Shift Cable boot Alpha One Gen 2

[stoney]

Well our maiden voyage was not so good, got it in the water only to find the bilge taking on water. Luckily something told me to leave it on the trailer and check for leaks before launching. Got her out of the water and found that the shift cable boot was ripped, the other bellows are good. Kind of wish I had done more of a pre launch inspection but oh well, excitement of launching was getting to me!

I am fairly handy around engines, and I have done my fair share of youtube video watching to give me a good idea of how to replace it.

I understand it to be something like this and was hoping you guys might clear any mistakes before I get started:
Put the boat in forward gear
Remove the outdrive by taking off the trim pistons and 6 main bolts
disconnect the shift cable from the engine side
pull out the shift cable inner wire
replace inner wire with electrical cable for a guide (tied to engine side)
pull out outer shift cable sheathing
remove torn boot
install new boot
grease and slide new outer shift cable sheathing along electrical guide wire
remove electrical guide wire
snake in new inner shift wire
tighten the boot down (use the putty/bellow concrete???)
reinstall outdrive
reattach trim pistons


Anyone have a better way? Any special tools necessary other than the extended socket necessary to unbolt the shift cable from the outdrive unit?

Or am I waaaay off here?

[Casey]

As memory serves me you need to put the shift lever in the all the way forward gear position before you unbolt the 6 outdrive retaining bolts. This puts the shift boot on the outdrive in the straight forward position so the outdrive when unbolted slides off then be sure it remains in the for gear position and the shift shoe on the outdrive remains pointing forward and look to ensure proper alignment as you push the outdrive back into place. If you don't the shift mechanism will bend and you will have a real issue with getting into gear.

[Corfab]

a little grease on the inner cable doesn't hurt while you are in there.
spin the gimble bearing and check how it feels as well.

[Casey]

Grease the ujoint also. Can't get any closer then when the outdrive is off.

[stoney]

Ok great advice, thanks all!

[mmwjr]

I do not see how a electricians fish tape would fit into the shift cable sheath.

I would not remove the core wire but just the cable anchor end at the shift plate.

It will be very difficult to pull the cable out through the transom this way typically the bell housing needs to be removed when doing this but that requires disconnecting the other bellows as well. IMO if one is bad the others are not far from failing.

And yes with an Alpha the shifter must be in forward to remove the drive.

[Corfab]

the fish tape doesnt go inside, just tape to the side of the cable housing and pull the cable thru the transom. when you put it back together, tape the fish tape to the cable housing again, and use the fish tape to help guide the cable past the bellhousing.

[mmwjr]

Originally Posted by Corfab

the fish tape doesnt go inside, just tape to the side of the cable housing and pull the cable thru the transom. when you put it back together, tape the fish tape to the cable housing again, and use the fish tape to help guide the cable past the bellhousing.

Got it.

I still feel this will be rather difficult with the bell housing installed but possible.