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Steering


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I just bought my first boat (very excited). A 98' Sunsetter. The steering wheel is very hard to turn. Thought I might start by changing the steering cable. It looks to be rack and pinion steering. Any advise on where to buy parts and how hard this is to do.

Thanks in advance.

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Yes, replace the steering cable. I have the same boat (99) and replaced my cable earlier this year. I think it took less than two hours and was rather easy to do. I got my cable from Bake’s Marine. Their customer support was excellent. I think it’s <bakesmarine.com> but they’re easy to Goggle.

And welcome to the crew. Thumbup.gif

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Most likely the steering cable, but I would also check the rudder. Disconnect the steering cable to verify which is the offending part. Actually a sloppy rudder even if it moves easily can be a bit difficult to turn when loaded.

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Yes, replace the steering cable. I have the same boat (99) and replaced my cable earlier this year. I think it took less than two hours and was rather easy to do. I got my cable from Bake’s Marine. Their customer support was excellent. I think it’s <bakesmarine.com> but they’re easy to Goggle.

And welcome to the crew. Thumbup.gif

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Yes, replace the steering cable. I have the same boat (99) and replaced my cable earlier this year. I think it took less than two hours and was rather easy to do. I got my cable from Bake’s Marine. Their customer support was excellent. I think it’s <bakesmarine.com> but they’re easy to Goggle.

And welcome to the crew. Thumbup.gif

A friend said that I may have to pull the gas tank. Did you?

And you guys are awesome!

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A friend said that I may have to pull the gas tank. Did you?

And you guys are awesome!

Remove the gas tank. Uhm, no. I lifted out the rear seat and the floor panel. Just reach back with a wrench. It’s a tight squeeze but wasn’t too difficult. When you pull the old cable out be sure to have a strong rope tied to the end so you can pull the new cable through. That part is a two person job. Go slow sliding the new cable in. I had my son pulling the rope while I guided the cable. That part took maybe 10-15 minutes.

You don’t have it in your profile, where ya located?

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Most likely the steering cable, but I would also check the rudder. Disconnect the steering cable to verify which is the offending part. Actually a sloppy rudder even if it moves easily can be a bit difficult to turn when loaded.

Exactly correct. This was the deal with our boat. I had very little resistance at idle, but under way was a different story. It took a good bit of muscle to spin the boat around at speed. Too much for my wife to be comfortable turning the boat around in traffic.

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Remove the gas tank. Uhm, no. I lifted out the rear seat and the floor panel. Just reach back with a wrench. It’s a tight squeeze but wasn’t too difficult. When you pull the old cable out be sure to have a strong rope tied to the end so you can pull the new cable through. That part is a two person job. Go slow sliding the new cable in. I had my son pulling the rope while I guided the cable. That part took maybe 10-15 minutes.

You don’t have it in your profile, where ya located?

Washington State, (Tri-cities) Kennewick, Pasco & Richland. Home of the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and the mighty Columbia River & Snake River.

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I just now bought my replacement from www.skidim.com

Was $160, then another 12% off with this:

Discount Inboard Marine Christmas Sale!

12% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER!

Enter your promotional code: PEACE

in the code section of your order and get 12% OFF of your entire order.

Don't miss out this Christmas! Offer is good only through December 31st, 2009 SO HURRY!

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I just now bought my replacement from www.skidim.com

Was $160, then another 12% off with this:

Discount Inboard Marine Christmas Sale!

12% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER!

Enter your promotional code: PEACE

in the code section of your order and get 12% OFF of your entire order.

Don't miss out this Christmas! Offer is good only through December 31st, 2009 SO HURRY!

Looks like boatfix.com has the same cable for quite a bit cheaper ($100 instead of $160). Time to make a quick phonecall to skidim...

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This was the same problem with our boat. I'm an averaged sized guy and it took all the strength I had to turn. I just installed the new one and now I can turn with a pinky finger. I would recommend using weed eater string to tie to the old cable and guide the new one.

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This was the same problem with our boat. I'm an averaged sized guy and it took all the strength I had to turn. I just installed the new one and now I can turn with a pinky finger. I would recommend using weed eater string to tie to the old cable and guide the new one.

