Easy way to fully lubricate reverse gate cables without removing them completely

[Geoff Cooper]

If you follow Julians thread on replacing reverse gate cables he describes how to remove the Binacle and removing the cable at the Binacle end it's quite straight forward please revert to that as i don't think it's necessary to repeat the process again to show you how to lubricate the cables with ease so i will take it from there with some simple Photos and an explanation of how i do the job every few months, It keeps the cables nice and free as it's near impossible to lubricate where they connect to the jet housing apart from grease the outer part where it exits the sleeve, ok here we go.


I tape a hook onto the screen surround just above the Binacle just to stop it sliding down, I get a plastic bag the kind with 2 handles that can go over the hook easy, You can buy a pack from any Supermarket the size about 10 x 8 or bigger if you like but no smaller, Pull the carpet back just in case we don't want any accidents.

After removing the connectors locking nut and the rubber grommets from the cable oh make sure you count the turns when you remove the connector so it goes back the same and put them in a cup holder so as not to loose them, Locate the bottom corner of the bag and gently push the inner cable through the plastic bag right in the corner.

Slide the bag down the cable until it goes over the outer cable and the recess which secures the outer cable in the Binacle, Put a small cable tie and fix the bag to the outer cable using the recess the cable tie will fit good in there and make a good seal.

You should now have something that resembles this, The remainder of the bag which is below the cable tie wrap some masking tape around to make sure there's no leaks and to keep thing's tidy.

Ok it should now be looking like this.

Ok gently slide your fingers up the loose bag until it's just near the start of the outer sleeve, Place another small cable tie to hold the bag in position and again run some masking tape around, You can now see the effect you get, You have a small container to put your oil in and 2 handles to hold it in place on the hook, Ok lets go and work on the other end.

I use a plastic top from an aerosol or something similar cut a v shape into it and cut it down to size to fit under the reverse gate cable.


Ok thing's should become clear now, Pull the rubber seal down to the edge of the plastic as when the oil comes through it will hit the seal and go into the cup, You only need to use a couple of tablespoons of oil and put it into the bag at the helm and just leave it overnight and let gravity take it's course you will see how it works by the oil in the plastic top in the morning and you can add more if necessary.


I adjusted the bag here to show you a better Photo of the inner but it will give you a container about the size of a cup, Just put a couple of tablespoons of oil in make sure it's above the outer cable and leave it to work, I do it every few months and i just changed my first cable on a 10 year old boat that gets plenty of use.

I just use a normal vegetable cooking oil it's thin and it works well and it's only for lubrication, 1 bottle will last you a lifetime, I don't recommend using the oil that comes out of the cable for cooking after maybe not a good idea, Oh don't forget to put the rubber seal back in place on the reverse gate cable at the jet end, Put the cable back together at the Binacle don't forget the amount of turns for the connector and job done, It's not a difficult job just take your time and you will enjoy doing it, It may save you a lot more work and expense at a later date replacing cables. Good Luck.

Oh here's a tip for you.

If you ever have to replace a reverse gate cable before you dispose of the old one remove the rubbers from the Binacle end of the old cable as they will be like brand new and you can replace the old rubbers at the jet end of the other engines reverse gate cable as they will be showing signs of wear, There exactly the same size.

 

[Big Shasta]

Another awesome "How Too" Thanks @Geoff Cooper !

 

[Geoff Cooper]

If you follow Julians thread on replacing reverse gate cables he describes how to remove the Binacle and removing the cable at the Binacle end it's quite straight forward please revert to that as i don't think it's necessary to repeat the process again to show you how to lubricate the cables with ease so i will take it from there with some simple Photos and an explanation of how i do the job every few months, It keeps the cables nice and free as it's near impossible to lubricate where they connect to the jet housing apart from grease the outer part where it exits the sleeve, ok here we go.

