Every year I say that I am going to do something to make the shift linkage (fwd-n-rev) more smooth. It is very notchy. I blame the cable. Can these be lubricated. I hate to get into replacing the cable.
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Replace the cable.
Find a parts dealer for your engine and order one. They usually come in two size lengths to accomodate different boats. Measure the one in your boat for a fit. If the wire inside the plastic conduit still moves you may be able to pull it out and lubricate but you would need to do this periodically to keep it going. Be careful the wire does not fray. The quickest most labor effective way is to replace the cable. They are not that expensive
Find a parts dealer for your engine and order one. They usually come in two size lengths to accomodate different boats. Measure the one in your boat for a fit. If the wire inside the plastic conduit still moves you may be able to pull it out and lubricate but you would need to do this periodically to keep it going. Be careful the wire does not fray. The quickest most labor effective way is to replace the cable. They are not that expensive
General question on this subject*o
I suppose that if the cable is worn out then it needs to be replaced. However, aren't there cable lube products out there to "restore" smoothness of operation for cable function? I remember when I had a motorcycle which had several cable operated devices that there were cable lube products to maintain cables. Aren't there such products for boats as well? By the way "notchy" is a great word to describe a poorly operating cable. Just wondering on this subject... Mike
I suppose that if the cable is worn out then it needs to be replaced. However, aren't there cable lube products out there to "restore" smoothness of operation for cable function? I remember when I had a motorcycle which had several cable operated devices that there were cable lube products to maintain cables. Aren't there such products for boats as well? By the way "notchy" is a great word to describe a poorly operating cable. Just wondering on this subject... Mike
try this....
If the cable is mecanically in good shape... Remove the compass and oil and grease everything related to the cable and leaver in the pedestal. Then remove the cable from the transmission and hold the cable so you can drip some light oil down inside the cable. Work the transmission lever back and forth to spread the lubricant down the cable. This worked wonders for me.
If the cable is mecanically in good shape... Remove the compass and oil and grease everything related to the cable and leaver in the pedestal. Then remove the cable from the transmission and hold the cable so you can drip some light oil down inside the cable. Work the transmission lever back and forth to spread the lubricant down the cable. This worked wonders for me.
Mike, some additional things to consider...
Hunter used Teleflex shifter cables on many of their boat models. Ours was sealed at both ends, so there was no easy way to lubricate the cable rope inside the conduit sheath. You might save yourself future grief if you replace it and keep the old one as a spare. Ours was stiff (notchy) when we purchased it from the PO. It was not the cable that caused the stiffness, but a bent bronze clevis at the helm where it attached to the shifter arm. It eventually failed due to metal fatigue. Check the shifter cable and all of the connect points to see if it is something other than the cable itself. If you decide to lubricate, and you can remove the cable rope from the sheath, use a non-petroleum based oil or grease. It is friendlier with the marine environment. Hunter can give you the length of the cable for the model in question. WM carries Teleflex cables, which they may have in stock. Terry
Hunter used Teleflex shifter cables on many of their boat models. Ours was sealed at both ends, so there was no easy way to lubricate the cable rope inside the conduit sheath. You might save yourself future grief if you replace it and keep the old one as a spare. Ours was stiff (notchy) when we purchased it from the PO. It was not the cable that caused the stiffness, but a bent bronze clevis at the helm where it attached to the shifter arm. It eventually failed due to metal fatigue. Check the shifter cable and all of the connect points to see if it is something other than the cable itself. If you decide to lubricate, and you can remove the cable rope from the sheath, use a non-petroleum based oil or grease. It is friendlier with the marine environment. Hunter can give you the length of the cable for the model in question. WM carries Teleflex cables, which they may have in stock. Terry
Yep and when you do Landsends suggestion
(removing the cable from the tranny) and work the shift lever, you might find that the problem is the lever detents. Lube will fix that too.
(removing the cable from the tranny) and work the shift lever, you might find that the problem is the lever detents. Lube will fix that too.
Lube Trick From Motorcycle Days
A trick from younger days when I had a gagle of motorcycles, disconnect the cable at the shift lever end, take a plastic lunch bag, pierce a small hole the diameter of the outside of the cable, slip it over the cable then tape it closed tight to the outer jacket in essence making a funnel out of the bag, fill the bag with lubricant (wd 40, etc), let it stand upright over night, gravity wil do the rest. Woked fine on my Hunter 31, 1985. P.S. I grew up in the southern tier and miss the Formula One weekends at Watkins Glen.
