How to rewind my steering cable
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How to rewind my steering cable
I removed my motor and steering wheel so I can flip my boat and start on the bottom. The cable on the cable wheel connected to the steering wheel completely unwound before I could see how it was wound on. Does anyone have a diagram or instructions as to how to start rewinding it when I'm ready to assemble it again? Do you have to disconnect the end that is at the pulley? Do you have to rewind it starting in any certain direction? Any help anyone can give me will be appreciated! Thanks, Orvy
Orvy
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Phill Blank
- Posts: 412
- Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2006 4:20 pm
- Location: Hurley, Wisconsin
Orvy,
Yes, there is a difference in the way you wind the cables for steering.
First let me say I recommend replacing the old cable with new. Plastic coated aircraft cable is available at most Big Box Home Improvement Stores. New cable will be more flexible and it is cheap insurance against possible problems with the old cable.
If you draw a diagram of the steering layout it can help you with the restringing of the cable.
First draw four small circles to represent the pulleys. Draw these circles so they form a square or rectangle. Two at the top of the page for pulleys under the dash one on the starboard side and port side and two on the bottom of the sheet for the tramson pulleys one on each side of the boat. Draw a larger circle in between the two at the dash for the steering wheel drum and one between the two at the transom for the motor. On the one for the motor draw a short straight line toward the top of the sheet or bow to represent the tiller of the motor.
Now connect the pulleys on each side of the boat with a straight line fore and aft to represent the cables. Also draw a line from each circle at the transom to the tiller.
From the two circles at the dash draw a line to the top of the steering drum circle . The line from the Starboard side will wind Counter-Clockwise around the drum and the one from the Portside will wind Clockwise around the drum.
I find the easiest way to wind the cable around the drum is to crawl under the dash looking aft or in other words, looking at the end of the drum opposite the steering wheel. Pull the cable thru the center hole in the drum so you have half of the cable on each side of the boat. It is also helpful to either tie off the steering wheel or have someone hold the steering wheel so it will not turn. Start winding the cable for the starboard side counter-clockwise around the drum three or four times coming over the top of the drum and then thread the cable thru the starboard side pulley. Then wind the cable clockwise around the other half of the drum coming over the top and threading the cable thru the portside pulley. If you clamp the cable at the pulleys under the dash it will help to keep the cable from unwinding before you get the cable threaded thru the guides and the pulleys at the transom.
Also to determine which half of the drum each side should be wound around note where the pulleys under the dash are located. They will usually be located in two different location in reference to the halves of the steering wheel drum. If the Starboard side pulley lines up with the half of the drum that is toward the bow you need to wind the cable for the Starboard side on that half of the pulley. If it is the Port side pulley that lines up with that half of the drum you need to wind the Port side cable around that half.
You have to remember that when you want to turn the boat to Starboard the motor tiller moves toward the Port side of the boat and toward the Starboard side when you want to go to Port.
Generally you will have three or four wraps of cable around the drum when the steering wheel and motor are in the middle or straight forward location.
If after you have everything connected to the motor and you can not get the motor to turn of the way to the left and right you will need to add an additonal wrap or two to the drum for each side.
Aslo when there is tension of the cables they should lay flat on the drum and not lap over each other.
I have included a couple photos of the steering wheel and cables from my boat which may help clearify the way it should look.
I hope this helps.
Good Luck,
Phill
Yes, there is a difference in the way you wind the cables for steering.
First let me say I recommend replacing the old cable with new. Plastic coated aircraft cable is available at most Big Box Home Improvement Stores. New cable will be more flexible and it is cheap insurance against possible problems with the old cable.
If you draw a diagram of the steering layout it can help you with the restringing of the cable.
First draw four small circles to represent the pulleys. Draw these circles so they form a square or rectangle. Two at the top of the page for pulleys under the dash one on the starboard side and port side and two on the bottom of the sheet for the tramson pulleys one on each side of the boat. Draw a larger circle in between the two at the dash for the steering wheel drum and one between the two at the transom for the motor. On the one for the motor draw a short straight line toward the top of the sheet or bow to represent the tiller of the motor.
Now connect the pulleys on each side of the boat with a straight line fore and aft to represent the cables. Also draw a line from each circle at the transom to the tiller.
From the two circles at the dash draw a line to the top of the steering drum circle . The line from the Starboard side will wind Counter-Clockwise around the drum and the one from the Portside will wind Clockwise around the drum.
I find the easiest way to wind the cable around the drum is to crawl under the dash looking aft or in other words, looking at the end of the drum opposite the steering wheel. Pull the cable thru the center hole in the drum so you have half of the cable on each side of the boat. It is also helpful to either tie off the steering wheel or have someone hold the steering wheel so it will not turn. Start winding the cable for the starboard side counter-clockwise around the drum three or four times coming over the top of the drum and then thread the cable thru the starboard side pulley. Then wind the cable clockwise around the other half of the drum coming over the top and threading the cable thru the portside pulley. If you clamp the cable at the pulleys under the dash it will help to keep the cable from unwinding before you get the cable threaded thru the guides and the pulleys at the transom.
Also to determine which half of the drum each side should be wound around note where the pulleys under the dash are located. They will usually be located in two different location in reference to the halves of the steering wheel drum. If the Starboard side pulley lines up with the half of the drum that is toward the bow you need to wind the cable for the Starboard side on that half of the pulley. If it is the Port side pulley that lines up with that half of the drum you need to wind the Port side cable around that half.
You have to remember that when you want to turn the boat to Starboard the motor tiller moves toward the Port side of the boat and toward the Starboard side when you want to go to Port.
Generally you will have three or four wraps of cable around the drum when the steering wheel and motor are in the middle or straight forward location.
If after you have everything connected to the motor and you can not get the motor to turn of the way to the left and right you will need to add an additonal wrap or two to the drum for each side.
Aslo when there is tension of the cables they should lay flat on the drum and not lap over each other.
I have included a couple photos of the steering wheel and cables from my boat which may help clearify the way it should look.
I hope this helps.
Good Luck,
Phill
Steering Wheel Pulleys
Thanks a million, Phil for all of that great information! The pictures were very clear! I printed it all out and put in my Boat information file for when I'm ready to put it all back together! That is one problem solved......now on to the rest! Thanks Again, Orvy
Orvy