port shifting stiff

[daveincave67]

Hello,

I am looking for some help on this one as it makes no sense to me

Picked up my boat from storage and found the port shifter in forward position is very stiff moving it forward to neutral however pulling it down into revers is very smooth.

Down in the salon the port shifter seems to be normal too... I started taking everything apart and with the cable removed from the fly bridge control the lever moves easily forward and reverse as expected.

After pulling the cable down into the salon, when I move the salon port lever forward and reverse i see the cable moving with no issues at all.

I see one cable from the fly bridge going into the bottom of the salon mechanism and another cable from that mechanism going to the transmission. the lower cable to the transmission moves freely too. How does that work? how do the two cable work together? is it something in that salon shifter mechanism? all cables are free so there isn't anything left but that chrome looking box housing the cables... If I screw that little screw on the side of the lever it moves in and out as if it's tightening something...

I am pretty mechanical with cars and such but very new to boats. any help on how these mechanisms work or if you have been through this before would be great.

Thanks Dave

[bud37]

Welcome to the forum.......the little screw is quite possibly the tension adjuster to apply tension to the arm to allow the arm to stay where you put it in simple terms. Have a look in there and see......sorry I don't know the tech term for this but I think you get the idea.

[km1125]

In many cables with internal problems you have to put tension or compression on the inner cable before the binding occurs. If they're severely corroded inside then it's obvious, but if the cable just wore through the non-friction coating then it's move freely until it's actually trying to do some work.

You might try swapping the cables from the port and starboard shifters going from the lower station to the bridge and see if the problem follows the cable. If not, then you can concentrate on the shifter assemblies themselves.

[km1125]

If you're still working on this then post some pictures too. Others might have the same controls but on a different boat and don't realize they may know some things that might help.