Morse Cable Life Expectancy Suggestions

In answer to the thread ours lasted 25 years. One did fail about 5 years ago (so a 20 year life), throttle cable. I removed the cable as I could not find the length printed on the cover until it was removed (I ran a mouse line for the replacement. I bought a replacement and a spare and a spare for the other engine. I was in the middle of nowhere when it failed and I cobbled together a replacement from 2mm Kevlar (lightweight spinnaker sheets) and small dinghy blocks.

The wire inside the cover looked perfect, it failed at the 'swage' and I used the interior 'wire' as 2 very long fids (our cat had a 22' beam but helm on one side, only some cables were short, the one that failed was, really, long).

The biggest problem was that the builder had installed the morse cables with the engine wiring as one big loom, held together with cable ties. It needed brute strength to break the morse cable free.

Jonathan
 
Another good question where the answer is largely "it depends".
If the cable run is good (not too many sharp bends) and the cables are laregly free from contamination then they last for decades. In some applications, replacement is much more frequent (e.g sterndrives). In most cases, the inner cable usually breaks, it mostly happens close to the ends as theis is where any detritus can get in. The most common cables to fail are gear shift as they move more frequently through a shorter and fixed range of motion. Gear cables generally fail or get stiff on the inside bend radius.

As others have said, yachts have a much easier life than mobos.
 
Had to change gear box ones, after 30 odd years as the outer red covering was splitting in circles around the cable and was afraid if a large number of sections fell out , control would be lost from a new mount of slack being introduced.
 
Moodysailor said:
Another good question where the answer is largely "it depends".
If the cable run is good (not too many sharp bends) and the cables are laregly free from contamination then they last for decades. In some applications, replacement is much more frequent (e.g sterndrives). In most cases, the inner cable usually breaks, it mostly happens close to the ends as theis is where any detritus can get in. The most common cables to fail are gear shift as they move more frequently through a shorter and fixed range of motion. Gear cables generally fail or get stiff on the inside bend radius.

As others have said, yachts have a much easier life than mobos.
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As far as I know the break is inevitable just the inner cable is swadged to the sliding rod that the fittings are attached
The control not having the cable attached properly with disregard to lost motion
 
Mine started getting very stiff at about 15 years. Corrosion and jacket failure. Every installation will be different.

Not difficult to replace. Get long coupling nuts so that you can use the old one to pull the new one (the ends are threaded). In my case I just drilled and threaded a 1" length of 1/2" brass rod, and tapered the edges so that it wouldn't catch. A little push-pull and wiggling should get them through. Twin engines, so I changed both sides.
 
Depends on what the cable is actuating. Some throttle controls actually cause slight bending of the inner just where the swaged joint is. It's very difficult to inspect. I've had a couple of failures after just a few years. It's worth swapping ends at some stage to even out the wear.
 
Really annoyed .. I have a Morse Single lever control on the Primor 24 ... its always been a bit toresome - not holding position and needing hand resting on it ... today it decided to show why ...

On the back where cables connect - the throttle is to centre of unit and locked by a U bracket. The gearbox cabler is to one side and locked in a cam over U bracket.
The throttle cable had come loose from its mount and basically why the throttle was loose and wouldn't hold position.

I refixed the cable - but due to its being loose - the cable to end rod has a bend in and the throttle is now hard to use .. and very 'iffy' .. I have guests coming to have a run on river - so fingers crossed it will work ... will be interesting coming back into channel !!
 
Roberto said:
When I replaced mine I filled the new ones with ATF oil, they became almost too smooth :D
If you replace yours, keep the old internal steel wire, it is very stiff and springy and can be quite useful in a number of occasions.
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I used a length I keep at home this morning. As you say, very useful stuff.

I needed a thin 'Prodder' about a metre long to carry a special elastic which I use inside a fishing 'Whip'.

Worked a treat.
 
KAM said:
Depends on what the cable is actuating. Some throttle controls actually cause slight bending of the inner just where the swaged joint is. It's very difficult to inspect. I've had a couple of failures after just a few years. It's worth swapping ends at some stage to even out the wear.
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Not if they are set up correctly usually in slow ahead slow reverse to allow for lost motion take up
 
KAM said:
Depends on what the cable is actuating. Some throttle controls actually cause slight bending of the inner just where the swaged joint is. It's very difficult to inspect. I've had a couple of failures after just a few years. It's worth swapping ends at some stage to even out the wear.
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The Morse control I have has a 'pivoting' fix point for the throttle - but it still causes bend to the inner as it enters the outer ... this is why I had trouble yesterday ..
 
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