View attachment 13835
I tape a hook onto the screen surround just above the Binacle just to stop it sliding down, I get a plastic bag the kind with 2 handles that can go over the hook easy, You can buy a pack from any Supermarket the size about 10 x 8 or bigger if you like but no smaller, Pull the carpet back just in case we don't want any accidents.
View attachment 13836
After removing the connectors locking nut and the rubber grommets from the cable oh make sure you count the turns when you remove the connector so it goes back the same and put them in a cup holder so as not to loose them, Locate the bottom corner of the bag and gently push the inner cable through the plastic bag right in the corner.
View attachment 13839
Slide the bag down the cable until it goes over the outer cable and the recess which secures the outer cable in the Binacle, Put a small cable tie and fix the bag to the outer cable using the recess the cable tie will fit good in there and make a good seal.
View attachment 13840
You should now have something that resembles this, The remainder of the bag which is below the cable tie wrap some masking tape around to make sure there's no leaks and to keep thing's tidy.
View attachment 13841
Ok it should now be looking like this.
View attachment 13842
Ok gently slide your fingers up the loose bag until it's just near the start of the outer sleeve, Place another small cable tie to hold the bag in position and again run some masking tape around, You can now see the effect you get, You have a small container to put your oil in and 2 handles to hold it in place on the hook, Ok lets go and work on the other end.
View attachment 13846
I use a plastic top from an aerosol or something similar cut a v shape into it and cut it down to size to fit under the reverse gate cable.
View attachment 13847

Ok thing's should become clear now, Pull the rubber seal down to the edge of the plastic as when the oil comes through it will hit the seal and go into the cup, You only need to use a couple of tablespoons of oil and put it into the bag at the helm and just leave it overnight and let gravity take it's course you will see how it works by the oil in the plastic top in the morning and you can add more if necessary.

View attachment 13848
I adjusted the bag here to show you a better Photo of the inner but it will give you a container about the size of a cup, Just put a couple of tablespoons of oil in make sure it's above the outer cable and leave it to work, I do it every few months and i just changed my first cable on a 10 year old boat that gets plenty of use.
View attachment 13849
I just use a normal vegetable cooking oil it's thin and it works well and it's only for lubrication, 1 bottle will last you a lifetime, I don't recommend using the oil that comes out of the cable for cooking after maybe not a good idea, Oh don't forget to put the rubber seal back in place on the reverse gate cable at the jet end, Put the cable back together at the Binacle don't forget the amount of turns for the connector and job done, It's not a difficult job just take your time and you will enjoy doing it, It may save you a lot more work and expense at a later date replacing cables. Good Luck.

Oh here's a tip for you.

If you ever have to replace a reverse gate cable before you dispose of the old one remove the rubbers from the Binacle end of the old cable as they will be like brand new and you can replace the old rubbers at the jet end of the other engines reverse gate cable as they will be showing signs of wear, There exactly the same size.

Another awesome "How Too" Thanks @Geoff Cooper !

Your welcome Ken thanks for the kind reply, Prevention is always better than cure, Good Luck

 

[KXCam22]

Geoff,
I have a mod to your method. I do the exact same thing but I use a 3' piece of rubber hose, anywhere from 5/16 to 3/8 ID to fit over the cable. Hose clamp it over the cable jacket then fill with oil. You can gravity feed it or I prefer to then put a shrader valve fitting in the other end of the hose, clamp it, then use a bicycle pump to pressurize it and force the oil through the cable. This works especially well on cables that are stuck or contaminated inside as it pushes the bad stuff out. I prefer redline MTL oil as it is nice slippery synthetic and gives great penetration. I got the idea from my motorcycle cable luber which use the same principle. I like your cup idea. I always used a rag which doesn't always contain the mess. Cam.

PS you can restore a rusted a ebrake cable by pushing penetrating oil through first to free up the cable and then washing it out with the reline.

 

[Geoff Cooper]

Geoff,
I have a mod to your method. I do the exact same thing but I use a 3' piece of rubber hose, anywhere from 5/16 to 3/8 ID to fit over the cable. Hose clamp it over the cable jacket then fill with oil. You can gravity feed it or I prefer to then put a shrader valve fitting in the other end of the hose, clamp it, then use a bicycle pump to pressurize it and force the oil through the cable. This works especially well on cables that are stuck or contaminated inside as it pushes the bad stuff out. I prefer redline MTL oil as it is nice slippery synthetic and gives great penetration. I got the idea from my motorcycle cable luber which use the same principle. I like your cup idea. I always used a rag which doesn't always contain the mess. Cam.

