Sticky Gear Cables

[Whole in the Water]

I've got a 2000 Honda 130hp. Many times when I go to shift from forward to reverse the gear cable sticks and no shifting tackes place (makes docking fun sometimes!). I had Sherwood Marine lube the cable 2 years ago, but the problem is back.

Does anyone have any ideas how to fix this? More lube?, new cables?, something else?

Long live wild salmon!!!

 

[Last Chance]

As long as you are sure it's your cables, and not your linkage, replace the cable. Lubing them is not going to help. There are several "zero friction" cables available, many that you can order online for a fraction of what Sherwood will charge you. Mine on my boat are 30 feet long, and shift like butter. The cables on my last rig were "zero friction" as well, and never had a problem, I replaced a crappy old set of Morse knock-offs. If you want something from Sherwood, Volvo makes a great zero friction cable (What I run, and got from SG, but Sherwood does Volvo too), they are blue in color, and my 30 footers were around 80 bux each.

DOn't go about trying to fix cables, once rust starts to pile up in them, they should be condemned. And let's not even think about what happens if the thing snaps with your motor halfway in gear and the clutch dog banging away at the gears!

Last Chance Fishing Adventures

www.lastchancefishingadventures.com
www.swiftsurebank.com

 

[Last Chance]

As long as you are sure it's your cables, and not your linkage, replace the cable. Lubing them is not going to help. There are several "zero friction" cables available, many that you can order online for a fraction of what Sherwood will charge you. Mine on my boat are 30 feet long, and shift like butter. The cables on my last rig were "zero friction" as well, and never had a problem, I replaced a crappy old set of Morse knock-offs. If you want something from Sherwood, Volvo makes a great zero friction cable (What I run, and got from SG, but Sherwood does Volvo too), they are blue in color, and my 30 footers were around 80 bux each.

DOn't go about trying to fix cables, once rust starts to pile up in them, they should be condemned. And let's not even think about what happens if the thing snaps with your motor halfway in gear and the clutch dog banging away at the gears!

Last Chance Fishing Adventures

www.lastchancefishingadventures.com
www.swiftsurebank.com

 

[TenMile]

Have to agree with LC. You can bandaid them with lube, but once the rust is there, it just keeps getting worse. I have more experience with these cables from bikes than I do with boats -- but they are exactly the same thing -- boat cables are just a bit bigger.

The zero friction cables came out on bikes about 10 years ago. They are usually a teflon coated cable inside of a gortex sleeve. They never rust and shift like butter forever.

Inspect your cables too -- sometimes they just get slapped in there without the length being trimmed off. When the cable is too long, the extra slop moves around and can twist and turn itself into a big loop making it much more difficult to engage the shifter.

TenMile
<'((((><

 

[TenMile]

Have to agree with LC. You can bandaid them with lube, but once the rust is there, it just keeps getting worse. I have more experience with these cables from bikes than I do with boats -- but they are exactly the same thing -- boat cables are just a bit bigger.

The zero friction cables came out on bikes about 10 years ago. They are usually a teflon coated cable inside of a gortex sleeve. They never rust and shift like butter forever.

Inspect your cables too -- sometimes they just get slapped in there without the length being trimmed off. When the cable is too long, the extra slop moves around and can twist and turn itself into a big loop making it much more difficult to engage the shifter.

TenMile
<'((((><

 

[prm]

It's not in the cables. I had the same problem for 2 years. It's in the shift lever that drops to the leg. You can remove the rubber boot and put oil down it. if you need 1st class service try Morrison Marine. Bud

 

[prm]

It's not in the cables. I had the same problem for 2 years. It's in the shift lever that drops to the leg. You can remove the rubber boot and put oil down it. if you need 1st class service try Morrison Marine. Bud

 

[Gone Fishen]

prm is probably wright, it's not in the cable unless it's stretched(not lickely) or real stiff????. A corroded cable will always be stiff. If the control box handle moves smoothly the control cable moves. If the control cable jams the control handle couldn't move either without breaking the cable, then no shifting would take place. Does it grind but just doesn't go into rev all the way. Try a cable ajustment for a little more rev, little less forward. Some aftermarket cable set up's won't allow enough adjustment into rev. Check if there is any more rev adjustment left on your cable, should be some left over when adjusted. Could also be hooked up to the wrong joint in the control box giving to short a travel to the cable.(posibility's)

I'm setting my priorities. I'm making time for fishing.