Steering Cable Replacement Frustration

[JordanL]

Hi all, I'm trying to replace my steering cable on my 2001 Wakesetter following much of the information I have read on this forum. I don't know which bolt/s to unscrew in the engine compartment. I'll try my best to describe what's down there....any help would be VERY appreciated. Starting at the rudder and looking toward the front of the boat, there is a brass arm that runs 90 degrees to the right and is approximately 10 inches long. That arm is attached to a pipe with a single brass bolt, and the pipe makes another 90 degree turn running parallel with the boat. The pipe is about 1 inch diameter and runs about 12 inches up the right side of the compartment. There it connects with a shorter pipe via a large bolt and this shorter pipe is part of a plate that is connected to the floor of the compartment. On the other end of this smaller pipe is another large bolt, then another short pipe which is connected to the cable tube via a large chrome bolt.

I think I'm either suppose to disconnect the small brass bolt near the rudder arm, or the large chrome bolt that is connected to the cable tube. The problem with the large chrome bolt is that when I try to unscrew it all the other pipes start to unscrew instead of the chrome bolt, and even though I have pipe wrenches the space is too tight in there to use it.

Any help?? Thanks much

Edited April 20, 2010 by JordanL

[JasonK]

You won't disconnect anything in the motor box area. Just by the rudder, and at the helm. Should be easy to figure out. I think my cable attaches to the brass tiller arm. You keep mentioning pipes, but not the cable. When the cable comes back to the rudder does it go thru the "pipes"? I'm thinking it's just the last brass bolt that you undo.