Anyone else having problems with Volvo D6 steering rams?

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db631018

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Anyone having problems with the steering rams on the new D6 outdrive leg ?

I'm on my 4th set in 18 months!

The problem is that barnacles grow on the exposed ram and then cut the seal when the ram is used.
 
I have d4's and had the same problem last year. thinking of covering the exposed ram with some sort of rubber gaiter to stop the little sods when I lift out for annual clean down. Dont know if Volvo can come up with a solution. I intend to ask at boat show after xmas.
 
Volvo had fitted a bellows on my second set but unfortunately it gets crushed when the helm goes hard over and slides down the shaft leaving it uncovered again! Where are you based? they try to blame the water temperature and the sun light here.
 
My Cranchi Pelican 32 is based in Empuriabrava on the costa brava. The rams were changed foc last year as the boat was still under warranty!
 
We do get a fair amount of "growth" all over the legs. I dont see why they should be blaming the weather!! Seems like a design fault to me! After all sea + sunlight + warm weather does equal good growing medium..so no suprises there I would have thought
 
These are being changed under warranty but it just takes them so long to get it sorted, we use the boat as a training vessel so it makes it worse!
 
I had the rams changed by volvo FOC on my D4 this year. Aparently they had aluminium end caps on the originals that corrode and leak very easilly and encourages a build up on the stainless ram itself, the new ones have bronze end caps. Seems to be a well known problem
 
I have called it a design oversight!! Have talked to them about compensating me for the boats down time but they just point to the small print on the warranty document and refuse!! Any lawyers looking in!! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
When I first saw the new design at SIBS I knew this would happen, what a bad design, volvo have had loads of problems, the early rams had alloy end caps, they just rotted away over a winter in the water they have now been replaced with bronze end caps, that still does not stop growth on the shiny bits though, some sort of protection needs designing, I would hit volvo with the " SALE OF GOODS /FIT FOR PURPOSE INTENDED" clause before I was satisfied to carry on using it.
 
Hi Mike

I would ask volvo about fitting a new bellows they are telling me has been designed for the job. Thay have made it a service changable item!
 
Cheers.....I am off out in a couple of weeks and will try and speak to the place I brought the Pelican from. Dont know if the replacement ones had the bronze caps on or not.

Thanks
 
We are changing steering rams and even complete drives all the time here due to corrosion, this is agravated by bad shore power installations.
A lot have been changed before they make it to 6 months due to loss of hydraulic oil from the steering.
 
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