Steering cable rant!

[kko]

WTF is going on with these freaking cables. They use to last 15#yrs..now your lucky to get 5! It's BS. They have to be making them in a manner they know will not last. I have all the tricks grounding the cables to combat electrolysis,placing over the top of gas tank so not to sit in any water at any time. Still fails in less than 5 yrs. WHAT SAY YOU!
*was in the boat repair biz I know it's not a Tige thing as I replaced cables in every brand. Almost want to go to to hydraulic MC steering but don't want my boat to drive like a school bus...so that's out.

[kx250frider617]

I have the same problem but partially because I run in salt. I wish they just had a longer rudder post and ran the steering cable over the engine.

[boatwakes]

Go hydraulic, problem solved. Since surfing became an epidemic everyone has been burning through steering cables as a result of weight. We're changing our 24 over to hydraulic before the diesel goes in to alleviate this problem. Not manufacturing, not installation (most of the time) but WEIGHT, WEIGHT, WEIGHT!!! Go hydraulic and forget about it.

[Stingreye]

Boatwakes, I am going to regret not making that change while you had my engine out. Can't wait to hear how your diesel repower goes!

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

[jbort]

what's the cost for hydraulic?

[Ewok]

What's the procedure for flushing the hydro system? Is it really saving much time over replacing a cable? I can replace mine in 30 min.

[boatwakes]

Hydraulic is pricey, like $1500 for the system pricey, plus installation but most everyone can install the system. There would never be a reason to need to flush the system and you would really never need to replace anything again but it solves the problem.

[boatwakes]

Sea star HC5312 ram: $380
Sea Star helm HH5271 : $340
Hose: $110, 3/8" hydraulic sea star hose
Oil, 3 quarts: $70
Actually after pricing it out, not bad: $900.

[Ewok]

So it's a fully sealed system when it's put together? I'm just asking because I had a hydraulic clutch pedal on my last car and I had to flush it every 2 years, but it had a master cylinder and reservoir ways for air to get in the system.

[boatwakes]

It's fully sealed. There's a fill on the helm with a sealed o-ring plug and purging ability on the ram when filling for the first time. I have this hydraulic steering on 2 of our big boats, my commercial tow boat being a 1985 and I've owned it for 10 years and never had to top off or refill. I service these units for customers too and occasionally ram seals fail, a helm seal may fail or leak or a hose has an issue but they're way more reliable then cable.

[Ewok]

Do they last longer than 20 years without Mx? That appears to be the break even point for the difference in cost for the parts. Sounds like a solid system.

[boatwakes]

I don't know what Mx is, sorry. I don't expect to get any of the money out of any of my boats so that break even point is a valid point but it makes me laugh. Totally solid system. In our vessel assist boat, the ram resides in the lazarette with a "waterproof" freeman hatch directly above it but the conditions we go out in negate its waterproofness. That particular ram has seen more salt water than some fish but it keeps on trucking, no problems yet (10 years).