulled out the tool I bought from Crowley Marine OMC # 915271M and measured the dimension from the center of the bolt hole to the left side edge of the slot and it is definitely 7 9/16ths, I took MRS's pic and showed how this was measured. So some of the tools do have the proper dimension, this one appears to be made of aluminum.....

 

[Reinell-BRXL-191]

Re: Transom shift cable tools

Did they say who the manufacturer was? If you know.. inform us...

Here is a commonly retailed for 100 dollar set, and you can see the back measurement is incorrect, yet, if you look, you will see that the slot is actually too big.. so the rear of the front pegs is at 7-7/16th ( which is correct) based on the mandatory use of a 1/8th thickness nut - so this will set the cable properly, but will mislead you if you measure the tool, and not the actual dimension it sets.. The rear pegs on these tools are actually not required, they do nothing.. but since the original OMC tools had them, most people still machine them

 

[Lou C]

Re: Transom shift cable tools

It does not list a manufacturer, on the back it has the part number as above and after that "USA"

 

[Reinell-BRXL-191]

Re: Transom shift cable tools

I just went and looked, and Crowley sells the BRP tools - BRP is the division that bought out OMC - so it is an OEM tool.. you bet it's right on the money..

 

[Lou C]

Re: Transom shift cable tools

Well that's good to know, believe it or not, I have had this boat 10 years and have not had to change the shift cable, when I got it in 2002 it would not shift out of gear, I took it to one of the best OMC techs around and he got it shifting perfect. I don't know if he used the tools or not but it shifts with 2 fingers in and out. All I have done since then is remove the drive at the end of each season, to check bellows and grease the gimble+U-joints, but also to clean out the pocket behind the bellcrank where you will find deposits. If they build up to a certain level it can restrict them movement of the bellcrank. I also pack that area with OMC triple guard grease. I grease the shift rod where it goes into the lower gear unit, and all the pivot points on the engine shift bracket. Finally, I keep the engine in good enough tune to get it to idle at 550-600 in gear, the lowest possible smooth idle makes shifting easier.