TOPIC: Johnson questions..

Hi Guys.. Everyone on the lake? not me... lower end of my 1978 Johnson 85hp was dropped off at the mechanics for reseal. Puddle discovered under the motor that something was amiss...82° and no boat..sigh.

Anyways I have a two part question for those Johnson/OMC guys out there..(there still some running OMC aren't there???)

1st: mine uses the single handle Johnson Command Center and I am simply not a fan. Can one replace that with a two handle version?? If so what kind of changes might be needed.

Second: the cables on mine are too long..or at least seem that way as they snake around quite a bit on their way back to the motor. Based on the boat being 1960 center deck, what is the best length to use? What is the right way to measure it if no one knows..


Kerry

Wow....no comment? I would really like to know the best way to measure for new cables...controller is on the starboard side... one cable, more or less, runs along the starboard side back to the motor though it is looped at least once. The other cable makes a right turn at the center deck, crosses over to the port side, goes back to the back, crosses over and then goes up to the motors left side where it meets with the first one. Obviously one is considerably longer than the other. Can someone give me an idea what length you have used....(assuming folks still run Johnsons on their G3's! [grin])

Thanks,

Kerry

Kerry,
I think you ask a very good question. Sorry nobody responds. I just measured my control cable from the backside of the shift box to where the cables connect to the motor.

I measure 9' 6" and I think it fits very well.

If you see one of the control cables being routed from one side to the other, then I think someone rigged it incorrectly. IMHO I think both cables should route in the same path.

I don't think it has anything to do with OMC (Old Mechanical Contraptions) or other.

I think you need a bit of a loop, or at least plenty of slack, in front of the motor. This helps prevent "binding up" when the motor is turned or tilted. Any more than that, and I suspect someone rigged whatever cables they had on hand at the time to get her going. Jamestown Distributors has some excellent info and even a video on the subject here;
www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/document.do?docId=783&title=How+to+Measure+Teleflex+Control+Cables
Like Glassparva, I apologize for the lack of response here, your inquiry must have gotten "lost in the shuffle".

10 oe 11 feet at the most for the cables.

Need a bit of loop as said above for tilt and turn.

WOW Jim, I dont even have half that much loop and is fine? Think Kerry isn't happy with his single lever control cause of all the cable, more turns and loops more friction. I'm thinking someone got that OMC set up from a larger boat. All my cables go down the Starboard side, cant remember but my steering at least is looped in the back corner. There were threads on this in the old forum on what length to use, as you say 10-11:)