Replacing shift cable on pedastal steering on h30

[Bob Alden]

Sailors,While sailing today I had a cable fail on the shift linkage to my Yanmar YSM12. I have a 1979 h30 with the Edson pedistal and wheel steering. The cable end is easy to get to at the transmission side on the Yanmar, simply requiring the removal of a pin to disconnect. The end that failed is the threaded portion at the yoke that ties into the forward, neutral, reverse shift lever. I have been unable to extract the cable from the pedestal. I can't seem to pull the cable through from below or topside. It seems to be locked, fastened or captured in the Edson wheel steering pedistal base.Anyone have experience with replacing this cable or one similar to it with Edson wheel steering? Specifically, how do I remove the failed cable?Thanks much....Bob Aldenh30 "Summer's Glory)

 

[David Popken]

Are you sure it's Edson?

I have a 78 H30 and the pedestal steering is Yacht Specialties. I have replaced both of my cables. You have to remove the compass, then another four screws remove a circular section of the pedestal. At that point, you should be to where the cables attach to the levers. If I remember correctly, the cable attaches to the lever with a threaded stud with a clevis pin. Both ends of the cable look alike, with a threaded stud, a pin and a rubber sleeve, so if you have undone the cable at the transmission end, it will be essentially the same process at the other end.

 

[Morrie]

I have Edson on my 37

I have a 1979 37C that has an Edson pedestal. About 1/3 to 1/2 down the pedestal, on the stern side (the side facing me when I’m sitting there steering) there is a screw that holds a little clamp inside the pedestal that clamps both the throttle and the shift cables. You just want to loosen it a little bit. Just enough to free up the cables. Min was only 3/8" to 1/2"ong and if it comes all the way out of the threads the little piece inside the pedestal, that does the clamping, comes loose and was impossible for me to get reattached. It is aluminum with a stainless steel screw so it may be real corroded. I ended up cutting a small 4" hole in the front of the pedestal to replace the clamp. Check out Edson's web site. They have all the little parts you might need. The little piece I'm talking about is on the page linked below. It's in the picture that's the top most right side of the page, toward the bottom center of that picture. That little piece is inside the pedestal so you can't see it. All you can see is the screw that attaches and tightens it. Hope this helps. I sent for a paper catalog from Edson, it helped a lot.

 

[Mike]

Agree with Morrie

That little clamp 1/3 way down the pedestal is a real bugger. On our '82 H36, it clamps both the shift and throttle levers. A couple years ago, I was unable to shift from reverse back to neutral. It turned out that the clamp had loosened sufficiently (probably due to vibration) that the shift cable jacket was sliding in the clamp instead of remaining stationary so that the cable inside the jacket would only move. Fortunately, this occurred in the slip. Removed the compass and, after a few hours of monkeying, got everything back in place. What fun.Good luck on your repair.Mike