Well as they say a picture is worth a thousand words.... That is a pretty tight bend and is a pinch point. You want that transition from the strut to the thru hull section as gradual as possible. The best way to describe the bend is a long gradual arc. My advice to you is to follow all of the info in this thread and try the removal of the teflon liner as well.

Basically start with a fresh brass stuffing tube, install the cable in the tube and just bend it gradually with your hands no tools. By bending the brass tube with the cable in it will help prevent kinking or too abrupt of a bend.

I'm sure there is more info to come but by following all of these tips you will improve your cable life!! Cheers:drinks:

Rcer.

Bend LOOKS too close to strut ... and too abrupt, needs a softer larger radius bend IMO.
* Do this, measure the stub shaft of cable being used from the drive dog to weld area where cable attaches to stub.
NOTE: on weld joint WHERE solder stops and area where cable can actually bend a tad is at ?

*** ONCE cable is installed into strut, this point of cable weld needs to run in a section of STRAIGHT stuffing tube ahead of strut for at minimum @ 1/2" before bending upward towards engine.
Any closer and the bending of cable works the cable strands at weld excessively breaking them at the weld material/wire connection point.
A softer bend on stuffing tube is easier on the cable as well. teflon liners are fine, use them myself.

If you were only leaving 1/16" between the drive dog and the strut, that is a real problem. Because of the twist in the strands of the shaft it will shorten up some as you run and start to bind on the back of the strut. I suspect this is your main problem although the bend in the shaft is a little tight possibly and also quite close to the strut. Doug

Well yes that is won heck of a bend! I usually put the cable in the tube the use a bicycle tyre to get my radius!

Well Thanks to everyone who replied. Sounds like I have a little bit of work to do over the winter.

I agree... bend is too tight..do as Scott said and make sure only the bendable section of the flex is in or near the bend. Also if you are using a collet at the engine, the space at the strut is very important and I forgot to mention that (take so many things for granted sometimes)...sorry. If the spacing is a problem, it will show up as wear on the strut also. For a cable that short, it might not be a big issue, but I would still leave about 3/16" to 1/4". If using a square drive, disregard. Also, looks like your strut is WAY deep. Might be just the angle of the photos, but normally on most cats, the bottom of the strut will be even with or above the bottom of the sponsons. Just re-do the stuffing tube if you can, with a new one, and try to keep the as much straight section into the strut as possible. Sometimes a "S" bend is the solution for short tubes like that.

Great advise. Ur bend is a little to tight. # 1 reason for breakage is the space between the drive dog and strut it will pull apart the inside strands which will cause your breakage not to mention mushrooming your strut! #2 Teflon liner, my 1/8 drag sled(snowmobile to those of you not blessed with frozen sunshine) will eat speedo cables and it is the same type of cable running inside a teflon houseing.

While you're redoing everything you might want to raise that strut up as it's too low.

Scott wrote:
To shay!!! :clapping:

As luck would have it I had all the spare parts needed to bend up a new tube and a replacement drive cable. I just got a chance to take it out to the lake today for a trial run. Everything seems to be running fine and as a bonus I think I even picked up a little more speed. Considering how much less drag there is on the drive cable I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I live at a fairly high altitude and every little bit helps. I want to thank everyone for there comments and suggestions.