How to Install a Boat Steering Cable

Your boat's steering cable is a necessity in order to have an enjoyable and safe boating experience. Replace your boat's steering cable as soon as you notice yourself having trouble steering the boat due to hesitation or tightness in the wheel. Installing that new boat steering cable will put enjoyment and safety back into your boating trip. Not performing this needed repair can lead to an accident, possibly resulting in injury or death.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

Rope Adjustable wrench New steering cable
Rope
Adjustable wrench
New steering cable

Step 1

Disconnect the old steering cable from the top of the boat's rudder by pulling up the floorboard located behind the motor housing, exposing the mufflers, drive shaft and a small cable. Trail the small cable below the ski locker and gas tank until you can see where the cable connects to the boat's hull.

Step 2

Unscrew the bolt on the bow side of the clamp using an adjustable wrench; this makes room to work on the rudder connections. Swing the rudder arm towards yourself and use an adjustable wrench to remove the nut from the center of the steering connection and the other from the top of the bolt.

Step 3

Move the driver's seat back as far as it will go and crawl under the dashboard. Look under the dashboard and you will see the rack and pinion assembly, which is a long rectangular bar attached to the steering column with four bolts. Remove the four bolts with an adjustable wrench and lift the assembly off, being careful not to get grease on the carpet or upholstery.

Step 4

Move or remove as many obstacles (kickboard, heater, subwoofer, amplifier, etc.) as possible so that you can see as much of the steering cable as you can; the cable will need to pass through parts of the boat's hull.

Step 5

Tie a rope to the smaller end of the steering cable and pull the cable out of the hull of the boat. Tie the rope to the smaller end of the new steering cable and feed/pull the cable through the boat's hull. Reconnect the rudder assembly and steering column before replacing the other things you had to move like the kickboard, heater, subwoofer and amplifier.

Tips & Warnings

Find a friend or two to help make the job go faster.

Find the make, model and hull number located in the hull above the ski platform on the starboard side. Order the replacement part from the dealership so that you can get the correct part from the manufacturer. Make sure you have the new part before removing the old and match the two before installing.

Article Written By KaRinda Baker

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