PS you can restore a rusted a ebrake cable by pushing penetrating oil through first to free up the cable and then washing it out with the reline.

I have just used this method for about 30 years now and it always works ok as i do it on a regular basis so never get the cables seized and you can always find a plastic bag to use so it makes life simple, Thanks for that, Good Luck.

 

[KXCam22]

That's the best way, lubricate every year. I tend to wait until they feel like they need some lube before I do it. Cam.

 

[txav8r]

I have to ask...these are sealed teflon glide cables, do you think your extending the life of them much at all by doing this? I know we have had these discussions but my first cables on the '08 sx230 are still in good shape and never lubricated. I always figured that it wasn't a factory or service item, and that lube wasn't going to protect or increase the teflon sleeve life. And that just changing the cable would buy another 5 years or so when necessary. I can understand if parts are hard to come by I guess or priced out of sight because of international supply. This is another good write-up @Geoff Cooper , but I'm waiting for your cable removal/install write-up on the reverse cable! Again, I am not being critical here of the process or idea of lubrication, but wondering how much additional time/hours that it buys you. And to be clear, I was raised in a household that rebuilt and maintained with the best of them, and preventative was the key, so I hear you! I just want to make sure I don't recommend that someone decrease their lifetime of a component. I would think if you were going to do this, one of the teflon based lubricants might be more sleeve friendly than oil. We have a wide range of owners and some will have every maintenance detail attended by a service tech, others will do every detail themselves according to the manual, and still others will do everything from zero maintenance to something in the middle. This is a good detail on how you can get some lubricant into the cables, however. My only question is what you gain from it. One thing you point out @Geoff Cooper , is that you do it often and continuously, and I think if you use this procedure your going to have to do that, especially with vegetable oil, but it is another way to do it, thanks for posting it!

 

[Geoff Cooper]

I have to ask...these are sealed teflon glide cables, do you think your extending the life of them much at all by doing this? I know we have had these discussions but my first cables on the '08 sx230 are still in good shape and never lubricated. I always figured that it wasn't a factory or service item, and that lube wasn't going to protect or increase the teflon sleeve life. And that just changing the cable would buy another 5 years or so when necessary. I can understand if parts are hard to come by I guess or priced out of sight because of international supply. This is another good write-up @Geoff Cooper , but I'm waiting for your cable removal/install write-up on the reverse cable! Again, I am not being critical here of the process or idea of lubrication, but wondering how much additional time/hours that it buys you. And to be clear, I was raised in a household that rebuilt and maintained with the best of them, and preventative was the key, so I hear you! I just want to make sure I don't recommend that someone decrease their lifetime of a component. I would think if you were going to do this, one of the teflon based lubricants might be more sleeve friendly than oil. We have a wide range of owners and some will have every maintenance detail attended by a service tech, others will do every detail themselves according to the manual, and still others will do everything from zero maintenance to something in the middle. This is a good detail on how you can get some lubricant into the cables, however. My only question is what you gain from it. One thing you point out @Geoff Cooper , is that you do it often and continuously, and I think if you use this procedure your going to have to do that, especially with vegetable oil, but it is another way to do it, thanks for posting it!

Hi thanks for your reply i found it interesting, I have done this for many years and like i said i have only just changed a cable for the first time on an 06 boat that I'm sure gets a lot more use than many members Boats as it's out usually at least twice a week and often i will do 100 mile trip to Islands located south of me taking extra fuel on board for the journey, I find that it's the Transom end that seems to suffer the most as if the seals are worn on the reverse gate cable the salt water gets inside the cable tube and grease doesn't reach it, like i have said on many posts i have put on here this is what i do and nothings written in stone, I'm open to any suggestions as i spend a great deal of time doing odd jobs on Boats and anything to make life that little bit easier, Like the previous person who replied to this post he also lubricated the cables but in a slightly different way to me with the same results as Teflon or not Teflon if salt gets in it will still make the cable bind hence that's usually why they go tight, If you read his reply it makes good sense Thanks again and good luck.