Thats a good call. That would beat straight up rope or string because it would take the corners nice and wide/smooth instead of catching edges. Good idea! Thumbup.gif

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Thats a good call. That would beat straight up rope or string because it would take the corners nice and wide/smooth instead of catching edges. Good idea! Thumbup.gif

Good idea, but how do you attach the string to the new cable so it doesn't become separated when pulling?

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Good idea, but how do you attach the string to the new cable so it doesn't become separated when pulling?

My standard wire pulling procedure is to put a loop in the end of the pull line and run the wire your pulling through the loop and then use waaayyyyy to much tape than necessary to keep the two together. Thumbup.gif

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Remove the gas tank. Uhm, no. I lifted out the rear seat and the floor panel. Just reach back with a wrench. It’s a tight squeeze but wasn’t too difficult. When you pull the old cable out be sure to have a strong rope tied to the end so you can pull the new cable through. That part is a two person job. Go slow sliding the new cable in. I had my son pulling the rope while I guided the cable. That part took maybe 10-15 minutes.

You don’t have it in your profile, where ya located?

Your right. No Gas tank removal needed. Fairly easy to get cable detached from both ends. I tried to pull the cable without cutting the aluminum bolt off. The bolt gets hung up in the engine compartment.There is a hole that the cable travels through that the bolt will not go. My fear is, how do I get the new cable through that hole with that bolt attached? Is the new one different?

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Your right. No Gas tank removal needed. Fairly easy to get cable detached from both ends. I tried to pull the cable without cutting the aluminum bolt off. The bolt gets hung up in the engine compartment.There is a hole that the cable travels through that the bolt will not go. My fear is, how do I get the new cable through that hole with that bolt attached? Is the new one different?

Can you post or e-mail me some pictures? i can mark the pictures and help you thru the process??

There are a lot of steering cables out there, the best cable you can use is the TFX Extreme Cable i posted a General fit chart on our website too so if you can't find the part number on your cable this might be able to help you out.

Good luck with the project and congrats on the new to you bu'

-Paul

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Your right. No Gas tank removal needed. Fairly easy to get cable detached from both ends. I tried to pull the cable without cutting the aluminum bolt off. The bolt gets hung up in the engine compartment.There is a hole that the cable travels through that the bolt will not go. My fear is, how do I get the new cable through that hole with that bolt attached? Is the new one different?

The bolt? You are pulling it forward, yes? You can’t pull it aft as it won’t fit through. Once you unhook it from the rudder the only “bolt” I can think of (cable to rudder) should be removed. The guide holes in the engine compartment are small but it should fit through, it may just take two people. One pulling and the other guiding.

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Can you post or e-mail me some pictures? i can mark the pictures and help you thru the process??

There are a lot of steering cables out there, the best cable you can use is the TFX Extreme Cable i posted a General fit chart on our website too so if you can't find the part number on your cable this might be able to help you out.

Good luck with the project and congrats on the new to you bu'

-Paul

The nut that holds the cable to the tiller arm. That is the one that I cannot get through the hole in the engine compartment.

Thanks,

Jeff

Edited by MBJ
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The bolt? You are pulling it forward, yes? You can’t pull it aft as it won’t fit through. Once you unhook it from the rudder the only “bolt” I can think of (cable to rudder) should be removed. The guide holes in the engine compartment are small but it should fit through, it may just take two people. One pulling and the other guiding.

If you look at this link. It is the nut that hold the cable to the tiller arm. http://www.bakesonline.com/detail.aspx?ID=1466

Thanks

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Not sure what’s wrong. That looks just like my cable. You engine compartment configuration must be different. I would really need some pics to see what the issue is.

I sent you an email w the pics. Could not figure out how to attach them here.

Thanks again.

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I just now bought my replacement from www.skidim.com

Was $160, then another 12% off with this:

Discount Inboard Marine Christmas Sale!

12% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER!

Enter your promotional code: PEACE

in the code section of your order and get 12% OFF of your entire order.

Don't miss out this Christmas! Offer is good only through December 31st, 2009 SO HURRY!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I sent you an email w the pics. Could not figure out how to attach them here.

Thanks again.

I wanted to thank everyone for thier help. Things went just as you guys said. Other than the hole in my engine compartment was too small for the nut to go through (Gotta love the Dremel). Finally got the new cable and installed it last night. Thanks again.

If anyone is looking for me I'll be in the garage sitting in the boat waiting for spring.

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