Lubricating stiff outboard throttle and gear control cables
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.ย. 2024
- In this video I show how to lubricate marine cables that are stiff or seized. This technique is great for lubricating throttle cables, gear shift cables and steering cables. Ideally it would be used as part of a preventative maintenance program but it can also be used to help free cables that are starting to seize from corrosion. The cables are common with a variety of inboard and outboard boat motors.
The technique I show here involves using a simple compressor (or even a bike pump) to force oil down the entire length of the cable.
Best marine repair and maintenance channel on YT.
Hands down, there is nothing like it.
This guy is a excellent instructor, explained everything very down to earth.
Thank you so much for doing this video. This is why I love TH-cam. I was going to spend $600 to have my cables changed out on my boat because I couldn't get it to go into reverse. I did this today it cost me $22 and it's fixed.
You’re welcome mate, glad it worked for you. 👍🏼
What size hose you used?
@@jstorres486I just did this an used a 3/8” clear rubber tubing at local hardware store. I used a 45 rated psi tube, I’d suggest one rated a bit higher if you can find it, maybe 50-60 psi.
Sorry for replying to such an old video, but damn, that is another brilliant idea. I’ve replaced so many seized cables over the years. I can see this technique being applied to any coated cable. I really appreciate the instructional simplicity and effort you put into making your videos.
instaBlaster.
Great video. I had a completely seized up cable and used this method to solve the problem. I used a clear tubing which made it easier to check and refill the the WD-40 oil. I started with 70 PSI due to the heavy rust and ended up with 40 psi for deep slow cleaning. Thank you
Glad to hear you got your cable working again. Using clear tubing is a good idea to keep an eye on the oil level. Would have made a better video too. ;)
The steering cable on my boat almost seized and according to the manufacturer they are unserviceable. Well at over $300 and only 3 years old that's crap. This guys expertise is spot on - there are many amateurs showing you how to solve this problem and some are hopeless. This guy is spot on and the crazy thing is - he's just down the road from me. Thanks mate - great advice!!
Thanks mate. Where are you?
The first one took a few hours to force the oil through, occasionally working the cable from the engine end. Pressurized with a valve stem and about 45cm of rubber hose. The second one was quicker using a nitto fitting instead of the valve so it was under constant pressure. Great technique!
I watched this video and I have to admit I was a little skeptical, not only did it work but it worked relatively quickly . I had one control cable that was stiff and one completely frozen and this technique WORKED. Not only did it free up the frozen cable but they are both now working great. This is the second time you saved me a lot of $$$$$ (the aluminum patch video) and I really appreciate you taking the time to share you knowledge. Thanks for the videos and I will keep watching the older ones to find more bits of wisdom.
Hey mate, glad the technique worked for you. Depending on the situation it won't work 100% of the time but it does have a high success rate. I first came across it from family business that had hireboats. They would do it as routine maintenance rather than a fix and their cables run forever.
We. the public are extremely lucky you are willing to share your expertise...
Thank you Dangar, if I had seeing this video when I first got my vessel You would have save me a few headaches . You have given me knowledge which I’ll teach my kids and anyone else that will listen. So bottom of my heart Thank You Mate. Robert
I have been having this issue on my boat for a while now and began pricing out replacing the entire setup to include the cables. It’s a 1988 SeaRay and yeah, the cable and throttle are 35+ years old and it’s probably due for a replacement. However, nothing else is wrong with the engine, throttle, or mechanically broken.
This video and solution cost me a few bucks in parts and now my shift handle, button, and cables are functioning with what I feel is normal tension without catching when I’d shift from FWD or REV.
Appreciate the video.
NOTE: My hardware store had 3/8 tubing rated at 45 psi, I ran the process at 40. If I have to do this again, I’d probably get a higher rated psi tubing and run it at 50 psi or maybe 60. At 30-40 psi, the process took about 2 hours to run multiple cycles of WD40 and oil and I had to move and “wiggle” the cable a bit to get the fluid moving. I feel like a slightly higher psi would have done the trick and made the process a bit easier and faster.
I’d also use a syringe or devise a different way to fill the tubing. Taking the adapters off and on or trying to funnel or squirt the oil into the tubing through the air adapter was a huge hassle and at times made a mess. It worked, but there has to be an easier way to refill the tubing.
Just used that technique to lube an almost seized shift cable on a Mercury 3L Alpha One inboard and it worked perfectly! Will eventually need a new cable (which means removing the whole drive unit), but in the mean time it saved the rest of the boating season.
Thanx for the video i had a seized cable and i tried your method after about 20mins works like new...saved myself 150 bucks cheers keep the videos coming
Good news. Glad to hear you had a win. :)
This actually works, did it right there on the boat without removing the cables. Thanks!
