Shout out to Aaron Rohyans if he is on this forum for the YouTube video on replacing the steering cable on a Z3. Had it not been for this video making it look fairly easy, I would probably still have stiff steering.
I couldn’t find anything specific to the Z3 in forum searches and came across the video searching google. Here is the link:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mbxO5TzYvxQ
I Followed the steps exactly at the beginning, using a metal hanger wire to get the cable from under the driver helm area to back at the rudder. From there I took a different approach and unbolted the support tube from the aluminum bracket using a 3/4 socket. I then cut rack off the old cable using a hacksaw. It was slow and painful but made much less of a mess under the dash vs using a cut off wheel.
Cutting this off the old rack allowed me to pull the cable far enough back to easily get a pair of channel locks and a crescent wrench on the support tube and lock nut. I was able to leave the painted cable support bracket attached to the tube and transfer it over to the new cable as one part. I didn’t remove my batteries, only the vertical walls on port locker in the back. Cutting the cable at the rack was necessary to be able to get enough room with the batteries in.
The new cable was purchased online from fredwarner1.net and was around $150. I got the SeaStar SSC15422 Xtreme as it recommended in the YouTube video and it was a direct bolt on. It seemed to be longer by maybe a foot (maybe not) because I had more cable back by the rudder when I was bolting it to the support tube.
It took me about 3.5 hours, but as usual, most of that time was spent getting out to get the correct tools, and removing/replacing the black panels.
Well worth the time and money to get back to new boat steering.
I couldn’t find anything specific to the Z3 in forum searches and came across the video searching google. Here is the link:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mbxO5TzYvxQ
I Followed the steps exactly at the beginning, using a metal hanger wire to get the cable from under the driver helm area to back at the rudder. From there I took a different approach and unbolted the support tube from the aluminum bracket using a 3/4 socket. I then cut rack off the old cable using a hacksaw. It was slow and painful but made much less of a mess under the dash vs using a cut off wheel.
Cutting this off the old rack allowed me to pull the cable far enough back to easily get a pair of channel locks and a crescent wrench on the support tube and lock nut. I was able to leave the painted cable support bracket attached to the tube and transfer it over to the new cable as one part. I didn’t remove my batteries, only the vertical walls on port locker in the back. Cutting the cable at the rack was necessary to be able to get enough room with the batteries in.
The new cable was purchased online from fredwarner1.net and was around $150. I got the SeaStar SSC15422 Xtreme as it recommended in the YouTube video and it was a direct bolt on. It seemed to be longer by maybe a foot (maybe not) because I had more cable back by the rudder when I was bolting it to the support tube.
It took me about 3.5 hours, but as usual, most of that time was spent getting out to get the correct tools, and removing/replacing the black panels.
Well worth the time and money to get back to new boat steering.