steering cable 196

[Whitetail15]

i am going to put a steering cable in my 2005 196 in the next couple weekends. any tips,tricks, or suggestions. going to replace cable and adjustable helm.

[ski4evr]

I just replaced the cable in my 211. I had to remove the floor to cut the tyraps holding the cable. Finding everywhere it was fastned was the tough part. Before you unbolt the rack from the steering column, turn the wheel so the other end of the cable is as short as possible. It will help to have another person to handle the rack end of the cable as you remove it from the boat and when reinstalling. Mine was 19 feet long and kind of bulky. When reassembling, it would be helpful to have someone watch the rudder when fastening to helm to make sure steering wheel is straight. I only had to redo twice. Also, make sure all fastners in linkage are tight. Mine was loose, and when fully tight, there was no play at all. The bolts wouldn't allow one to overtighten.
If you are doing this for hard steering and sloppy feel, you will be amazed. Mine turns with one finger now and there is zero play between the wheel and rudder.

[DanielC]

When you are pulling the old cable out, before the rudder end disappears under the floor at the front of the engine compartment, attach some heavy wire, or cable to it. Some boat dealers actually save an old steering cable from a previous job for this. I did not have an old cable, I used a piece of plastic sheathed 12/2 w/ ground house wire to pull through the hole with the old cable.

Make the joint between the old cable, and pulling wire as smooth as is possible.
Do the same when pulling the new cable in.
Collapse the rudder end of the cable into itself as much as possible. This end, extended, does not bend around corners. It will need to bend to go into the hole in the floor in front of the helm.

Pressure wash the bilge of the boat before you start. Any grease and gunk in the bilge you wash away will not end up on your carpet. Cover your carpet with old towels anyway.

If your boat has a heater, you might have to remove a heater hose temporarily to get enough room to put the steering cable in.

On my boat, a 1997 Ski Nautique, the raw water pump was at the lower starboard front corner of the engine compartment. Removing the raw water pump gave me a lot easier access to the cavity under the floor that the cable goes through in front of the engine compartment.

Make careful notes of where the cable is secured in the boat with nylon ties, and put them back.

Since you are going this far, drop the rudder, and clean the rudder port, and rudder shaft, and put new lube on both pieces.

[Whitetail15]

great tips. thanks. took a look at it today in storage today, my cable looks like it wire tied in 30 places that i cant reach.

thanks again

[DanielC]

Somebody had to put those wire ties in there in the first place. You can get it apart.