Hey Rob, glad you got your cables fixed up. It's an oldie but a goodie this technique. :)
Great to see I don’t have to take the cables off completely I will be doing this tomorrow
So many people are using this method and showing on youtube way after you did. You have the best video and method hands down. Thanks bud
Thanks for the tip, watched lots of your other videos as well. So much good advise and well executed, no irritating music.......Thanks from South Africa, Mossel Bay
Dangar Stu,
Thank you so much for this video. I have a restoration project of a Broom Speed Boat with a 350 Volvo Penta Outboard. I watched your video last night and went straight to the boat to give it a try. I took the control box and cables off and set up a rig using vise, a garden hose and a compressor that is part of a booster pack (to jump a dead battery)- it gave me about 60psi. Applied WD40 first and then oil as you advised and it worked like a charm. Within 1 hour I had both cables, which were completely seized, loose and able to move them freely by hand. You saved me the cost and hassle of trying to find the correct cables for this old beast and the joy of making something come back to life.
You are a genius- God Bless you Dangar Stu!!
Dean Norby I'm glad it worked for you, but I certainly can't take credit for inventing the technique. I was given those hose adapters as a leaving present when I stopped working at a marina up the river. They've really come in handy ever since! Good luck with your restoration project, let me know if you post any videos of it. :)
I followed this link to here from your latest video, Jan 6th, 2020. Thank you so much for including it, I wasn't following your channel way back in 2014 and I would never have found it otherwise. I have 5 boats and all of them would cost a lot of money to replace the cables. They range from a 14 ft skiff to a 40 ft sailboat so you can see I have a lot of control cables. I am retired and boats are sorta of my hobby but I do have a somewhat limited budget to work with, so anytime I can save some money in one place I have that to spend somewhere else. BOAT: A hole in the water to pour money into! BOAT = Bring on another thousand! LOL and I am sure other truths I haven't heard yet. I find you viedo's so easy to follow and your explanations step by step very informative. Be sure that I will be recommending your channel to everyone.
Thank You
Orville
Thanks mate. I was originally shown this technique but a family that ran a fleet of small hire fishing boats. It must have saved them a fortune with about 40 cables to look after!
the best cable oil video on YT. ive used it two times with my cables. i found having different sizes of tubing around helps and using clear tubing is best so you can see how much oil your using. also i just use a portable air tank instead of tieing up my main compressor. and i use lucas engine treatment because it is thicker and will last longer... gday from america
Thank you once again for an insanely useful tip. God bless!
Thanks, got my boat shifting like butter 👍
Excellent. It has inspired me to have a go at my throttle cable - right now with our Mercury 50 bigfoot we only get 2 speeds - slow, and then shudder into fast(ish). I don't have a compressor, so I was thinking of trying a foot pump (for tyres), or just leaving a funnel full of oil with some height to let gravity do its thing. Might take up the suggestion of using WD40 first - it's been a number of years since anyone has paid any attention to this cable.
I do have another version with a tire valve instead so you can use a foot pump. Both are fine, even gravity feed will work, just slowly.
Love your channel. I grow up on the water but first time owning my own boat. Your channel has helped me a lot. Please keep the videos coming.
Thanks, will do!
8 years ago but today I could help someone with this, nice!
You are a legend mate! Helped me revive a 1957 mercury shift cable for my 1957 mercury Mark 55, this cable is no longer made.
Add a pop up that says you prefer ATF fluid, as i had to sort through the comments to find the answer.
cheers
Glad to hear you got your cable working again. I'll take a look at adding the popup.
Dangar Stu - professional boat mechanic that thousands look to for advice searches everywhere to find a screwdriver making the average Joe realize they're not the only ones who do that. :-)
Your a star great video and also using the compressed air technique you can save a load of time by not removing the cables from the boat just disconnect at the control box end.
Yep, can definitely done with the cables in the boat.
Thank you, brilliant, no more new cables.
Regards from Bangor North Wales UK
You're welcome Les!
Thanks for this video! I did mine earlier today while still in the boat, I didn't have any old oil/grease to push out but the fresh oil is in there now.
I am gonna do this in a moment now. And I am gonna leave the cables also in the boat. Only disconnect them at the gear/ throttle lever
@@hstfk how did it go?
@@TheBarracuda It worked great. I put 3 atm/bar presure on the oil. It took the oil about one and a half hour to reach the other end at the engine. There is no reason to take the cable out of the boat for this
Gracias por el curso de mecanica Nautica en general que haces 👍🏻.
No entiendo muy bien el idioma pero como lo explicas no hace falta 😁
Sobre todo para novatos como yo 😬😅.
