We are replacing our shifter cable: removing - 2024

This is at the transmission. The cable going from our Yacht Specialties binnacle to our Techodrive TMC 60M transmission which is attached to our Beta 38 hp diesel motor needs replacing. It is really rusty where it is connected to the tranny and also has some slices in it by the shaft which are rusty.February 2024 - ⛵ Chip & Debbie 💑 Currently in Marina Costa Baja in La Paz, Mexico

Debbie removing cable from the transmission linkage. We may reinstall it with small bolts instead of the Philips head screws as it would be easier to remove at a future time. The screws are hard to hold a screwdriver on and not much space.

Removing this cable took us about five hours.

That white flag halyard twine is what we taped to the end of the shifter cable to help with the cable which is about 18 feet long. The binnacle end has to be removed before snaking it through as it needs to be used again on the new cable.

Unscrewing the shifter arm bracket.

The rag helps if we drop a cotter pin or other item from going into the binnical.

Set screw holding cable in binnacle.

We mostly didn't have any issues pulling it through except when we got in the starboard lazarette to pull it from the binnacle - we couldn't get it to budge.  We thought we had it disconnected from all the connection points however we missed a Phillips-head screw that acted like a set screw.  We had to take off the housing in order to see this additional screw.

We had purchased a new binnacle control arm housing back in 2009.

Me pulling out shifting cable.

Cable worst spot. It is mainly the outer cable housing that is all rusted up. However, the cable was not moving smoothly, and it was about to rust through to the inner cable housing and then the cable would jam most likely. Also it could snap or break the lever in the binnical. It was getting harder to find neutral and shift.