 

[Geoff Cooper]

Hi thanks for your reply i found it interesting, I have done this for many years and like i said i have only just changed a cable for the first time on an 06 boat that I'm sure gets a lot more use than many members Boats as it's out usually at least twice a week and often i will do 100 mile trip to Islands located south of me taking extra fuel on board for the journey, I find that it's the Transom end that seems to suffer the most as if the seals are worn on the reverse gate cable the salt water gets inside the cable tube and grease doesn't reach it, like i have said on many posts i have put on here this is what i do and nothings written in stone, I'm open to any suggestions as i spend a great deal of time doing odd jobs on Boats and anything to make life that little bit easier, Like the previous person who replied to this post he also lubricated the cables but in a slightly different way to me with the same results as Teflon or not Teflon if salt gets in it will still make the cable bind hence that's usually why they go tight, If you read his reply it makes good sense Thanks again and good luck.

Regarding the cable install / removal i haven't written one as i found Julians description was spot on and there was no reason to question it as it was simple and to the point with excellent photos to accompany the article.

 

[txav8r]

Hi thanks for your reply i found it interesting, I have done this for many years and like i said i have only just changed a cable for the first time on an 06 boat that I'm sure gets a lot more use than many members Boats as it's out usually at least twice a week and often i will do 100 mile trip to Islands located south of me taking extra fuel on board for the journey, I find that it's the Transom end that seems to suffer the most as if the seals are worn on the reverse gate cable the salt water gets inside the cable tube and grease doesn't reach it, like i have said on many posts i have put on here this is what i do and nothings written in stone, I'm open to any suggestions as i spend a great deal of time doing odd jobs on Boats and anything to make life that little bit easier, Like the previous person who replied to this post he also lubricated the cables but in a slightly different way to me with the same results as Teflon or not Teflon if salt gets in it will still make the cable bind hence that's usually why they go tight, If you read his reply it makes good sense Thanks again and good luck.

I totally agree that the pump end is heavy exposure and especially in a salt water environment. It may be the exact thing to do on boats used in the manner in which you have. I am not arguing your method or your need. My thought was more on the need itself for many, and on the choice of lubricant. @KXCam22 had a similar write-up years ago on the previous forum and his was excellent too, just like yours. I am not questioning the need for some to come up with additional steps to help them with the life of their boats. But like all of us, we all have different ideas and we all learn from each other. It is all just a point of discussion and sharing. I think it was Cam that actually placed a rubber hose over the slide at pump end to stop water intrusion into the end of the cable. That too was a step that most won't have to do, but some might consider necessary. Were all in this together! I wasn't intending my post to be critical at all, it was intended to add to the discussion and maybe help you to get many more years out of your cables than you are now! Anyway, thanks for sharing your success and procedure!

 

[cwoav8r]

Just my .02... the only metal in the Teleflex cables are the connectors on either end and the cable itself based on what I can find.

http://www.teleflex.com.au/products.php?pID=5

The only advantage I can see to lubricating the cable would be to help prevent corrosion. Like @txav8r my main concern would be any lubricant attacking the Teflon. My shift cable started sticking about a year and a half ago and I used every kind of lubricant/protectant on the transom side and nothing worked. After the corrosion starts, it is only a matter of time:

I really think the key here is to take care of the boots on the transom side. When I replaced my cable I added zip ties to hopefully keep them in place, and I will only use a rubber safe silicone or waterproof marine grease on the rams to protect the rubber and provide some lubrication. In my case the outer most boot on the port side never stayed in place from day one... and that is the cable that failed. The starboard is still just as smooth as new, and the boot on that one has always stayed in place.

