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Old 18-03-2022, 09:40   #1
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Stiff Gear Shifter (newbie in middle of nowhere...photos atached)

Hi all, Im quite new to sailing, this is my first boat. Currently on anchor in the Exumas nowhere near any services and started to realize the last couple days that it has become harder for my gear shifter to move...in any direction between F, R, and N.

Not sure where best to start with troubleshooting, could be as simple as greasing things up, could be a cable about to fail, but as I said I am far from services and dont want things to go sideways here. Any tips on where to start looking for the problem and how to fix? I attached photos of the relevant bits for reference. The boat is an old 1973 Morgan Out Island 28, Yanmar 2GM engine.

Thanks for the help, much appreciated.









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Old 18-03-2022, 10:52   #2
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Re: Stiff Gear Shifter (newbie in middle of nowhere...photos atached)

Photos didn't come through.

It is a tiller steered boat, right? If the shifter is on the side of the cockpit well can you look on the other side of it - cockpit locker or from the quarter berth?
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Old 18-03-2022, 11:09   #3
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Re: Stiff Gear Shifter (newbie in middle of nowhere...photos atached)

Check the cable first. Disconnect the cable end from the gearbox and then try wiggling things to see which component is stiff. Might be as easy (for now) as a squirt of lubricant in the cable ends, but if not also inspect the whole length in case of visible issues (bulging or bursting sheath) caused by internal corrosion.
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Old 18-03-2022, 11:46   #4
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Re: Stiff Gear Shifter (newbie in middle of nowhere...photos atached)

The problem could be in the turret for the gear shift, in which case some grease will do the job, but it is likely to be the cable. That's a problem, because if the cable breaks docking is going to be one of those "experiences." Disconnecct the cable, and see if the lever can now move freely. If it is the cable that is binding:

Insulin syringes and needles are available at most pharmacies. Squirt a hypodermic load of WD-40 down the inside of the cable sheaf, and then run ithe cable back and forth and hold up the end so the oil will make it all the way through. A bunch of rust will come out. Cheap cables use galvanized wire, and it rusts. Get it moving freely and re-assemble.

Replace the cable at your very first opportunity. It will fail at the worst possible moment, because that's when you'll try to slam the transmission into reverse to avoid T-boning Mr. Big's megayacht.

Good luck with it. I'm glad that you noticed before something broke.
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Old 18-03-2022, 16:31   #5
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Re: Stiff Gear Shifter (newbie in middle of nowhere...photos atached)

Where in Exumas? We are near Staniel for a couple days then working our way north. I have syringes on board and wd40 if you are nearby.
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Old 18-03-2022, 17:20   #6
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Re: Stiff Gear Shifter (newbie in middle of nowhere...photos atached)

If you free up the cable with WD40, follow with a lubricant, which WD40 is not. Won't matter so much if you replace the cable soon.


Best of luck, fair winds, DR
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Old 18-03-2022, 18:27   #7
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Re: Stiff Gear Shifter (newbie in middle of nowhere...photos atached)

mine got stiff. it was the lever in the cockpit that was hard to move. when I disconnected the cable from the lever, the cable moved freely, but the lever did not. In any case, you need to disconnected some pieces in the system and find what is binding up.
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Old 18-03-2022, 19:55   #8
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Re: Stiff Gear Shifter (newbie in middle of nowhere...photos atached)

If the cable is stiff then it’s going to fail. When? Plan for replacement at the next place you can get a replacement part.
With cables it’s not a matter of if but when
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Old 18-03-2022, 21:11   #9
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Re: Stiff Gear Shifter (newbie in middle of nowhere...photos atached)

This reminds me of a shifter failure, stuck in FWD, no resistance, trying to go into N in our pretty new '77 Endeavour 32, in '80, with our 11 and 14 year old daughters early in a year's cruise, docking at the Golden Isle Marina, St. Simons Is, GA - fortunately going into the substantial current @ dockside.

