Need help with steering cables

[Darrin Baxter]

The boat has been sitting up for about a year. Whats the best way to free the cables up. They are a little stiff
Thanks Darrin

[Techno]

I couldn't find the link but someone made an injector like thing from pipe. I guess your cable went into it instead of the engine. You poured a solvent/oil into the pipe sealed it then added compessed air. He even had a recipe for the stuff to add. It's on one of the boards though and maybe the person who wrote it will post to this.

I'll bet that no matter how much you mess with those cables, lubing them and blowing air through them, that they're never going to feel as good as a new cable system. Besides, it sounds to me like installing a new set would be less work than all those modifications to an old system...

[Balzy]

I can't remember where the link is to the luber drawing either, but I made one. I used an extra second steering tube and threaded the end of it to pipe thread and used pipe for the rest of it. I have done probably 6 or 8 sets of cables and saved every one of them. They all slid as good or better than new cables. I just put brand new longer cables on my own boat and lubed them before it ever hit the water jsut for good measure. It really works great. And if you have access to a little pipe and a few fittings they are damn near free to make. Way cheaper than cables every 2 or 3 years.

I read about that before, but it sounded like a clusterf#&%. Whoever thought this up should patent the idea and get it on the market. A lot of people like myself have spent their fair share of money buying new cables.

[Mark C.]

Man, you guys are really disappointing me. Especially you, Balzy...you're spending so much time posting on this site you've completely neglected the HydroStream Registry.

Anyhow, our resident genius T-Rex wrote that article for my website. The link is http://www.hydrostream.org/ArticleArchives/Luber.htm

I just made one of these lubers a few weeks ago and will be using it in a couple of days. A lot of people have had very good luck with it!

[BarryStrawn]

Never used one but the luber drawing was by T-Rex and is at http://www.hydrostream.org/ArticleArchives/Luber.htm.

[Balzy]

You know how it is when you get really old. The memory goes first, then the.......... Gawd, I hope not !!!!!!!!

Besides, it's boating season and my mind has been on getting my spare CLE ready just in case. Just finished her up. Feels good to have an Amigo spare. Now if Steve would just get that spare powerhead in case I break one this year..... Hint, hint, hint........

[Darrin Baxter]

Thanks Guys

[Txangler1455]

The steering cables on my 2002 were frozen and very hard to operate, then i read the article that T-rex posted and decided to make a luber for myself. You can not believe the difference that this made in my steering cables. Thanx for the great idea T-rex! This saved me the price of two new cables.

[Techno]

Mark, I kind of remembered that T-rex did it, but couldn't find it. I'm not allowed on the Hide-row-stream site, I'm the proud banker of a STV

[Mark C.]

Hey Techno -

Anyone is welcome there...even you silly STV owners :) We aim to convert all who visit!

Aren't you in the Rochester, NY area? If so, where do you run that STV? Maybe I'm thinking of someone else?

[Liqui-Fly]

I had one cable that was pretty bad. Squeaked when when you turned...real good against the torque hehe but wasn't successful in bringing it back with the Rex system. I used vacuum instead (industrial pump)to pull the fluids through. One kind of cables do you have? I have a good teleflex 16 footer. David

[Mark C.]

Why would you use vacuum to pull it through? Even if you were able to achieve 29.92"Hg - the highest possible on this planet - you're not even talking 15 psi of force. I would think that pushing the fluid through with 125+ psi would be much more effective in freeing things up!

[Liqui-Fly]

It's all I had. Plus I needed a good excuse for new steering hehe. The hickeys that pump makes, I figured it could suck anything through. David

[Balzy]

cables with the racks in real good shape. I just needed longer ones with 2 1/2 miles of setback. I'll even put a fresh lube job on em for you. $75.00 for both and they are yours......

[Liqui-Fly]

But I also have a mile and 1/2 of setback and opted for a brand new 18ft system. Now I need to buy another boat so I can use my one good 16 ft cable hehe. David