Stiff steering cables

[LSaupe]

Recently put a set of steering cables in my V-King. These were good take-off's from a Vegas. A touch long but not too bad (considering I have a 6" setback). Not any tight bends by any means.

Problem is that these are reasonably stiff to move now that it is all rigged up (slack is taken out - barely, between the cables). Turns stop to stop fine just takes a respectable amount of effort.

Is this typical for a two cable system or should it turn as free as a single cable system? If not, is there anything I can check?

I tried losening the backlash (counter adjusting) at the engine and also shot them again with a light grease but still no change.

Might be time for a new dual cable system. Any recommendations? I see Teleflex has a pro series out there but these are no-feedback so am not sure if that is a good or bad thing in this application.

Larry S.

[77viper]

After what I had this past weekend I would buy new cables and be done. That way you can be confident in your steering.

I like the no feedback better but others may have different opinions.

[ccrick]

Good question about the nfb steering. I rely on feed back through the steering to control the chining. With no feed back?????? Remember the v-pad and chine walk!

[Surface Scratcher]

I agree with Ccrick. I put NFB on a boat and I hated it. This was about ten years ago so maybe they've been improved. They too were stiff, right from the beginning . Since then, I've read, more that once, that they are dangerous on high performance (chin walking) hulls. They are supposed to lock under heavy torque .

I also agree with 77Viper in that you will end up getting new. I tried to grease and adjust the dual RideGuide (before I bought the NFB) but it never helped. When the cables rust at all, they swell in the tube.

By the way, the stiffness is probably the cables but it could also be the steering rack or the steering tube at the motor.

JMO just my opinion

[ccrick]

Adjustment to tight will cause them to be stiff. Need a little free play.

[BUSHWACKER]

Mite want to check out T-Rex's homemade cable luber on BYB.
Teleflex recomended NFB duel same side for my 79 Vector 200 Mariner?
Also be sure to use an ARP bolt to bolt it to the enging and a locknut, Merc makes a thin one.