Under the pedestal binnacle the shifter cable end clevis pin was gone...an easy fix and opportunity to lube both cables.
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Old 19-03-2022, 07:44   #10
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Re: Stiff Gear Shifter (newbie in middle of nowhere...photos atached)

Thanks all for the responses, but I now think the problem (unfortunately?) is not in the cables or levers or such, but with the transmission. I tried to manually move the gears at shift lever near the transmission and it super hard, I can barely do it with the strength of my hand (albeit its at a strange angle). I just bought this boat a few months ago and can say that it it was always a bit tight (moving the gear shifter), also remember trying once from the shift lever some time ago and finding it hard, but its definitely gotten much harder in the last days.

The transmission is a Kanzaki KM2P ( http://www.hughes38.com/wp-content/u...incl-KM35P.pdf )

So...think its safe to say its not a cable issue (feel free to chime in if you dont agree), so if its not that, then what could be the culprit and is it something I could tackle out here in the wilds or should I be high-tailing it to Nassau? Thanks for the help
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Old 19-03-2022, 10:01   #11
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Re: Stiff Gear Shifter (newbie in middle of nowhere...photos atached)

Kanzaki are normally bullet proof. Does it shift easier between different positions or just one? While you’re down there check the lube level and color.
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Old 19-03-2022, 12:35   #12
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Re: Stiff Gear Shifter (newbie in middle of nowhere...photos atached)

QUOTE: " While you’re down there check the lube level and color." Yeah.

Oh, Boy! Sounds like a really gummed up tranny. Figure on changing the oil. If you get goo where you were supposed to have transmission oil, consider flushing with some diesel and sucking it out, adding transmission fluid, spinning it in neurtral, the whole job. Alternatively fill with transmission oil, run, change it again. Sorry to hear it, znd let's hope that the bearings are OK.
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Old 19-03-2022, 13:52   #13
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Re: Stiff Gear Shifter (newbie in middle of nowhere...photos atached)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tetepare View Post
Kanzaki are normally bullet proof. Does it shift easier between different positions or just one? While you’re down there check the lube level and color.
Thanks, the transmission oil level is fine and color looks fine, no telling when it was changed last though as I just bought the boat. It doesnt shift any easier between different positions, its just really tight.
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Old 19-03-2022, 14:13   #14
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Re: Stiff Gear Shifter (newbie in middle of nowhere...photos atached)

Quote:
Originally Posted by tkeithlu View Post
QUOTE: " While you’re down there check the lube level and color." Yeah.

Oh, Boy! Sounds like a really gummed up tranny. Figure on changing the oil. If you get goo where you were supposed to have transmission oil, consider flushing with some diesel and sucking it out, adding transmission fluid, spinning it in neutral, the whole job. Alternatively fill with transmission oil, run, change it again. Sorry to hear it, znd let's hope that the bearings are OK.
Thanks for the reply. Transmission oil level looks good and color is fine. The only oil I have onboard is for my diesel (15-w40), maybe worth flushing the trany and filling it with that until I can get my hands on the proper oil? (BTW its a Kanzaki KN2P)

But is it possible this could still be a cable problem?....could it still make it hard for me to move the lever at the transmission? If so, I would like to disconnect the cable to test this and try in whatever way possible to lubricate the cable but I've never done this before, tried to find something on youtube that would walk me through it but couldnt. Referring to the photos I am including here, where would I disconnect the cable? Point 1, 2, or 3? And tips on how to go about it?



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Old 19-03-2022, 15:30   #15
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Re: Stiff Gear Shifter (newbie in middle of nowhere...photos atached)

Thanks guys for the replies, so....I now know its not the transmission. I removed the cable at the shifter lever and without the cable attached the shifter lever moves like a dream. The shift lever in the cockpit is still hard to move as ever (Does that make sense if its really just a stiff cable?) So if it is indeed just a gunked up cable*I guess the plan of attack would be to remove the cable completely and try and lubricate it (saw a post with a hack to do this using a zipock bag and some duct tape) and get it working enough so that when I back in civilization I can replace it. Does it make sense to try and get some penetrating fluid in there too?
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