Changing Your Bravo Shift Cable
815471T1 Bravo Shift Cable Kit $195.00
These instructions should only be used as a supplemental guide
to the factory Service Manuals.
Bravo drives use a cone clutch system for smooth, easy shifting.
A bad shift cable can cause difficulty in shifting.
Shift problems need to be addressed and repaired before using the boat.
Running a Bravo drive with a faulty shift component can cause more damage.
If you decide to replace your Bravo shift cable, you should also consider that
while you have the drive removed, you might also want to replace your cable bellows,
ujoint bellows, water hose and possibly your gimbal bearing.
You should also check your engine alignment with the Engine Alignment Tool.
Replacment of the Bravo shift cable does not require any special tools although
it is nice to have the two shift cable adjustemnt tools.
We typically use tool 91-17263 Core Wire Location Tool $17.00
and 91-17262 Shift Cable Anchor Tool $29.00
These tools will allow you to get the cable adjustment barrel in the exact correct position.
Note: You can leave the shifter in nuetral. Never shift a Bravo unless the engine is running.
Remove both trim cylinders from the drive and let them hang out of the way.
Note: Bravo Drives are heavy. Have a friend assist you in removing the drive. You can injure yourself if the
drive gets too heavy to handle. Be ready to support the drives weight when it comes loose from the bellhousing.
Remove the six retainer nuts and remove the drive. Use care to pull the drive staright off
to reduce the possibilty of damaging the shift mechanism/link rod assembly. Some drive lube might leak out of the lube connection fitting.
Set the drive down and out of the way. Inspect the drives ujoint shaft assembly for
wear and/or rust. Inspect the shift pocket area where the shift link rod assembly sits. If you see evidence of water intrustion you
will have to service the drive.
Hop up inside the boat and disconnect the drive shift cable
from the shift plate assembly. Remove the two little square set screws and slide the plastic end-tube off of the cable core.
Hold the sheath of the cable with a pair of pliers and use a 7/16" wrench to loosen the cable lock nut. Unthread and remove the
stainless cable tube.
Note: This next step is important. You must remove the protective spiral wrap from the cable.
Failure to remove this sprial wrap will lead to complete misery.
If you attempt to pull out the old cable without first removing the spiral wrap the cable will jam and be stuck
in the gimbal housing. Removal of a jammed cable often requires removal of the engine.
Place your hand on the black plastic sheathing of the cable.
Slide your hand down the length of the cable all the way down behind the engine and down low in the bilge.
Eventually your hand will hit a section of spiral wrap. This spiral wrap is placed on the cable
to protect the sheathing from being melted by the engine's hot exhaust pipe. Remove the spriral wrap.
Lay the cable in a relaxed position in the bilge as so it is easier to pull out from behind the boat without it getting snagged on anything.
Climb out of the boat and tilt up the bellhousing to access the shift cable bellow.
Remove the clamp on the small end. If your Cable Kit includes a new Cable Bellows, remove the large clamp as well.
Grab the core of the cable and rip it right out.
Hold the front cable-sheath-nut with an open end wrench
while removing the cable retainer flange nut.
Tilt up the Bellhousing and pull
the cable forward and out of the bellhousing hole. Grab the cable and pull the entire length of the cable
out of the transom. Discarb the old cable and old core.
If you are replacing the Cable Bellows, remove the old bellows and
clean up the area where the bellows seats as so the Bellows Adheasive will seal properly when you install the new bellows.
Unpack the new cable and make sure everything is there. If the factory has
shipped the cable with the core slid inside the sheathing, remove it.
If installing new Cable Bellows, coat the inside of the large end of the bellow
with Bellows Adheasive and also coat the area where the bellows will seat on the transom. Push the bellows into place making
sure that they are fully seated into place. Gently snug up the large clamp. Take a tube of grease and squirt a little
grease into the small end of the bellows to aid in the insertion of the cable.
Smear a little grease on the forward end of the new cable
and push the end of the cable into the bellows and into the boat. This is difficult to do. The small hole in the bellow is
tight and it's difficult to get the end of the cable through the small hole. Keep at it! You will get it eventually.
Push the cable into the boat until it stops.
It will go in about 6 to 8 inches before it stops. It will hit the back of the engine's flywheel housing.
Getting the rest of the cable to slide into the boat is tricky. The cable must be "nudged" to one side to pass the flywheel housing.
This is made easier if you have a long long screw driver and a friend to help. Hop up inside the boat with your long long screw driver.
Have your friend "tap" the cable in and out against the flywheel housing so you can follow the sound and locate the cable easier.
Take the long long screw driver and push the cable off to the starboard side of the flywheel housing. You might have to have your friend pull the cable out a little first.
Then, when your sure the end of the cable is far enough off to the starboard side, have your friend push.
He should be able to push the cable all the way in as you watch that the cable doesn't snag or loop in the bilge.
Lay the cable loose in the bilge for now.
Outside the boat, coat the brass section of the
shift cable with Perfect Seal.
Slip the end of the cable through the hole in the bellhousing. Fit a new gasket seal into place and thread the flange nut onto the end of the cable. Torque the flange nut to 65 INCH pounds.
Turn the bellhousing to the port side and lift the bellhousing up so you can install the small
clamp on the small end of the shift cable bellow.
Hop up inside the boat and route the cable sheath up to the shift plate assembly neatly as so
it is not bend, kinked or twisted.
Outside the boat, slip the new cable core into the sheath as so it only protrudes about 2".
Install the Core Wire Location Tool ( 91-17263 ) onto the back of the bellhousing.(see image below).
Make sure the bead on the end of the cable sits tightly against the tool.
Inside the boat, install the stainless threaded tube all the way into the
end of the cable sheath and then back it out one revolution. Lock the brass locknut down against the sheath.
Install the black plastic guide tube with its anchor and two square set screws. Snug up the square set screws.
Place the end of the cable assembly onto the Shift Cable Anchor Adjustment Tool ( 91-17262 ) adjusting
the barrel nut to fit exactly into the tool.
Now remove both tools and install the cable onto the shift plate assembly.
Glue the new drive mounting orings and seals into place.
Install the drive while using care not to damage or bend the cables core.
Make sure the "clapper" or "duck-bill" in the drive opens and accepts the bead on the end of the cables core. Push the drive up into position and tighten
all the nuts.
Finish installing your trim cylinders and mounting hardware.
Hop in the boat and make sure you have both shift cables properly attached.
Start the engine on the hose flushette and test the shift. DANGER. Make sure the prop is clear and that no people are near the prop.