stiff control box - Sea Bob please feel free to help :)

[seabob4]

A "concientious" rigger will run the cables such that the P/N end will be at the motor, much easier to check there than at the helm.  Unfortunately, Teleflex only puts the P/N at one end.  Stupid if you ask me...

[floridamisser52]

Had a simular issue with my 90 spl 1998 model. It was the shift shaft grommet that's attached to the shift rod. As I remember it was a pain in the a$$ to get off. Had to get a vice to hold that shift rod . It can get really bound on that shaft. So to diagnose I'd say disconnect the cables and its still hard to manipulate with hands ect you've got a shift shaft issue. Just my guess.

[jcaesar625]

Okay, I checked both ends and I couldn't find anything printed on either end. Must have came off over the years. Anyone have an idea the length of the shifter cable  on a 99 Explorer 225? Ideally don't want to remove the cable before I get the new one. Thanks.

[seabob4]

I betcha 18' is close...

[jcaesar625]

Thanks Seabob, I went ahead and ordered the 18 footer, I'll let you know how it works out.

[jcaesar625]

The 18' was just enough. It was probably 2' shorter than the one that was on there, but now I don't have a big coil of it behind the control box. It worked out. Thanks for getting me on the right length SeaBob.

I also discovered the underlying issue with my stiff shifting. The o-ring on the shift shaft have failed on the top of the lower unit. water was getting in and there was corrosion all around the o-ring causing it to bind on the shift shaft. Went ahead and replaced the housing and the o-ring. Now it shifts great.

[seabob4]

Glad the 18s worked, cables can be a beetch in regards to length, you always want enough, but not so much that you end up with a coil or a piss pot full of cable stuck behind something.  I remembered how the rigging pipe in Explorers was run, with a 45 degree piece pointed upward once it entered the wing area.

Still remember a few things from a few years ago...

[icemanbryan]

Gotta love when they use something too long.
I always like the coils laying around