Gracias y un saludo desde España 😉
Love your Videos,i am using a lot of your ideas.I am In Nova Scotia ,Canada.Recently got my hands on an old 13.5ft Sun Ray Speed Boat,made in Quebec Canada.It had no Helm or steering cable.Not wanting to spend a fortune on a new one,I came across an old Helm and Cable set up....and when i say old,im talking 50s or 60s.Its the type where the cable has no exit,it only raps around on the inside.That being said,i hooked it up to the 1991 30hp Mariner that was on the boat and by god it moved the motor back n forth with the BRUT force of a 240 lb man,almost completely seized.So yesterday i watched this video,found the things that were compatible for my boat,to try your method.Holy Shit MATE!!!,It WORKED out.THANKS and Happy Boating in Austraila
Thanks Dan, glad this worked for you. It's a great technique that I was shown many years ago and works most of the time, but unfortunately not always, so it is great to hear you had a win! :)
Thank you man..
Helped me alot
You will go to Heaven...
Marine section of heaven...
Glad I could help
I need to do this to my cars shift cables. Thanks for sharing your method.
I took me 3 days to unseize my steering cable oj jet boat under 40 psi continuous pressure using wd 40
Fast Degreaser .
The Cable was not renmoved from boat .
disconnected cable from helm side and attached it to hose like you did.
👍👍👍👍👍
It was sooooo slow bcz of mud inside cable housing
Hey mate, glad you got there in the end! :)
Wow! Such a simple method. Brilliant! Thanks, I'll be lubing up my 58 year old cables this weekend. Probably clean first with WD-40 and or lighter fluid 🤔
A clean first is a good idea.
saw a YT video doing same job.
They added some powdered graphite to thin oil mix.
To add to slipperiness..
Great videos . From Tassie.
Doing this job on a boat I bought next week.
You’re the man dangar! Helping all us do it ourselfers!
I tried this trick. It takes lots of patience but does work.
Hello Stu, Thanks so much for the great tip. I ended up using some two stroke oil combined with de watering spray along with 50 psi air pressure to push it through from the helm end. Worked a treat after about 6 hours or so to restore a seized throttle cable on my Yamaha 60 outboard. I'll run some more oil through tomorrow as it seems to be more of a water / oil emulsion escaping the cable atm. Once more, thanks a heap and keep up the great work. Thrilled to bits about the success !!!!!
Just fabricated that genius device and used it on my stick steer cable, saved over $200!
Doc Riordan Hey Doc, what diameter is the hose?
@@jstins Its a 3/4 still not a perfect fit but using radiator clamp and tie straps I had no leaks also I did not add more than 65 psi to the hose. I sacrificed a Syphon - 3/4" Self Priming Siphon Hose a to make the device, good luck!
Thanks from cardiff mate, just bought our first boat, doing it basically from the ground up - this beats buying a new throttle cable by miles. Just have to get it running properly now to actually use the cable too. :D
You're welcome. Good luck with your new boat! :)
Cheers, we'll need it, hehe.
Your instructions worked perfectly. Thanks for taking the time and effort to help.
super solution to a very difficult task--Mike G
Thanks Mike. :)
Mate you are a legend! have helped me solve every problem I have encountered since I've bought my boat. keep up the good work
Thanks mate, glad the vids have been helping you. :)
Just did this to my throttle and shifter cables. Huge difference! Thanks a lot from the US!! Also, I used a CLP gun lube and it's been great so far.
Glad it worked for you, I have also found it helps a lot.
Man i love your ideas!!
You make my thoughts come to life..
Thanks mate.
Fantastic thanks for that. My cables are very stiff so I will be giving this ago when I get to that part on my boat engine restoration.Thanks again.
No worries mate, hope it works for you.
Excellent video...works great!
Just came from the video you released today (2020/01/06) and find that your clock is actually working fine here in the past :)
It had it's day in the sun!
Rick from Texas: Works just as well today Oct.5,2021. Great videos!!
just got myself a boat, and the fwd controls seems a bit stiff....im going to give this a go & your other video about dissembling and cleaning fwd controls have been verry helpful....have actually just been watching all your videos of late, some really good advice, keep it up mate.
Thanks mate, this technique works wonders for most control cables. Sometimes they are too corroded for the oil to make its way along to the end, but it works more often than not.
Thank you! Another you tube video that just saved me money and time!! IT WORKS!
You're welcome Gordon, glad you had a win with this technique. :)
Thank You Stu! I have been dealing with a stiff throttle cable on my starboard engine for a few years. It works, but takes muscle and its hard to get the revs to match the port engine which works well. I rigged this up with junk from my shop and forced some 10w40 through the cable. Now its easy and smooth. Zero cost! You are the best Stu and I really enjoy all of your videos.
Thanks for the vid, really helped with my old 70 evinrude.
Another excellent video. Well done again.
This really works, saves you a good $100.00 from purchasing new cables
Good idea. Thanks for the lesson.