A trick from younger days when I had a gagle of motorcycles, disconnect the cable at the shift lever end, take a plastic lunch bag, pierce a small hole the diameter of the outside of the cable, slip it over the cable then tape it closed tight to the outer jacket in essence making a funnel out of the bag, fill the bag with lubricant (wd 40, etc), let it stand upright over night, gravity wil do the rest. Woked fine on my Hunter 31, 1985. P.S. I grew up in the southern tier and miss the Formula One weekends at Watkins Glen.
Control lever bushing
If the pedistal is an Edson and controls are pedistal mounted, then it could be the bushing in the control housing. According to Edson, these bushings are made of delrin which, in salty atmosphere, expand with age and will make a control very stiff. Disconnect cable from lever and move lever back and forth, if still, it is the bushing. If the cable is hard to move, then either cable or possibly a cable clamp sometimes used to make the control stiffer for "safety". My C30 had a cable clamp that PO said was there to stiffen the operation of the cable so when moving around the wheel it would be harder to bump up throttle. Surveyor said it was bad cables. Turned out to be the bushing.
If the pedistal is an Edson and controls are pedistal mounted, then it could be the bushing in the control housing. According to Edson, these bushings are made of delrin which, in salty atmosphere, expand with age and will make a control very stiff. Disconnect cable from lever and move lever back and forth, if still, it is the bushing. If the cable is hard to move, then either cable or possibly a cable clamp sometimes used to make the control stiffer for "safety". My C30 had a cable clamp that PO said was there to stiffen the operation of the cable so when moving around the wheel it would be harder to bump up throttle. Surveyor said it was bad cables. Turned out to be the bushing.
Edson
I had the same problem, I removed the compass and noted the the lever on the inside was bent and rubbing again the side. Bent it back and it has worked fine. Just a suggestion.
I had the same problem, I removed the compass and noted the the lever on the inside was bent and rubbing again the side. Bent it back and it has worked fine. Just a suggestion.
Also lubricate what the cable is attached to...
I had a very sticky cable; and blamed the cable. I undid the cable connection at the engine. With the cable detached, I tried moving the shifter and it worked fine; it wasn't the cable, but the arm that the cable attached to. A few drops of oil where the arm connected to the throttle (on the engine) suddenly cured the entire problem. So for what its worth, make sure whatever the cable is connected to isn't the real source of the problem. Paul
I had a very sticky cable; and blamed the cable. I undid the cable connection at the engine. With the cable detached, I tried moving the shifter and it worked fine; it wasn't the cable, but the arm that the cable attached to. A few drops of oil where the arm connected to the throttle (on the engine) suddenly cured the entire problem. So for what its worth, make sure whatever the cable is connected to isn't the real source of the problem. Paul
Sticky Cable
I had the same problem for a long time (10 years) on my 1976 Hunter 27. Eventually the shifter cable broke just after tying up to my mooring. It turns out that the cable rusted out inside the jacket. I was lucky that it broke when it did and not as I was pulling up to the dock. It was an easy fix. The cable attaches to an arm inside the pedestal. Tie a heavy string to pedestal end and pull it through to the transmission and then pull the new cable back to the pedestal connection with the string. It is that easy. I also changed the throttle cable while I was at it. It also was rusty and about to break. I had tried lubricating them over the years but it did not make much difference.
I had the same problem for a long time (10 years) on my 1976 Hunter 27. Eventually the shifter cable broke just after tying up to my mooring. It turns out that the cable rusted out inside the jacket. I was lucky that it broke when it did and not as I was pulling up to the dock. It was an easy fix. The cable attaches to an arm inside the pedestal. Tie a heavy string to pedestal end and pull it through to the transmission and then pull the new cable back to the pedestal connection with the string. It is that easy. I also changed the throttle cable while I was at it. It also was rusty and about to break. I had tried lubricating them over the years but it did not make much difference.
sticky shifter cable - thanks
Thanks, everyone for the ideas. I definitely do not want to break the cable. That would make me , ah, shiftless, I guess. Hmmm... Seriously thanks, Mike F. P.S. Watkins Glen Race Track is doing well. My wife and I spend about 18 days a year there as Sport Car Club of America members. Lots of racing, all kinds of cars. Do love my boating, though.
Thanks, everyone for the ideas. I definitely do not want to break the cable. That would make me , ah, shiftless, I guess. Hmmm... Seriously thanks, Mike F. P.S. Watkins Glen Race Track is doing well. My wife and I spend about 18 days a year there as Sport Car Club of America members. Lots of racing, all kinds of cars. Do love my boating, though.
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