Replacing Throttle and Shift Cables

After launching Spartina this spring, the trusty Yanmar fired up on the first push of the start button.  However, she would not go into reverse.  I soon found the culprit was a frozen shift cable.   The cables are original so I've decided to swap out both the gear shift and throttle cables.

If you have to do this job - here are some notes that you may find helpful.

• I made the assumption that I would need to remove the cables first to measure them properly so that I could buy replacements.  This was an incorrect assumption.  Little did I know that the model numbers on the cables actually included the length.   My cables are Morse 301947   288  - the 288 indicates the length 288 inches or 24 feet.  Both my cables are the same length.  I ordered them through Redden Marine Supply   - They cost $49.00 each  (I had tried to order them from Edson but they didnt have any in stock).  
  
• Morse cables are now part of TeleFlex 
• There are two fittings holding the cables in place inside the pedestal tube.  Both fittings are through bolted to the aft side of the pedestal with the cap nuts accessible.  My fear however was that if I removed the cap nuts, both fittings would fall into the tube and be impossible to remove.    So - I called Edson to talk to them about the best approach - they were extremely helpful.  They informed me that the fittings had the bolts locked in place so that they would not fall into the tube if I removed the nuts that hold them in place.    That elimited the need to remove the pedestal - which would have added a lot of work!  Picture of the top fitting is below - note how the nut is locked in place by the cotter pin.  

Here's a step by step guide to how I did this project:  

Part 1 - Removing the Old Cables - time to complete:  5 hours

1)  Remove the compass and related hardware.  Be sure to mark the compass base (fore and aft) so that you put it back in place correctly.    Remove the clevis pins connecting the cables to the gear / throttle levers.

2)  Disconnect the cables at the engine side - remove the connecting hardware and keep it safe.

3) Start to feed the cables from the engine side back toward the pedestal - you'll have to remove any fasteners holding them in place along the way.  BE SURE to attach a thin line to the cable ends - so that you can feed the new cables back the same way you are removing the old cables.   This part took the longest on my boat - accessing the cables in the lazarette was the toughest part.  

4)  Once the cable ends are fed all the way back to the aft cabin - below the pedestal - it's time to remove the two fittings holding the cables in the tube.  Remove the cap nuts on the aft side of the pedestal.  Once removed push the bolts into the tube.  

5) You can now pull the cables up throught the pedestal - it's a little tight getting the top cable bracket past the wheel shaft - but it does fit.  I took mine up to starboard of the shaft.  

Part 2 - Installing the New Cables 

1) Put the two fittings  that reside within the pedestal post on the cables first.  The plastic one fits into the slots on the cable ends.  The other fitting is a cable guide - measure the distance between the two holes on your pedestal and place the lower cable guide that far below the plastic cable fitting.    Place some tape around the cable just below this distance so the fitting won't slide down too far.  

2)  DO NOT Attach the top ends to the shift levers.  Feed the cableds down the pedestal - you'll be going down on one side of the shaft connected to the wheel.  Once it's all the way in, you'll pull the shift cable up on one side of the shaft and the throttle cable up the other side.  

3)  You'll now try to get the exposed bolt on the bottom cable clamp seated into the lower hole in the pedestal tube.  I found it easiest to do this from below - looking up the bottom of the base with a flashlight and manipulating the cable until the bolt went into the hole.  This is where the tape you pu t on in step one above is critical - so that the fitting doesnt slide down when you move the cables.  Once the bottom clamp is in place, the top clamp is pretty easy to align with the hole and secure with the nut.  

4)  Attach the shift levers, and reassemble the binnacle.

5)  Feed the cables back the way they came out and reattach to the engine. Don't secure the cables to bulkeheads etc between the pedestal and the engine yet - first attach them to the engine.  

6)  After the cables are attached to the engine and working properly, then begin reattaching cable clamps and / or zip ties to the cables to secure them in place so they don't chafe.  I found it best to start at the engine and work aft - leaving the "extra" cable in the lazarette.