deadman engine linkage advice needed

[lftmx3]

I'm trying to come up with a safer approach to get a cable on the throttle linkage of a 402xs. Initially I cut a piece of brass rod with matching diameter to the round linkage piece on the engine (where barrel part of an OEM cable would go) and drilled it for bowden cable to slide through. I then tapped the end of the brass rod so a screw will hold tight. It works with boat on trailer but unsure if I trust it enough...

Does anyone know if a standard teleflex cable could be made to work by using the engine side as intended and cutting the control box end off and running into deadman, or would the diameter of the cable be too big?
Thanks

[DeanFHobart]

If the 402XS is a Mercury racing motor......... The factory should have made the linkage for the Bowden Cable Throttle set-up.

Mercury Racing Sales Team at 920-921-5330 ...... Start here.........

[Fastjack]

Is this a stock power head that has been mounted to a racing tower ? Usually a race motor would not have the provision to accept a stock type cable . or is this 402 fishing motor ?

[lftmx3]

It is my understanding that it is the original powerhead, a 402xs w/ D racing lower. It's definitely possible the powerhead could have been swapped at some point. There are none of the gearshift parts on it, however. Maybe a photo would help I will work on getting one.

[lftmx3]

here is a pic of what I'm dealing with...

[Yellowjacket]

The long arm that extends up and drives the linkage that advances the ignition and moves the throttle are the same as the 50 hp service motor. The large belcrank on the right is a different part number on the 44 xs when compared to the service motor. .This part is the "throttle arm" (P/N 17652 on the xs) and this is different than the one on the service motor. The difference is that the service motor part (P/N 72034) has a leg that drops down to fit the teleflex fittings. If you want to use a Teleflex cable you could replace this with the service motor part and use a Teleflex cable. Here is a link to the 44xs parts diagram for the linkage. There are tons of these arms around, I don't have any spares, but you should be able to find one if you look around.

http://www.crowleymarine.com/mercury...rts/1504_5.cfm

The late 70's and early 80's throttle linkage is here and you can see the difference in the parts.

http://www.crowleymarine.com/mercury...cfm?mdl=NJGQPW

The only issue with this is that on the service motor the fittings that hold the Teleflex cable is part of the pan and I'm not familiar enough to know what is available on the xs to mount the fixed part of the Teleflex cable to the pan. Not a big deal, but you'd need some kind of pin to mount the teleflex cable to and it should be a horizontal pin that will allow the teleflex cable to "rock" as it does in the service motor. That could be something as simple as a piece of channel with a hole in it to put a bolt through and hold the teleflex cable but I suspect it is something you'll have to make.

I have a the service motor linkage on my 44 with the service motor pan and I found a "Teleflex" cable on ebay that fit the stock setup and I shortened the Teleflex cable to fit a Keller deadman. The Teleflex cable I have is black plastic on the outside, but inside it is just a typical solid steel core cable and it can be used with a deadman once you cut the throttle quadrant end off of it.. If you use some kind of clamp on a bowden cable it is good practice to make sure that the bracket has a "stop" so that the cable can't slip This stop is generally a piece with a hole in it that allows the cable core to pass through and not the outer sheath so that the cable sheath can't slip when it is being pulled. If you stay with your present setup I'd make a piece that would act as a stop as opposed to just trying to clamp the sheath.

For me the Teleflex was easier and better than jury rigging some kind of clamp for a bowden cable on the engine, but either will work adequately so long as it is done right. If I had the 44xs belcrank I'd have used a bowden cable, but the 44xs parts are rare as hens teeth. Folks have been doing bowden cables on these kinds of motors for the last 75 years so you should be able to get something to work just fine.

If you use a bowden cable make sure there is a swivel so that the core wire doesn't bend with throttle movement or you'll fatigue the core and it will break at that point. There are also swivels and throttle hardware that are available on line at motorcycle shops and if look around you can also get hardware that will let you build what you need.

[jeff55v]

Just for information. The recommended method of hooking up the throttle on the new Tohatsu Ram 50, is to use a new zero effort factory stock throttle cable. Use all the original factory stock hookups, then adapt the end opposite the engine to attach it to the deadman throttle control.
My point is, the factory cable is ok to use, as long as it's hooked up safely, and operates very smoothly.

[lftmx3]

wow, alright then, I've been searching for answers to this question for sometime now, just had to find the right place to ask! Thanks for the help everyone.