Tensioning my steering cables.

[GrowleyMonster]

Stretch is caused by wear. Failure is also caused by wear. I suggest replacing the chain, and shortening the old one as needed, to keep as a spare, thiough this probably isn't needed. Meanwhile, replace the cables, too. Rather than using compressed sleeves or splices throughout, I recommend, if possible, that you use cable clamps (wire rope clips) so that later you can easily make major adjustments in length, and use the turnbuckles for fine adjustment. Make sure that the u-bolt is on the bitter end side, and use three of them. Tighten firmly and coat with a good grease. Your old cables and chain and whatever else you replace might be handy as spares some day, just to help you limp along to your next port.

[Bill Seal]

From what I can glean from the description, it is NOT a push-pull system, but rather a pull-pull system, using bends in the cable sheath instead of sheaves. The only problem would be if the core wears out the sheath lining and the cable core starts wearing on the metal reinforcement of the sheath, which could result in fraying and jamming. Not a good scenario. Probably a good idea to replace the entire cable and sheath assembly.

[OneBoatman]

I agree with the marcjsmith post. Looking at your picture your cable appears to be so loose it is sagging below the pulley and is no longer captive. That said as others have pointed the adjuster bolt is not properly assembled. Both nuts belong on the same side of the quadrant, no nut is needed on the eye side. This will give you about another 5/16 of take up. Personally, I'm not a fan of adjusters that have nothing left to adjust. It's still a must to determine just where the source of the play is. In the absence of excessive pully wear or any other age related wear condition found in the system, clearly it could be the case that the replacement cable was fabbed a bit too long. Replacing with one an inch and a half or so shorter may be all that's needed to put things right. Apply anti-corosion spray or some grease to the bolt where it passes through the quadrant. I believe I learned or read somewhere that it is appropriate to keep the pulley grooves clean and to wipe both the groove and the working portion of the cable using a clean rag dampened with motor oil. I do this when I inspect my steering about once a year.

[Bill Seal]

Originally Posted by Hoohaa

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 In front of the quadrant on each side.

This was explained in post #18, anything referring to something else is meaningless.

[OneBoatman]

True that. Sure looks like a typical Edson "chain and wire" wheel steering system, or perhaps a "clone manufacturer". Though some may call this a pull-pull system to my understanding it predates Edson's pull-pull steering design. Indeed, for the chain and wire type steering pictured, there are two idler pulleys (not pictured) under your deck beneath the pedestal whose purpose it is to change the plane of the pull from vertical to horizontal and if these are compromised they will introduce play in the steering and ultimately lead to catastrophic failure. If the idlers are not first ruled out as contributing you remain at risk thus, do not limit your corrective action to cable tension as solely responsible.

[Hoohaa]

Thanks for all the comments. They have made interesting reading.
I'm a big one for repairing rather than replacing.
In the end I've just cut additional thread into the eye bolts.
Regarding the nuts not being set-up as a Lock nuts?
The arrangement in the pic is what the rigger installed when the cables were redone.
Correct me if I'm wrong but set up this way would allow some pull and push. If you place it as a Lock nut you just get the pull without the push.
Take the the slack out of both lines and you probably don't need to worrie about the push.

[Hoohaa]

I've reinstalled and adjusted the eye bolts.
A lot of you guys have noticed the corrosion around the quadrant.
Can anyone suggest a good method, or something to coat the quadrant with. To slow down or stop the corrosion.
Thanks

[sinnerman]

Originally Posted by Hoohaa

Thanks for all the comments. They have made interesting reading.
I'm a big one for repairing rather than replacing.
In the end I've just cut additional thread into the eye bolts.
Regarding the nuts not being set-up as a Lock nuts?
The arrangement in the pic is what the rigger installed when the cables were redone.
Correct me if I'm wrong but set up this way would allow some pull and push. If you place it as a Lock nut you just get the pull without the push.
Take the the slack out of both lines and you probably don't need to worrie about the push.
Attachment 251408

The two nuts go together on the same side, not one on each side.
One nut adjusts, the other is a "jam" nut to lock the first nut in place.

If you lock the eye bolt in place with one nut on each side, you are introducing sideloads into the eyebolt as the steering operates. The threads are "stress risers" and the bolt can eventually fatigue / crack fail starting at the thread roots due to the side to side loading.

You want the load to run straight down the axis (centerline) of the eye bolt.

The rigger should recognize this as the same error as failing to install "toggles" on shrouds to maintain the loading axial through the shroud fittings and not have sideloads...

It is called a pull-pull system by Edson. I was wrong when I called it a "push-pull" system.

When one side pulls, the other side goes slack. You cannot "push" a flexible cable. (It would have to be a solid rod, not a cable...)

My quadrant has corrosion as well (it is aluminum..). Brush it off with a bronze brush . Try T6 Boeshield to protect it. (The oxidation itself is a protective surface ..)

Cheers

[Hoohaa]

Originally Posted by sinnerman

The two nuts go together on the same side, not one on each side.

One nut adjusts, the other is a "jam" nut to lock the first nut in place.



If you lock the eye bolt in place with one nut on each side, you are introducing sideloads into the eyebolt as the steering operates. The threads are "stress risers" and the bolt can eventually fatigue / crack fail starting at the thread roots due to the side to side loading.



You want the load to run straight down the axis (centerline) of the eye bolt.



The rigger should recognize this as the same error as failing to install "toggles" on shrouds to maintain the loading axial through the shroud fittings and not have sideloads...



It is called a pull-pull system by Edson. I was wrong when I called it a "push-pull" system.



When one side pulls, the other side goes slack. You cannot "push" a flexible cable. (It would have to be a solid rod, not a cable...)



My quadrant has corrosion as well (it is aluminum..). Brush it off with a bronze brush . Try T6 Boeshield to protect it. (The oxidation itself is a protective surface ..)



Cheers

Thanks.
I have installed the nuts as a Lock nut this time around.
Thanks for the advise on the corrosion protection.