DIY Steering Cable Luber

[Beachbummer]

This is all very experimental. On the one hand it could free dirt, but it could also make the dirt accumulate on the same spot on its way out and get caught on the same bend/place.

How lucky do you feel? Worst case push back cleaner from the other side to move it around?

Worth a try if you have it handy, but beware of where it will spill.

 

[drewkaree]

Just curious, but would it be beneficial to pump carb cleaner (Gumout or CRC) or something like that, that quickly cleans grease and soot out first before pumping oil?

I would always be concerned that I didn't get it all out, and all the new grease would then break down faster than it usually would. Might be a complete non-issue, that stuff just concerns me due to the reason you'd be doing this in the first place. It might actually be better to do it that way, I just have a hard time, mentally, considering that. Then again, I'm throwing a few bucks of antifreeze in my boat every winter when many others say it isn't necessary, so....

 

[MilesPrower]

I'm returning to this thread to say thanks to the many folks who made informative posts here. I used Moterex 75W90 Prizma ZX Gear Oil to lube the cables on my AR210; and 200+ saltwater hours later, I can still turn the wheel with just one finger.

BTW, if you have Cobra Jet Steering Fins installed on your boat, here's an easy modification that allows you to readily disconnect/adjust/maintain/change the steering cables without removing the fins.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Just curious, but would it be beneficial to pump carb cleaner (Gumout or CRC) or something like that, that quickly cleans grease and soot out first before pumping oil?

Good question, but I’d have to say no cleaner of any kind in there... the liner that is in contact with the cable itself has teflon in it so it is a bit of a self lubrication thing... once introduced into the cable housing that cleaner will not be coming out in its entirety. Best to just flush with oil and let the oil do the cleaning. On my dirt bikes I always used Tri Flow oil as it has Teflon in it. One member posted that they used dri slide which is a graphite lubricant that you sort of dribble down the cable-good stuff, but I prefer the Tri Flow.

 

[adamncincy]

Whelp, my steering motion was in dire need of some maintenance and thanks to this awesome website's content and posters, I took on this project this past weekend and WOW ... what a difference!

My portside was fine after one flush. However, the starboard side needed two flushes. Took FOREVER .... lol

Look at this junk that came out, no wonder!

 

[adamncincy]

Question, when I dismantled the steering cables where the steering column is, I noticed both cables were bolted into a single block - on the same side of the steering wheel though. In other words, I would expect that one cable would be attached to one side of the steering wheel column and the other, on the other side? Btw, I have a twin-engine AR210.

Can someone confirm or deny that this is how it is supposed to be installed?

 

[MilesPrower]

I would expect that one cable would be attached to one side of the steering wheel column and the other, on the other side?

I posted photos of my AR210's rack-and-pinion steering in this thread.

My steering is different than yours, but assuming your AR210 still has some form of rack-and-pinion steering...

The reason why the cables are on the same side of the column — driven by a shared rack — is because the cables push/pull the jet nozzles from the same side of each nozzle. In other words, the jet nozzles are not mirror images of each other. Instead, they are side-by-side identical. Therefore, the two steering cables have to move in parallel with each other in order for the two nozzles to turn together in the same direction.

 

[MilesPrower]

Look at this junk that came out, no wonder!

Awesome!!!! That is a heck of a lot of goobers (pardon the French) that your cables spit out!!!

 

[adamncincy]

The reason why the cables are on the same side of the column — driven by a shared rack — is because the cables push/pull the jet nozzles from the same side of each nozzle. In other words, the jet nozzles are not mirror images of each other. Instead, they are side-by-side identical. Therefore, the two steering cables have to move in parallel with each other in order for the two nozzles to turn together in the same direction.

@MilesPrower wow .... that makes perfect sense lol

 

[AZMark]

Just tried this on my 2018 so I have to go from the engine side.
One side went easy & oil flowed up through the helm end.
The other one seemed like it took some oil but then won’t take any more. When I increase pressure it starts spewing out this rubber fitting at the transom. I can slow down the leaking by pushing or pulling on the whole thing, but I don’t know if that’s blocking the oil from flowing up the cable too.
Any ideas?
The oil is spraying out the left side at the transom in this pic.

 

[Beachbummer]

Leave a little pressure in place and move the steering wheel back and forth. If the cable moves, there is some clearance and the oil ought to travel upstream.

 

[AZMark]

Leave a little pressure in place and move the steering wheel back and forth. If the cable moves, there is some clearance and the oil ought to travel upstream.

I was trying that and it wasn't seeming to help. The steering is too tight but it does still work. I can't leave it pressurized long term because the oil just leaks out if I'm not holding the end of the cable one way or the other.

 

[Beachbummer]

Can you heat the hose and pus it in further so it clears the threads on the very rear of the cable so Oil will not escape past the boot?

 

[AZMark]

Can you heat the hose and pus it in further so it clears the threads on the very rear of the cable so Oil will not escape past the boot?

There’s a rubber connector/seal thing on there but I can try to remove that and give it a shot. I have nothing to lose at this point, the cable obviously needs to be replaced but it’d be nice to do that this winter.

 

[Beachbummer]

you could use a larger diameter hose and just camp it down on the very back if the hose you have doesn't fit.

If the cable moves and it's otherwise solid this technique generally will save you for some time, so I'm hopeful it works.

 

[AZMark]

Can you heat the hose and pus it in further so it clears the threads on the very rear of the cable so Oil will not escape past the boot?

I got it clamped like this so oil isn’t leaking anywhere now, but it also isn’t going anywhere. I’ve pumped it up to 90 psi & turned the wheel dozens of times and it seems like there not a drop getting in.

@HangOutdoors did you ever figure out why oil couldn’t get into your cable?

 

[Beachbummer]

90psi is super high. Very odd.

I would suggest leave it on 20 and let it sit.

The other option is to also live the other direction from behind the helm.

 

[HangOutdoors]

I got it clamped like this so oil isn’t leaking anywhere now, but it also isn’t going anywhere. I’ve pumped it up to 90 psi & turned the wheel dozens of times and it seems like there not a drop getting in.

@HangOutdoors did you ever figure out why oil couldn’t get into your cable?

View attachment 158029

Cable on port was seizing up. Corrosion and rust. Water intrusion.

Per @Cobra Jet Steering LLC steerings advice, i used the wax from a toilet wax ring and coated the outside of all external steering and bucket cables now. After 1 month wax is still on and no water is getting in on new cables i installed

 

[AZMark]

90psi is super high. Very odd.

I would suggest leave it on 20 and let it sit.

The other option is to also live the other direction from behind the helm.

I know. I tried varying it all over the place thinking maybe the high pressure was jamming something up but I’ve gone from 1 psi to 90 and everything in between & no progress.
I ordered a cable on partzilla but it’s on back order with no eta.
It’s looking like tomorrow’s lake outing is cancelled so I’ll just leave the oil tube on there for a day or two and see what happens.

 

[HangOutdoors]

I know. I tried varying it all over the place thinking maybe the high pressure was jamming something up but I’ve gone from 1 psi to 90 and everything in between & no progress.
I ordered a cable on partzilla but it’s on back order with no eta.
It’s looking like tomorrow’s lake outing is cancelled so I’ll just leave the oil tube on there for a day or two and see what happens.

Mine was the exact same way. Starboard cable the oil would go through and port side i has the psi cranked up to 90 ish and let it sit overnight and nothing moved.