Kloudie's comment on another thread about steering cables got me to thinking that when I took down the cover to the wheel/rudder cables on my boat, they did not appear to be "lubed". In fact there is little or nothing on my boat that involves grease and I am wondering why those cables are not covered with that or some other lubricant. I suppose grease might either lock out, or lock in moisture and other corrosive elements.
Boats & Grease
- Thread starter wufibugs
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On my boat with an edson pedestal the chain and cable are lubricated with 30 weight oil.
http://www.edsonmarine.com/support/PDFs/inspection/EB372SteeringInspection.pdf
rardi, I think the 83-87 series used a Merriman pedestal. I only printed a part of the manual when I replaced the throttle cable. Will see if I can find the lube instructions. 30w oil seems an odd lubricant for an uncontained system.
I've been using good bike oil on the few points on our boat that need oiling. Current favourite is Phil Woods Tenacious . Good waterproof bike grease, especially synthetic, would probably work well on a boat too, but currently I either use the same waterproof grease I use on my trailer hubs, or some Selden blue grease.
Regarding steering cables, do they rub anywhere? if they only run on pulleys, I don't know why the cables themselves need to be lubricated, other than for corrosion protection. Spray silicone lube might be a good choice, since it doesn't attract dust and dirt like oils.
Regarding steering cables, do they rub anywhere? if they only run on pulleys, I don't know why the cables themselves need to be lubricated, other than for corrosion protection. Spray silicone lube might be a good choice, since it doesn't attract dust and dirt like oils.
Edson says to rub 30 weight on the cables with a rag, which I guess simultaneously checks for hooks. It does seem kind of messy and unnecessary.
Hi:
Here is a pdf of the original YS pedestal/steering installation sheet. Might be useful for something sometime?
Unlike Edson's installation sheet, YS's doesn't address lubrication of the steering cable. But certainly the SS cabe of YS and Edson are pretty darn similar.
I would think the main attraction of 30w oil is: Simply easy to rub on with a rag. And it or some other clean engine oil is always available. Lubricating the cables I think would be important primarily to reduce friction of the individual wire strands within the cable as they rub against each other as the wire is continuously being bent/straightened around the 90 degree sheaves under the pedestal and then around the quadrant. Granted the relative movement of the individual strands against each other might be just 100th's or 1000th's of an inch, but over time the friction can wear them down and cause failure.
I myself find it easy just to hold a rag behind the cable and spray liberally with PB Blaster's garage door lube which by their description is suitable for the wire cable that raises/lowers the door. On my boat wire, I'll also use clean motor oil with a rag. Which ever is handy when I remember to lube.
http://www.blastercorporation.com/Garage_Door_Lube.html
This thread got me a little more interested and I found this on the web. Easily readable even by me. Granted, this would mainly apply to much larger wire rope diameters and speeds and tensions, but I would think much would apply to the wire cables in our steering systems. Section 2 and its subsections describe:
http://www.unols.org/publications/winch_wire_handbook__3rd_ed/06_wire_rope_em_cable_lub.PDF
The individual wires slide over each other, as do the strands assuming that's how the rope is made, as the rope bends around the sheaves, so they need lubrication.
I hate smart people.
(Guess I'll go about oiling my cable, never considered the "internal frictions")..
(Guess I'll go about oiling my cable, never considered the "internal frictions")..
I work in, and have for the last 30+ years, the crane and heavy lifting industry, mostly in hoist and running equipment design for new equipment and upgrades for old equipment. Not smart - just lived with this stuff for a very long time. :neutral:
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