DPH Steering Rams - DIY job?

[jrudge]

Hi,

My Fairline Targa 40 has leaking steering rams. Surprise Surprise/

I have bought a refurbed set of ebay ( no idea if this is a good idea or not but the guy has sold quite a few, and the feedback is positive) for £250 delivered. There are several mentions on here of people buying £30 sets of seals so I assume this is doable.

The boat lives in La Rochelle. My options are to change them myself or to get the local (expensive) Mr Volvo do do it.

Is this a DIY job? Some things are simple on boats, and others require you to dismaltle half the boat. I have looked on line for a DPH service manual with no luck

Whilst the boat is out of the water I could probably change the rubber gaitors ( they will be about 20 months old when I visit in Feb) but I assume this requires taking the leg off ... which does not sound so DIY unless someone has an alternative view ... or a servcie manual!

 

[[2068]]

Changing the rams should be possible DIY if you have the right tools, skills/experience and the pins aren't seized.

As to removing the leg, if you have to ask, don't try it. For starters a DPH leg is very very heavy, and you will curse roundly if you drop it on your foot.

 

[spannerman]

Dead easy, you will need to remove the plastic cowl on the top of the drive (3 torx screws each side) so you can get the pins out at the end of the ram.
An 11mm spanner to undo the unions at the front of the cylinder, what I do is cut a plastic bottle in half and almost fill it with ATF then imerse the end of the new cylinder in the oil and pull the ram in and out several times to prime the cylinder finally stopping at half stroke so it will attach at the correct position when fitting, refit pipes and splint pins and splitpins and cowl.
Then you need to do a final bleed at the helm, its best to have the engine with the servo pump running to do this as it helps purge the system, you will nedd to go lock to lock maybe 20-30 times to get all the air out. I use a 1 1/2 ltr cola bottle with a clear plastic hose going to a threaded fitting which screws into the wheel pump reservoir and I just hold the bottle inverted and twirl the steering until its taken in all the oil it needs and the air has come out.
Just make sure the reservoir in the engine room is full also before you begin.

 

[aquatom]

As spannerman said above said but dependant on how bad/long they have been leaking for it may be advisable to flush out the system from creamy oil. Have a look in the reservoir in the engine room to see. If there is a lot of sea water in the system it will knacker the power steering pump next!

There is also a gaiter kit that you should fit and a bonding wire kit.

If the drives have been serviced regularly then the pins should have been greased last service an should come out ok. I would check these first as your local Volvo dealer Already won't be impressed by losing out on the sale of some rams, and will be even less impressed having to finish off a job that you have started!

 

[jrudge]

Thank you so much. I will pass on the bellows - I am quite handy but rather like my feet as well!

If there is a link anywhere that anyone has for the Servcie Manual that would be great - it is always nice to see a pciture of what you are trying to pull to bits.

I assume the pins knock out or are they split pins?

The total leak over probably 50 odd ours use this year has been about one glass full which is enough to send a message, but from what I have seen so far the fliud is clear at the helm and in the engine room, so hopefully no water ingress.

Can I remove the gater / bonding wire from the old one or do they require replacement each time they are changed?

Thanks again for the replies