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2000 Sunsetter LXI - Tight Steering


tdk2828

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Please help! The steering on my 2000 Sunsetter LXI is super tight. I get an upper body workout every time I drive the boat and attempting to dock it on my lift is pretty interesting.

The boat was winterized and kept in a heated garage all winter. When launching it this summer, I noticed that the steering wheel was really hard to turn.

Any ideas / suggestions for what to try or how to fix this?

Thank you!

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Sounds like it is time for a new steering cable. You can do a search on here and find the protocol. Takes about an hour or two. You will work up a nice sweat with this weather.

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Yep...A new steering cable and you will be back to fingertip steering. There is no fixing the cable you have. If this is your original cable, you have done very well to have it last this long.

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I replaced the steering cable on my LXI about a year ago. It was easy and took about 2 hours. Pistol Pete has an article on changing steering cables that I used. It's very detailed and a great reference. You can probably do a search for it.

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Thanks for the insight! Do I need to remove my gas tank to get to the rudder assembly (i.e. where the steering cable connects to the rudder)? Please say no.....

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martinarcher

No problem.

I'm not sure on the LXI. Hopefully another LXI owner will chime in. My Skier you can get to the rudder linkage by reaching in under the tank and disconnecting it with a wrench and ratchet. I would guess yours is similar.

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I replaced the steering cable on my LXI about a year ago. It was easy and took about 2 hours. Pistol Pete has an article on changing steering cables that I used. It's very detailed and a great reference. You can probably do a search for it.

I've tried searhing for the article that you mentioned by Pistol Pete, but cannot find it. Do you possible have a link to it? Thanks

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Nice - Any tips / tricks that you would recommend? Is is best to access through the ski locker, or should I be able to reach through the access panel under the rear seat? Thank you!

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Don't forget to grease the 2 zerk fittings that are on the rudder. I usually give them a pump or two every year when I remember... (that is what seals the rudder and keeps water out...)

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I've got the same boat, 2000 Sunsetter LXI with tight steering, which cable would I need to order. I went to skidim and they have like a million different cables, anyone know which one is the right cable? Sure I could go look at my boat, but that would require me standing up...

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Sunsetter LXi uses the TFXtreme 19' cable. Part number is 3620191.2, cost is $146.

These are SSC154 cables, not the SSC134 cables. Available from myself or any of your local Malibu dealers.

Peter

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Don't forget to grease the 2 zerk fittings that are on the rudder. I usually give them a pump or two every year when I remember... (that is what seals the rudder and keeps water out...)

This may partly explain why my bilge pumps about a gallon an hour. :Doh:

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This may partly explain why my bilge pumps about a gallon an hour. :Doh:

...It also could be the dreaded HDS leak as well. Search for HDS and you'll be mad!

I had an LXI that developed it 4 years after new. I left the boat in the water over night and found that the boat had taken on water up to the carpet over night. Scared the crap out of me... After the dealer fixed it it was fine. My steering cable went out the next year.... (water intrusion from being submerged.)

Good luck.

P

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My neighbors malibu F3 had the same issue a few years ago. Pumping mobil-1 into the rudder bearing box zerks helped instantly. I eventually had to help replace the rudder box itself as it had a lot of slop in it and that slop made the grease leave fairly quickly. I would try some grease into the zerks first and see if that fixes things up. If the grease seems to go away fairly quickly I guess you might need to replace the rudder box. Getting it in and out is easier with two people , but it is not a hard job. It's kind of nice getting the RTV all replaced with new stuff in any case. And the rudder is heavy.... more than you would think, so be ready for it when it comes out.

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