Autohelm Spares

[PaulR]

The plastic lever used to engage my Autohelm 4000 wheel steering recently started to slip on the shaft - investigation showed that it is fixed by a very small stainless steel pin that passes through the plastic lever and stainless shaft. The pin had failed and the whole in the plastic lever had become mishaped.
I telephone Raymarine (who now own what was autohelm) sorry sir, we don't supply just the pin, fine says I I'll buy the pin and a new plastic lever, sorry sir we don't supply those either-you will have to buy a new clutch assembly - cost £28.20!

Solution-friendly local chandlery (Hardway Marine-Gosport) searched through their oddments box and found a pin that fits-charge nil!

My impression of Raymarine NOT favourable-hope the rest of their kit I have on board doesn't go wrong before they decide pasts are obselete!


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[jimi]

I know ... I posted on this a week or so ago and ended up paying for the assembley + postage. Absolute rip off. I'm going to adopt Chas's solution in future which involves a small split pin. Out of interest what settings do you use on the autohelm, I find I've got to have the rudder gain on 2 or I get S shaped steering.

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[charles_reed]

Raymarine

My experiences, (3 occasions for myself and 4 for others) has been entirely different with Raymarine.

Technical staff turnover, previously a major problem, has stopped. Prices for service work have stabilised and willingness to "find a way outside the book" has increased.

The improvement in customer care, since the management buyout from Raytheon has been immense. It's still not back to the levels of pre-Raytheon days but it's in the top quartile for UK businesses.

Mind you I have always called round in person, I have got to know the staff and have even had a call-back from their techies on my mobile in Ria de Ribasdella whilst trying to fix a problem on someone else's Autohelm 6000, to take me thro' a particularly complex series of tests.

Pray have the grace to see their point of view - there is a lower limit to the size/value of the spares on the shelf, because each invoice raised costs about £5.
Generally speaking on a small part like the plastic gears in the box, or little pins like the one that failed in your assembly, they'll get out of the service ready-use spares and send you FOC.



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[jimi]

Re: Raymarine

They did'nt Charles, they referred me to Greenham Regis,. They were very nice about it though!

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[uforea]

I have only had to deal with Raymarine on one occasion for a part for a very old Autohelm and they went out of their way to be helpful. Ten out of ten for me.

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[PaulR]

I did speak to them by phone and they were helpful and friendly on the phone BUT also said that the pin was not available , nor the pin and clutch lever - only suggestion was for the complete assembly-I have no problem with their needing to charge commercial rate to reflect the cost of holding and supplying spares but to be told they can only supply a complete assembly was a dissapointment-when I am next in a new stockist with a new wheelpilot on show I shall look most carefully at how the current clutch lever is fitted.

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[Avocet]

I bent the lead screw in my tillerpilot a few years ago (don't ask!) and the local agent charged me £20 to take it to bits and tell me the lead screw was bent. he then really cheered me up by telling me a new lead screw assembly would be £180 (this was when new tillerpilots were about £200). I took the bits back and straightened the screw out in a lathe (took a while) and it still works today. I'm not suggesting they shoud ahve straightened it for me but the idea of any spare costing as much as a complete new unit is a bit sad.

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