Remote control cable hook-up for pre-1979 outboards

[Shell Kottkamp]

Greetings, I am wondering if anyone has invented a better mousetrap for attaching remote control cables, i.e., pre-1979 cables to the sides of the outboard.  The holder bracket for the remote control cables is in my opinion a poor design.  I find I have to really force the cable to fit into the cable mounting bracket, to the point where it falls just short of damaging either the plastic adjustable fitting on the cable or bending out the metal bracket.  I like to have the option of removing my outboards when traveling to antique boat events to reduce strain on the transom on my antique boats.  I am considering carefully shaving down the plastic on the cable fitting and carefully shaving, (grinding) down the inside portion of the metal attaching bracket to the point where they will still have their strength but will make for an easy on easy of attachment.   I just wondering if anyone has come up with a holder bracket design.  P.S., I am working with brand new teleflex cables and new metal brackets, they simply don’t pair well, I not a fan of using plastic with metal in this application.

[Shell Kottkamp]

Forgot to mention in my earlier post that I’m working with OMC J/E pre-1979 cables and brackets.  I have done numerous antique boat J/E outboard/boat set ups and have always faced this issue with the remote control cables and the outboard mounting bracket for said cables.  My experience has been that eventually the plastic cable attachment gets worn down, (sometimes it feels like it just short of breaking) and the metal bracket bends out to the point where it becomes easier to take them on/off, albeit harder than it should be.  As mentioned earlier I take these outboards on and off my boats quite often and struggle with this design.  I’m toying with the idea of a motor hood metal bracket that would hold the remote cable in place and be easy on and easy off,  as that plastic cable cable attachment leaves me with little to no way of modifying that short of removing plastic material to fit into the metal bracket.  Hoping perhaps a member has either found a personal modification that worked for them or found  another outboard manufacturer bracket that will fit a J/E and perform better.

[labrador-guy]

Hello Shell and welcome!   Let me give you a little 101 on OMC cables.  I have several 50’s OMC motors that I run with remote controls.  If you are ruining the plastic part of the cable you are installing them wrong.  The attachment part that attaches to the cowl of the motor are side specific.  Meaning one is port and the other is starboard.  Some are marked some are not.  When putting the cable on you start with it straight up and down.  The brass part in the bracket.  You will have to turn the motor right or left for the cable to miss the transom.  I hope my pictures make some sense of this jargon!   I also run dual outboards with remote hookup.  I especially like running two 10hp OMCs

dale

 

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[labrador-guy]

Shell I forgot to mention there was a smaller cable bracket that was used in the early 50’s.   These that I have posted are later 50 through the 60’s maybe more!

membership has it’s privileges!

dale

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Shell Kottkamp

[Shell Kottkamp]

Greetings Dale and thank you for your replies.  I do have the brackets in their respective port/starboard locations, I also noted in my old outboard inventory that as you mentioned there were smaller cable attachment metal brackets.  I have the same ones currently installed that you show in your pic.  I know with time that the more I install/remove the remote control cables the easier it gets as they “condition” themselves.  This is do in large part to the plastic cable portion getting whittled into shape, I hate forcing these cables into the metal bracket,  especially new cables.  If one were to only have to install them once that would be OK but I am always removing the cables due to as I mentioned I remove the outboard for travel as well as try out different motors on a boat.

[olcah]

Shell,

You can adjust the fit of the brackets by bending the prongs  with pliers.  Do it off the motor so you do not damage the motor attachment points.  I just use a vise and maybe support using wooden blocks..

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Shell Kottkamp

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