Set up cable steering?

[Randy in Tampa]

I have a boat that I’m resetting up for cable steering and don’t know how I have all the parts just not the know-how, anybody know of good video ?or how to explain it to me how to set it up. Steering wheel and cable are there and I have springs and pulleys just don’t know where or how to put them, thanks advanced Randy in Tampa 😯

[opposedtwin]

sorry randy,
I used to have a really good sheet on it called "all strung up" from some boat resto site. now my link to it goes somewhere else–damn computers! I am sure I printed it off at some point, i’ll look to see if I might have a hard copy of it.
scott

EDIT: bad sketch has been removed. not sure where I got that one from. but I think frank robb is correct. see his comment below.

[frankr]

Wrong. If cables go down both sides of the boat as in your sketch, BOTH come off the top of the helm drum. However, if both cables go down the same side, one comes off the top as usual and the one that crosses over at the rear comes off the bottom. Both of these examples assume steering is attached to the front of the motor. If attached to the rear (like a hydro), then the cables come off the bottom.

Keep the rear pulleys height as near as possible to the level of the tilt pivot bolt. That’s so they don’t get loose or tighter as you tilt the motor.

Use thru-bolts on the pulley straps. And the old brass swivel pulleys that had the loop peened to the pulley were dangerous. Junk that kind if you have them.

When attaching at the springs in the rear, tie a simple overhand knot in the cable before attaching the split clamp (not like the factory diagram). You really only need one spring, on the side that is "loose" due to engine torque/prop rotation direction….usually the starboard side. Do not use swivel pulleys at the motor connector.

If you have the kind of helm drum that has a spiral groove along it’s length (that’s the best kind), the cables come off the center of the drum and wind toward the ends.

[frankr]

BTW, back in the day, probably half of the boats were rigged wrong at the factory. I had to re-do LOTS of them. Rope & pulleys steering works very well when set up properly. Their bad reputation comes from all those that were poorly done.

[opposedtwin]

the bad drawing has been removed per frank’s comments. not sure where I got that one from, but it looks wrong indeed.
scott

[garry-in-michigan]

It was estimated dad was running about 65 approaching a measured mile to verify the reading on his water speed indicator, when the swivel pulley broke. The Racing 460 instantly turned sideways, flipping his special built Lyman into the air where it barrel rolled 2-1/2 times before it caught the corner, ripping the side out of the boat to the keel. Dad’s leg tore three feet of coaming off the side of the boat when he was thrown out, breaking his leg in four places between the knee and the ankle. The boat had been rigged by Lyman.

While he was recovering, I checked the steering in all our boats, replacing all questionable pulleys.
. . . . . . 👿

[Randy in Tampa]

thanks Garry now I’m crapping my pants hoping that I do it right 😀 lol, here’s a picture of the back of the boat and the motor in question https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1I_8NC … cslist_api

[opposedtwin]

FOUND IT!!!!! this was copied form a now defunct website called "the classic boathouse" back in the good old days of 2007. 😆

this should be very instructive. it helped me a long time ago. I could email these to you if it would make it easier to print them. let me know.
scott

[Randy in Tampa]

Great help! Thanks Oppy! 🙂

[garry-in-michigan]

Don’t worry, Randy. I don’t believe there is any danger of your Johnson PO ever reaching 65 MPH …

….. 😀

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