@Geoff Cooper , definitely not questioning your method, and I considered doing this very thing. After removing my cable however, it was way to far gone for this to have worked. I would be extremely interested in knowing for sure if it could have served to extend the life of the cable...

Some info I found when researching stuck cables and preventive maintenance on the cables:

Specifically #18

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/document.do?docId=714

http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/272192-how-basic-steering-cable-maintenance-saves.html

Again, just posting for more feedback and spirited discussion...

@Administrative XenForo does not think protectant is a real word by the way... that is the correct spelling... pretty sure??? Ha ha... it doesn't think XenForo is spelled correctly either.

Cheers!

 

[KXCam22]

My only experience with teflon cable is with motorcycles. My original M/C teflon cables came with instructions to wash them in soapy water and use no lubricant. That actually worked great (SS cable inside) but once they were worn some lube helped. Dry graphite worked great but I ended up settling on a telfon spray. I would have no qualms about lubing my teflon coated cables with a decent oil. Not much attacks teflon other than wicked solvents. I would expect that Geoff Cooper would get more corrosion than most, based on where he lives, and way more than my desert area. Cam.

 

[Geoff Cooper]

Just my .02... the only metal in the Teleflex cables are the connectors on either end and the cable itself based on what I can find.

http://www.teleflex.com.au/products.php?pID=5

The only advantage I can see to lubricating the cable would be to help prevent corrosion. Like @txav8r my main concern would be any lubricant attacking the Teflon. My shift cable started sticking about a year and a half ago and I used every kind of lubricant/protectant on the transom side and nothing worked. After the corrosion starts, it is only a matter of time:

I really think the key here is to take care of the boots on the transom side. When I replaced my cable I added zip ties to hopefully keep them in place, and I will only use a rubber safe silicone or waterproof marine grease on the rams to protect the rubber and provide some lubrication. In my case the outer most boot on the port side never stayed in place from day one... and that is the cable that failed. The starboard is still just as smooth as new, and the boot on that one has always stayed in place.

@Geoff Cooper , definitely not questioning your method, and I considered doing this very thing. After removing my cable however, it was way to far gone for this to have worked. I would be extremely interested in knowing for sure if it could have served to extend the life of the cable...

Some info I found when researching stuck cables and preventive maintenance on the cables:

Specifically #18

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/document.do?docId=714

http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/272192-how-basic-steering-cable-maintenance-saves.html

Again, just posting for more feedback and spirited discussion...

@Administrative XenForo does not think protectant is a real word by the way... that is the correct spelling... pretty sure??? Ha ha... it doesn't think XenForo is spelled correctly either.

Cheers!

 

[Geoff Cooper]

If your worried about vegetable oil attacking the Teflon then every saucepan would be in a poor state, It's the prevention of corrosion that i use it for and it has worked very well for me for a long time, I'm only giving you my thoughts and a few ideas, Like i said it's the Transom end where the problems are and the only way to lubricate it is by getting oil down the cable from the top end as oil like water wont run uphill.

 

[Geoff Cooper]

Just my .02... the only metal in the Teleflex cables are the connectors on either end and the cable itself based on what I can find.

http://www.teleflex.com.au/products.php?pID=5

The only advantage I can see to lubricating the cable would be to help prevent corrosion. Like @txav8r my main concern would be any lubricant attacking the Teflon. My shift cable started sticking about a year and a half ago and I used every kind of lubricant/protectant on the transom side and nothing worked. After the corrosion starts, it is only a matter of time:

I really think the key here is to take care of the boots on the transom side. When I replaced my cable I added zip ties to hopefully keep them in place, and I will only use a rubber safe silicone or waterproof marine grease on the rams to protect the rubber and provide some lubrication. In my case the outer most boot on the port side never stayed in place from day one... and that is the cable that failed. The starboard is still just as smooth as new, and the boot on that one has always stayed in place.

@Geoff Cooper , definitely not questioning your method, and I considered doing this very thing. After removing my cable however, it was way to far gone for this to have worked. I would be extremely interested in knowing for sure if it could have served to extend the life of the cable...

