Hydraulic steering

[Dean]

I tried my boat for the first time at the weekend, whilst steering I noticed that she would start to go either port or starboard, when I corrected this to keep her straight there was a slight slack spot (is the only word I can describe it as) before I could feel resistance and the boat steer in the opposite direction.

Does the system need bleeding or am I oversteering or something?

If it needs bleeding do I do it at the steering wheel or the steering ram on the outdrive?

The reservoir is on the engine V/P 4.3L V6 petrol.

Thanks in advance.

Dean

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[BarryH]

You are having probs aren't you. If its the standard power steering, then make sure the resevoir is topped up. Go from lock to lock a couple of times, its self bleeding. Also check theres no play in the connection to the tiller arm on the out drive. Theres a couple of grease nipples in the ram housing, give them a few pumps with the grease gun too.

The only other place will be at the helm unit. Theres no adjustment to take up backlash on it, so if its excessive, it could be time to replace it.

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[Dean]

Trouble is its all new to me but you live and learn.

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[BarryH]

Just one other thought. Its a planning hull isn't it. At slow speed on the broads its never going to have much in the way of straight line tracking. Get it out on the sea and open it up and it'll be a different beast.

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[byron]

<font color=blue>I think this problem is inherent with a boat such as yours which is happier thundering along rather than poodling. Largely because you don't have diectional stability due to a lack of rudder and/or keel. If you are consistently using the craft on a waterway then it might pay you to consider fitting one of those foils over the leg and prop. Sorry! I don't know what they are called but they aren't very expensive.The only other way you could get more positive steering is to fit a non-hydraulic system.

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[snowleopard]

your symptoms sound to me like air in the system. the free play is where the air is being compressed and the wandering is when it expands again.


if you have the self-bleeding system as barryh says, just keep the reservoir topped up and wind from lock to lock.

if it's manual bleeding, release on of the nipples on the cylinder and turn the wheel so that fluid comes out and keep doing so till the bubbles stop. shut that nipple and open the other one, turn the wheel the other way until bubbles stop again, then close the nipple. make sure the reservoir stays topped up or you'll pull more air in.

this process uses a lot of fluid so you'll need to recycle it: use totally clean jars and tubes to collect it.


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[BarryH]

I think we're getting crossed wires here. Dean said that the resevoir was on the engine. That leads me to believe that its not actually hydralic steering, but power assisted steering. So its still got the push pull cable from the helm to the outdrive.
The resevoir will be sited atop the pump driven from the crank pulley. Any play thats there will more than likely be in the helm unit/cable. I've not yet found a boat with cable steering that doesn't have a bit of play. I had it on mine. Renewed the helm unit and cable and still have an inch or so of play!

As you rightly say, the full hydraulic is the best route to go, but a good system costs a lot of money and on a boat of that size I don't think it would be economical. I looked at putting it on my little ship. Then got prices and decided that for what I have it just wasn't worth it.

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[Dean]

Me again,

I'll have to check but I think its only hydraulic, i've never noticed any cables before now.

As your suggestion Barry I would love to take it out to sea at Lowestoft and back in at Yarmouth but as i'm a complete novice this might not be the best idea at the moment.

If you have any tips for such a trip I be glad to hear them.

Thanks for all the advice again,

Dean

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