Steering cable 196 Ski Nautique

[Badger]

Wondering where the best place to buy a steering cable for 2006 Ski Nautique 190. Steering has got real stiff and all the discussion boards seem to think the only fix is a new cable.

 

Should I go with the genuine Nautique cable, or is there a good generic cable that would work?

[BlueSki]

Discount Inboard Marine is a safe bet:

https://skidim.com/

[6balls]

Do rudder packing, too

[JackQ]

A generic cable does not have the same range (less) of motion (travel) as the proper cable. Cost more but not having the rudder move as far as it should is not pleasant. I found out the hard way, by the proper cable.

[ski6jones]

I want to say the correct cable length is something and a half in length. Most generic vendors offer lengths in increments of a whole foot.

[skihart]

The part you want is

ssc15420 teleflex seastar

It’s a 20 foot cable. We used this when we did my neighbors 2007 196 two years ago. Steering is like butter again. Just drove it again this weekend and was thinking to myself how smooth it is. One finger steering.

[Badger]

Skihart:

 

Did you have to shorten the cable, or did it work right out of the box?

 

Badger

[Jody_Seal]

shorten the cable?

 

kinda like a board stretcher??

 

sorry could not resist..

[skihart]

No it was good right out of the box. You cant shorten them as they are all factory terminated on both ends.

 

[LeonL]

Got mine from DIM. Don't know the brand, whether it was "generic" or not but it works fine. 2008 196.

[GaryJanzig]

I replaced my whole steering system on my 1994 Ski Nautique(2170 hours), tilt, helm, cable, clamp block assembly. I also repacked the rudder port since it was leaking. I upgraded to the cable used in the 1998 and newer. nautiqueparts.com Took me a couple weekends in January to complete. Major improvement! The boat model is specified with the cables on the site. Go with genuine parts for sure..

 

 

[Wish]

2008. How do u get the old one out?. The cable nut is well under the gas tank with no room for a wrench big enough for that big nut?? 

[dave2ball]

@wish pull the center floor board where the motor  box is. That should give you access. You may have to remove the motor box. 

[Wish]

Dave, did that. It’s still a foot under gas tank with no room for a wrench as the stringer wall is on one side and the muffler is on the other with gas tank over top. 

[Wish]

The nut is directly under the wrench on top of the tank. And the area around the nut is very tight. Really don’t want to remove the tank. Ideas? 

[Ski2000]

Removing the tank sucks, but I have found I can loosen it and stick some blocks under it to hold it up so I can service the rudder. I do this once or twice a season. 
2000 ski nautique but looks identical fuel tank setup 

[Wish]

So this tank has 2 fill points each side of boat with stiff short rubber hoses servicing the tank. I don’t see how we can tilt or lift it without removing them. There’s no access. So to get the hoses off (if not welded on from age) you have to unbolt and remove rear seat back. And there’s a lot more items attached to tank and I can’t tell how much travel they have 

[Windsurfnut]

I got to mine by contorting myself upside down and sideways in the rear locker..  it sucked.

[rockdog]

@Wish its head first from inside the boat over and into the rear locker, not easy.

[LeonL]

@Wish you said that it's a 2008 196?  Open the gull wing access and pull out all the inside panels.  When the bottom is removed you'll see the steering assembly and cable connection. 

[S1Pitts]

I dissconnect the small bolt on the rudder arm and undo the pivoting clamp behind the "big nut".

Now bring it all out in the open to remove the cable nut. 

[ReallyGottaSki]

9 minutes ago, S1Pitts said:

I dissconnect the small bolt on the rudder arm and undo the pivoting clamp behind the "big nut".

Now bring it all out in the open to remove the cable nut. 

 

this. and a power wash prior will make the job a whole lot more pleasant

[Wish]

That’s what we are going to do. Power wash and take small bolt off rudder arm and bracket. Crazy how something that is supposed to be changed out several times in the life of a boat was made so miserable of a job by the designers. Another reason to love my 1997 bubble butt SN. Just so easy to work on. 

[LeonL]

I'm confused.   On my 2008 196 access to the rudder is almost directly below the rear compartment.  Yours isn't??

I won't be where the boat is until next Tuesday.   I'll snap a picture then and post it.

Edited April 25, 2023 by LeonL

[Wish]

Just to be clear. I’m not talking about where cable connects to rudder arm. I’m talking about where the cable connects with the cable nut to the sleeve it slides in and out of. See pic above. It’s big and part of the cable itself. Not easily accessible. 
 

update. While the me of we went off to work the other 2 continued on. So yesterday I looked up “wrenching in tight spaces” and a basin wrench popped up. My thought was PERFECT!! Bought it, it fit the nut perfectly but could not apply enough force the way it was. While I was away at work, the others put a huge adjustable wrench on the square handle of the basin wrench and applied a great deal of torque and the nut came off. No flipping upside down in trunk or laying on belly reaching in from inside or wrenching off some other part. So as a tip, get a square handled basin wrench that extends to or is better the 16” and an adjustable wrench for applied torque. Pretty easy this way. And only a $20 investment. Worth it. Thanks for all the suggestions and tips.