Passage 42 Gear Shifting

Aug 1, 2011
2
Hunter Passage 42 Edgewater - Holiday Hill Marina
Any suggestions on how to "loosen" the gear shift from "difficult" to shift to "easy" to shift. It is on an Edison Pedestal, mounted on left side and is difficult to shift between forward, reverse and neutral. Takes a steady pressure to shift and is easy to go through neutral to go to reverse or vise versa. Shifting is easy at the transmission it self.
 
Dec 25, 2000
5,703
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
Open up the top of the pedestal, remove the compass and section that it sits on, then check out all the moving parts. Had a similar problem with our boat when we took possession in 2002. The broker took us (owner and prospect) out for a sea trial. He had trouble shifting and banged up his hand doing so. Probably a minor adjustment. Bought the boat, and before adding mid ship cleats, went our for a few sails. Also had trouble shifting, but then coming back from one of our trips as I approached our slip slowly, placed it into neutral, then just before touching a burst of reverse throttle to stop the boat, a clunk just as I shifted back into neutral and whoa, no shifter.

After removing the top parts of the pedestal, upon close inspection, the clevis that threads onto the end of the shifter cable broke from metal fatigue. The reason it failed was because it had either not been placed into its guide originally, or had popped out at some point causing the shifter lever to burden the clevis at an uneven angle. That guide secures the end of the cable sheath to prevent the clevis from wobbling about when changing gears. After replacing the clevis and properly installing it in the guide, gear changing has become, well, normal. That was in 2002 and shifting has been normal ever since.

Please let me know what you find during your inspection.
 
Mar 29, 2017
576
Hunter 30t 9805 littlecreek
Or oil the cable. Disconnect cable cut corner off zip lock bag duct tape over cable fill with oil zip bag closed go dawn below with flashlight wait for oil to drip. Cable moves easyer there for shifter move easer
 

MitchM

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Jan 20, 2005
1,011
Nauticat 321 pilothouse 32 Erie PA
while you are at it check the gearshift cable connection into the engine gearbox. some engine manufacturers (like yan mar) fasten this critical connection with a thin cotter pin threaded through a hole in the retaining bolt. lose the 12 cent cotter pin due to fatigue failure , and your gearshift cable disconnects from the engine gearbox. . then it is bumper cars getting back into your dock--unless you station a shipmate down at the gearshift end of the engine to move the gearbox lever manually.