Hydraulic Steering - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Van · 08-05-2004, 08:10 AM

Been noticing somethings not right with the steering.
When at the slip, engine tilted, but striaght. Come back in a few days and notice the engine is to one side.

Running it yesterday if I looked back at the engine it was slowly turning to one side, the the wheel is not turning. It seems like the fluid is bypassing somewhere and allowing the torque to turn the engine. I don't know if air in there would do that. I'll bleed it and see if it improves, it not and there is a problem would it be in the helm or the cylinder?

Any thoughts ???

MTC · 08-05-2004, 10:12 AM

Check the fluid levels and for leaks!

Van · 08-05-2004, 03:47 PM

Checked today, fluid was just under fill cap, I could add a little.
I've got an email in to the tech dept. at Teleflex. It will take a while though.

Fly Rod · 08-06-2004, 04:11 AM

Had to replace the seal in my teleflex cylinder this past Spring!!! Was working fine in the yard, till I launched !!! Had a very minute leak!!
Took a piece of tissue paper where the rod passes thru the seal, a speck of fluid on tissue!!! Once the sun warmed up the cylinder it was more noticeable!!!

Check the two connections under the helm where the hoses connect, if not wet, then it should be the cylinder!!!

I would only check the hoses as a last resort,could be a pain in the butt if hoses are not already exposed!!!

Good Luck!!!

ScottM · 08-06-2004, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Fly Rod
Had to replace the seal in my teleflex cylinder this past Spring!!!

Fly Rod,
How difficult of a job was it? Looks like I'll be doing the same thing this fall.

Mr. Sandman · 08-08-2004, 06:24 AM

You might need to bleed the system. There could be some air in the line.
Do you have a leak near the cyl that is mounted on the engine? You certainaly can't be leaking much if it is full to the cap.

The other thing is the cyl could be bad itself. They make re-build kits for some of these these. (seals mainly)

Fly Rod · 08-08-2004, 03:26 PM

I had a shop do it and it cost about $200.00 for the seal kit & labor!!! They had the parts in stock!! A new cylinder kit coast about 500 bucks!!!

Van · 08-16-2004, 08:46 AM

I got good responses from Teleflex. The tech said its the helm and it should NEVER do that. They are sending me out a new one, then I will send back mine. (NO CHARGE)
I hope thats gonna fix it, its not the easiest thing to work on.

I do not have any leaks,

quick decision · 08-16-2004, 05:59 PM

Did you get it fixed yet?

Van · 08-16-2004, 06:13 PM

Came home tonight to find the new helm at my doorstep.
I hope to install this weekend.

I'll let youze know.

Thanks

Van · 08-23-2004, 01:25 PM

Replaced the helm saturday, partly in the pouring rain.
Big thanks to Raider Ron for his help. We took her out Sunday
and all seems perfect. I did not notice any turning of the engine, unless I did it. So hoping that the helm was the prob and it is
fixed for good., Gonna test some more this week (Maybe off tomorrow). But it works great right now...

Raider Ronnie · 08-23-2004, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Van
Replaced the helm saturday, partly in the pouring rain.
Big thanks to Raider Ron for his help. We took her out Sunday
and all seems perfect. I did not notice any turning of the engine, unless I did it. So hoping that the helm was the prob and it is
fixed for good., Gonna test some more this week (Maybe off tomorrow). But it works great right now...

Ne need to thank me Van,
I'm just glad we survived the the guy at my dock trying to park his boat on top of the dock

Ronnie

Van · 08-23-2004, 08:38 PM

I've been having nightmares that he could have done that onto my boat instead of the dock....Lucky for me !!!!!

Also noticed some of the other gouges on his bow are marked with green, guess what he hit, really hard too !!!!!!
I'll be out there tomorrrow with Tom,,,Ahhhhh,,,,testing the steering, yea thats it !!!!!!!!

Fly Rod · 08-24-2004, 09:27 AM

Glad to hear you have it fixed!!!

Nice of them to send you a new one!!! Was the old one still under warranty????

Happy Boating!!!!

Van · 08-24-2004, 08:22 PM

FR:

They never askd me even how old the unit was, he just said "It should not do that", we will send you out a new one. Thats it, did not even know my name.
I am really pleased with teleflex.

Went out today and the steering is perfect. (2 keepers, 4 blues)
I'm gonna do another good flush soon, 10$ for a quart of fluid is cheap insurance to make sure all the gunk is out of the system.

Strange thing is right now everything is working, there is nothin to fix. WEIRD HUH ????? Thats not the norm for boat owners.

"uffah!!" · 09-02-2004, 06:19 PM

How much trouble would it be to change steering from cable to hydraulic steering? And how much would it cost?

Fly Rod · 09-03-2004, 07:41 AM

The front mount cylinder cost about $400-500 then you need to buy the helm kit and hydraulic hoses.

I would say that if you have some one install it it would cost about $1500 installed!!!

Van · 09-03-2004, 07:42 AM

I did mine myself, the cost was around 800 online store.
It was not hard to do, but it depends on your access to running cables. One problem was getting the old rod out of the engine bracket, its put in berfore the engine goes on. Again depending on the boat shape/size, it might come out easy.

Fire off any questions..no problem.
I'm sure lots of others here have done it or know about it..