Excellent technique
+Qatari Man Thanks mate!
Great idea. Thanks for the help Sir!
Nicely done. Can't wait to try this. Thanks!
Awesome trick! I may be using this soon! Thanks Stu!
Welcome, hope it gets you good results. :)
Thanks for the video! I'll be doing this tomorrow
Definitely going to try this. I'm even considering trying this on my steering cable. I have a narrow boat and the last time disconnected the steering cable, I had to remove the motor from the transom. Hopefully I won't have to do that this time.
Hope it works for you! :)
That's a great idea. I think I'll try that with my cables this winter.
I find it helps a lot about 90% of the time.
Awesome tip.
Glad it was helpful!
Great video, can't wait to try this.
+Bradshaw TX Thanks mate. It's a great technique. Some cables it can't help but there are many it will make as good as new.
great video, I'm in Ft Lauderdale and am glad I found you !!!
Great help guy. Thanks!
Awesome, Great video
Thanks!
Thanks for the reply. I have a rack on mine. If they will pull out I will give that a try. Thank you again. Great Videos
Great idea, thank you Dangar
You're welcome, hope it works for you.
Thanks for the advice mate I'm going to do mine right now
I'm gonna need to do this soon. The throttle and gear assembly for my merc is rather stiff as you get to a certain point in forward gear. It shifts into neutral, forward and reverse easy. And going into reverse isn't stiff at all...but once I go into forward gear and travel about 25% of the way, it starts getting quite stiff and requires a fair amount of force to open up the throttle. It's not gritty feeling, and it doesn't feel like the cable is catching or rubbing on anything...it's just really stiff from about 25% throttle to max throttle.
I tried adjusting the throttle friction knob that's on the front of the remote box, but I can't sense that it's doing much of anything. I've read that this is used so vibration doesn't alter the throttle's position and thus the motor's rpm, which would be useful for precision trolling and stuff like this...but honestly I can't tell that it's doing much at all. It still feels stiff when I've got the knob backed all the way out to the point of being loose. So this leads me to believe the cables need to be lubricated. I'll probably do it at the end of this season and have it ready for next year. It's not a big concern right now because the throttle is still perfectly functional, it just takes a little more elbow grease than I'd like.
I'm hoping that the problem isn't so much the cables but within the box, and maybe I can clean and lube things up inside and get things moving more freely.
Thanks for the video. I'll try this.
Good luck!
Love your channel! Watch all the time. You have saved me so much money! Going to make a donation. Another awesome video. I want to know who the kid is in the video?
Very good video, thanks
No problem, I hope it helps you.
nice video i have to try this thanks.
Thanks from Florida. I was getting ready to buy a new cable. It is tight but not stuck. I think this will do the trick. I will be working on this this weekend.
+Martin Rodriguez There is a good chance it will come good then. Let me know how you get on.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing.
You're welcome Jim. :)
I thumbs up, and subbed. This will help me a lot. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Saved me a lot of $$$$
Brilliant. Thanks again
Welcome. :)
Thanks from Florida !
You're welcome. I went to Florida on a holiday once. Great place! :)
hi thank's for the video ,you could use a clear hose to see oil level ,
grate video thanks
Would there be any problem with leaving the cable in the boat, and just disconnecting each end?
No, nothing wrong with doing it that way.
Excellent
great tip
Very handy tip 👍thanks
Very helpful thank you
May I suggest using diesel fuel to pour in and lube the cable. Diesel is lubricant and it also has a low viscosity and can penetrate into gaps very well.
I see this is a very old video but wanted to ask anyone have they tried this or similar technique on Steering Cables that are old and very very stiff. There is a grease fitting on each cable (mine has two steering cables) and I was thinking I could remove the grease fitting and use a clear tube that I could clamp over the motor end and try to force the old grease out to the helm after covering inside the boat with plastic .....would this work...anyone? THANKS
What size is that green hose you’re using?
thanks, worked perfect.
Welcome. :)
I did notice an empty spot on you work bench. Something would fit nicely in that empty spot.
Great technique ...... and video
Thanks mate!
You’re a good wrench m8
Hi and greeting to you and charly. Which is better? Injecting synthetic oil inside the cable long or inject a molten wax? Or liquid wax?
Thks
great idea!
Thanks Rob!
Would there be anything wrong with just leaving the the back end of the cable connected to the outboard motor while doing this? I figure put a rag under neath to catch the sludge.
No, that's fine. It would hurt anything to do it that way.
Sorry, meant wouldn't.
Would this cause and engine to idle high when u start the engine? My 87 88spl has a high idle and try to figure out the cause
Not likely. Disconnect cable to check.
great vid really helpfull thanks !!!!!!
You're welcome, glad it helped you. :)
Could you use this technique and not disconnect from the engine ?
Very nice!