ugh, I'm in a world of hurt. Steering cable problem. Help?

[hokiepoq]

I posted a few days ago about putting in my replacement nfb4.2 Teleflex cable onto my outboard. I got it back out, cleaned it out and it went in fine! BUT now, the nut that threads onto the threads on the outboard got crossthreaded and won't go on straight now! The threads on the OB are fine, but the threads in the nut on the cable are crossthreaded. It doesn't look like it can be removed (?). I'm stuck. I have to get this cable in before I can put the motor back on the boat which I have to do to move which has to be done by Saturday. Ugh. One simple nut is holding everything up and I don't know what to do. I really hate the though of shelling out another $200 for another cable just for that nut. ANY advice?????

 

[CATransplant]

Re: ugh, I'm in a world of hurt. Steering cable problem. Help?

Hmm...if you can find the right thread chaser, you might be able to clean up the threads enough to get the thing to work. However, I don't know what the size and pitch of that fastener are.

It's a shame when some threaded thing that can't be replaced without replacing an entire unit gets messed up. Other than restoring the threads with a proper chaser, I don't have any suggestions. Head for a really good hardware store or a professional auto parts store and take the thing with you, if you can.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: ugh, I'm in a world of hurt. Steering cable problem. Help?

You will most likely need to fabricate your own thread chaser unless there's some special tool made that's already intended for just that purpose. The chaser will have to fit over the end of the cable.

You can fabricate one from a spare outboard hinge pin buy cutting relief and cutting grooves into an old pin.
Check out this article, it explains what I am talking about pretty well.

http://tinyurl.com/yv7sat

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: ugh, I'm in a world of hurt. Steering cable problem. Help?

call around and find a new cable, they are not $200. get the number off the black sheath.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: ugh, I'm in a world of hurt. Steering cable problem. Help?

Hokie, Can you restore the threads with a small triangular file and some elbow grease? If the cross threading is in the end of the threads (likely), a file can sometimes fix it enough to get the nut to some undamaged threads. File off the first couple of threads if you need to.