Tensioning my steering cables.

[sinnerman]

Also, a question: I assume the second chain is for .....the Autopilot??

[GordMay]

Edson’s Product Tech Support has some excellent guides
➥ https://edsonmarine.com/product-tech...enance-sheets/

" Tension the cables evenly with the take-up eyes attached to the radial drive wheel. "

[Hoohaa]

Originally Posted by stormalong

That does not look like a push-pull system from the pictures. It looks like pull-pull. You referred to cables (plural) If there are two cables it is pull-pull. Which means there must be turning blocks under the pedestal.

It is a Pull Pull system. There are no pulleys.
Both cable tubes are securely fixed at the cockpit sole directly under the pedastil.
The aft ends of each of the tubes are fixed at the rear bulkhead Infront of the quadrant on each side.

[Hoohaa]

Originally Posted by sinnerman

Also, a question: I assume the second chain is for .....the Autopilot??

Yes. Auto pilot

[Hoohaa]

Originally Posted by OldManMirage

If the cables are only 10 years old it is very possible they were made a bit too long to start with. It happens.



An easy fix - as long as you don't find anything else - is to simply add a few washers under the nut of the tension rod.



Either that, or pull them and replace them. If I wasn't prepared to do that, I'd just add the washers until the time came.

Great idea.
Why didn't I think of that.

[MicHughV]

I see your steering cable is fitted with a nicropress type fitting at the quadrant turnbuckle..

an option would be to cut this off....release the turnbuckle so as to gain some cable length and re-attach with wire rope clips..this is how mine is done...I have three wire cable clips on mine...they must be attached in certain way...you can google this..

you can also use nicropress fittings if you have the " tool" to compress them, most hardware stores have these....as before...cut the old fitting off, extend the turnbuckle, fit one of more new nicropress fittings....voila ....down..

I also had the pull-pull cables..never had any issue with them. They have (or should have) a grease fitting somewhere along it's length...keep that topped up....

[Cadence]

Before I would take a link of chain out, i would resplice or crimp the cable after running the adjuster out.
You may want to check any pillow blocks in your cable run for wear which seems likely to be the reason for your lack of being able to adjust. That could be catastrophic if one goes completely bad.

[Hoodsail]

If you are planning on any off shore sailing, I would opt to replace all, chain & wire. I almost did this last season, but ran out of time...Will be doing replacement this May tho (keep old as replacement backup)...the chain/wire run is straightforward and considering the consequence of losing steerage, think its worth the $$+time. Also would check the pulleys beneath the pedestal once wire is free to determine that they are not woobley. If you dont replace all, I would agree with MicHughV and replace nicopress with wire rope clips. See Gord's graphic and consult Edson site...Lastly, I read that inspecting the base of the pedestal is an area that rarely gets examined and could be compromised...Admittedly I have read that but havent done it...Will see how warm the Spring gets before deciding. thnks

[MicHughV]

Yep, the problem with a pull-pull system is that most of the cable is inside a tube where you can't see it.
It's not that difficult to remove the chain and the cable for a looksee...and while you're at it, check all the pulleys, blocks, turnbuckles, etc....

Also forgotten is the rudder shaft. Typically some type of flax sealant (similar to prop shaft stuffing box material is residing (hiding) under the quadrant or some other type of protection....but who checks under the quadrant ????

My experience is that these items get little attention. once they go on, they are pretty much hidden from sight and folks only notice them when something goes wrong or breaks, etc..the steering chain needs regular attention and lubrication, but typically, once the binnacle goes on, it's out of sight, out of mind. Same goes for the pulleys under the pedestal.

Sounds like an opportunity has presented itself for a full check up.

[marcjsmith]

Originally Posted by OldManMirage

An easy fix - as long as you don't find anything else - is to simply add a few washers under the nut of the tension rod.

If the op puts both nuts the proper side of the quadrant As indicated in the pics from Edson, wouldn’t that remove slop from the cables?

Baring that, buy new take up eyes that have more thread closer the hook or run the existing eyes through a die to add some thread if the op want to keep the nuts in their current configuration

[gamayun]

Originally Posted by Hoodsail

Lastly, I read that inspecting the base of the pedestal is an area that rarely gets examined and could be compromised...

How so? I bought replacement chain years and new pulleys ago and my cables have some "stretch" that I can't seem to tighten enough so this thread has been really helpful in getting this moved up the list. What else might need to be looked at?

[GILow]

Originally Posted by gamayun

How so? I bought replacement chain years and new pulleys ago and my cables have some "stretch" that I can't seem to tighten enough so this thread has been really helpful in getting this moved up the list. What else might need to be looked at?

I think Hoodsail may be referring to incidents of the pedestal mounting itself failing. I remember a thread a while back showing that the brackets under the cockpit sole had rusted away to almost nothing and the pedestal either detached and fell over or was perilously close to doing so.

Easily overlooked, I know it made me scramble to check mine. All ok but I’d been focusing on cables and pulleys and hadn’t considered how the pedestal was attached to the boat.

[OldManMirage]

Originally Posted by marcjsmith

If the op puts both nuts the proper side of the quadrant As indicated in the pics from Edson, wouldn’t that remove slop from the cables?

Unfortunately no. The problem is there are no more threads to tighten up. Putting a few washers under the nut on the tensioning side will pull the rod through a bit more, thus tensioning the cable.

[OldManMirage]

Originally Posted by GILow

I think Hoodsail may be referring to incidents of the pedestal mounting itself failing. I remember a thread a while back showing that the brackets under the cockpit sole had rusted away to almost nothing and the pedestal either detached and fell over or was perilously close to doing so.

Easily overlooked, I know it made me scramble to check mine. All ok but I’d been focusing on cables and pulleys and hadn’t considered how the pedestal was attached to the boat.

This can definitely be an issue. It's easy to get a bit of water under the pedestal in the cockpit, and this can drip or even just migrate in and around the bolts going through the cockpit to the plate under the pedestal, causing some corrosion.

I have looked at mine - since I just bought the boat - and I can see some minor corrosion and paint peeling. It's certainly something that I plan to address over the coming months.

[marcjsmith]

Originally Posted by OldManMirage

Unfortunately no. The problem is there are no more threads to tighten up. Putting a few washers under the nut on the tensioning side will pull the rod through a bit more, thus tensioning the cable.

op has a nut on either side of the quadrant attachment point which is contrary to what edson diagram shows with two nuts jammed against each other taking up tension and locking against each other



which means there is thread all the way to the inside nut nearest the hook. move the inside nut to the outside, so it can act like a jam nut against the other outside nut, as indicated in the drawing. Voila you've got at least an inch more thread to play with to tighten the cable.




the way the OP has it now, with the inner nut at the end of the thread, trying to add a washer between the outer nut and quadrant would not net you any extra tension. since the inner nut cant be loosened any more.(no more thread)


if there is too much slack, then you'd need a hook with more thread closer to the hook end or a shorter cable.



Personally, i'd look for a new hook with more thread, new nuts and washers before I started playing with new cables


cheaper easier, faster