Gear Shift Cable: replacement

[Jim Newton]

"Alcyone's" gear shift cable snapped, (lost neutral & reverse). I've got a Univeral 18 on a CD30. Here's the problem; the cable runs from the transmission up the Edison pedestal to the shift lever and there appears to be no way to access where the top of the cable is clamped to the inside of the pedestal (apox 12" down from the base of the compass mount). Near as I can tell, the top of the cable has a sloted fitting that is held in place against the inside of the pedistal. It is held within a "C" shaped fitting. The open end of "C" fitting is closed off with a cotter pin, thus locking the sloted top of the cable in place. Short of disconnecting the chain and totally dissassambling the whole wheel drive system, I can't figure out how to do this. Any thoughts on how to replace this cable, I can't get the cotter pin out and if I do, how in the world to I put a new one in place once the new cable has been threaded up the pedistal (a whole other problem). Have you faced this problem? Help!
Thanks



jnewt@oakeselectric.com

[Tom]

"Alcyone's" gear shift cable snapped, (lost neutral & reverse). I've got a Univeral 18 on a CD30. Here's the problem; the cable runs from the transmission up the Edison pedestal to the shift lever and there appears to be no way to access where the top of the cable is clamped to the inside of the pedestal (apox 12" down from the base of the compass mount). Near as I can tell, the top of the cable has a sloted fitting that is held in place against the inside of the pedistal. It is held within a "C" shaped fitting. The open end of "C" fitting is closed off with a cotter pin, thus locking the sloted top of the cable in place. Short of disconnecting the chain and totally dissassambling the whole wheel drive system, I can't figure out how to do this. Any thoughts on how to replace this cable, I can't get the cotter pin out and if I do, how in the world to I put a new one in place once the new cable has been threaded up the pedistal (a whole other problem). Have you faced this problem? Help!
Thanks

Jim, I did this once, but it's been about 10 years and I've kind of forgotten plus I've got a CD31 which may be a little different, but maybe this will give you an idea where to start until someone can come on and give you the definitive answer.

As I recall the pedestal is a three piece unit. After you take the compass off and the plate it mounts to there is another layer which is the ring that the shift levers go through. This is bolted down with as I recall four bolts. These can be hard to back out, but once you get them off, that center ring lifts off and with it comes the cables and their attachments. The piece that holds the outer cable is actually an arm that sticks down inside the pedestal. When you lift the center ring off it comes up too allowing you access to the cotter pin and all that. As I recall you don't have to remove the chain or any of the steering mechanism because the shift cables run up alongside it. I could be wrong on this because it's been a long time. Anyway there is enough slack in the shift cables to allow you to lift it high enough that you can get to the bracket that holds the cables. Feeding the cable up the pedestal is just a matter of going in through the cockpit locker and pushing it up the pedestal. It helps to have someone watching from the top and guiding it past the obstructions. I had to buy a cable that was much too long and put a big loop in it. I hope this helps until someone can come on who has done it more recently. I think I've got an Edson manual on the boat with a picture of the mechanism in it, but the boat is 150 miles away right now waiting for me to come sailing. If you're still trying to get those bolts loose in a week or 10 days I'll scan it and send you the picture, or maybe someone else has it. P.S. Isn't this board great.



TomCambria@mindspring.com

[Tom Robinson]

I had to change my shift cable last year so some of the details are still fresh. First of all it is not necessary to disassemble the chain assembly. Feed the cable in from the top of the pedestal. To get the clevis through the narrow space between the housing and chain simply and gently turn the wheel so that the chain moves downward pinching the clevis and dragging it through the tight spot. That was the the easy part of the job. The fun part begins whene you hook up the cable to the transmission linkage. Do not do this job with children in the area as a certain amount of profanity is sure to heard.

Good Luck and smooth shifting.



blockri@aol.com