Some info I found when researching stuck cables and preventive maintenance on the cables:

Specifically #18

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/document.do?docId=714

http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/272192-how-basic-steering-cable-maintenance-saves.html

Again, just posting for more feedback and spirited discussion...

@Administrative XenForo does not think protectant is a real word by the way... that is the correct spelling... pretty sure??? Ha ha... it doesn't think XenForo is spelled correctly either.

Cheers!

You can see that cable has gone from the inside out and it's the transom end again, I do mine about every 3 months and i have done my first cable change after 10 years of use and believe me i use my boat a lot and my controls are like silk.

 

[JetDriven]

I think it was Cam that actually placed a rubber hose over the slide at pump end to stop water intrusion into the end of the cable. That too was a step that most won't have to do, but some might consider necessary. Were all in this together! I wasn't intending my post to be critical at all, it was intended to add to the discussion and maybe help you to get many more years out of your cables than you are now! Anyway, thanks for sharing your success and procedure!

Hey Cam, and Others on this thread,

(new guy on this forum, so this may sound goofy... be nice!)

I have had several issues with frozen or stiff cables... we live on the eastern central Florida intercoastal with brackish water, and I typically keep my boat on the dock hoist during the season (so the transom stays exposed to the salt air).

Has anyone considered two approaches for the salt water environment???

- How about using the idea Cam mentioned (Oct 19, 14 on this thread) where he uses a rubber tube and shrader valve to pump the oil into the cable... BUT FROM THE TRANSOM END, forcing the lube uphill? Done on a more frequent basis, it could be done without removing the binnacle!?!? My concern off-hand is whether the oil would gunk-up the binnacle, making matters worse... or is there a drain opening at the bottom of the binnacle?

- Also, similar to this quote about Cam placing a rubber hose over the slide at the transom end, could we use a pliable rubber hose, like medical latex tubing, pack it full of water-proof lube and clamp it to the fixed sleeve tube at the transom and the moving ram end of the cable. I was actually looking for a small diameter rubber bellows tube, but the latex tube could fit the bill. The idea is to 100% seal the area where water penetrates the cable housing (because the rubber seals are not). The flex tubing needs to stretch the amount of extension for the gate without adding significant resistance to the throttle, so the longer the piece the better.

I'm installing my second set of reverse gate cables on a 2005 SX230, so now would be good time to 'lube-up' and keep water from entering the cable sleeve. I'll definately look at the cable ties over the seals.

 

[Julian]

Great write up @Geoff Cooper! Do you think a synthetic motor oil would have more "staying power" in the cable than just veggie oil or not enough to warrant the expense.

@JetDriven - pulling the binnacles out isn't hard, and none of this oil will get on the inside of binnacles.

Adding this to the FAQ under maintenance.

This is the FAQ on how to replace the cables that Geoff mentions: https://jetboaters.net/faq/how-to-replace-throttle-shift-cables.57/

 

[Geoff Cooper]

Great write up @Geoff Cooper! Do you think a synthetic motor oil would have more "staying power" in the cable than just veggie oil or not enough to warrant the expense.

@JetDriven - pulling the binnacles out isn't hard, and none of this oil will get on the inside of binnacles.

Adding this to the FAQ under maintenance.

This is the FAQ on how to replace the cables that Geoff mentions: https://jetboaters.net/faq/how-to-replace-throttle-shift-cables.57/

I just use veggie oil because it was handy it's not harmful and does a good job any kind of lubricating oil would do the same job i suppose, The saltwater here is bad so i do it about every 3 or 4 months seems to do the trick.

 

[Marvin willis]

This method didn't work at all for me. Left it for 36 hours and no oil drained. Except when I tried to get the oil out of the bag and it all dumped inside the boat. Depressed. I was looking forward to the results.

 

[txav8r]

I think there is a significant difference in what some do vs others. What a guy does as "preventive" maintenance is different than what a guy does that is currently experiencing a problem. If you have a problem, then preventative maintenance isn't going to fix it. This tip is more to prevent issues, not fix a stuck throttle. Just my thoughts.