New rams simple job? No absolute nightmare!

[Carols]

Hi Everyone
Just a quick warning if you think fitting new rams on a Volvo 41A is a quick and easy task then think again.
We have had to have the engine out to get at them as the pins just didn't want to budge, and also the back transom off to repair stearing bush so what should have been several hundred pounds bill is now looking into thousands!
Hopefully we will be back on the water by Friday.
Anyone else had the same problem?

 

[Renegade_Master]

cue Oldgit

 

[Questor]

Yep! Had similar problem on our old Targa 27. We managed to remove one pin with the help from a special tool loaned to us by the nice guys at Peters, which allowed us to replace the faulty ram, albeit with a secondhand one.

At end of season, decided to replace all the rams (just in case), and couldn't budge a couple of the pins, so both engines had to come out. So what should have cost £700.00 ended up costing £3000.00.

On the up side, the later rams used were more reliable, so you shouldn't have to do it again.

 

[volvopaul]

Do you know how to do it, screw greaser nipple in pump the pins out you dont have to remove the engines to do it, hood bushes arent too bad, take the turbo off to get in to it.

 

[DAVIDO]

Yep both engines out on our 328 just after we bought her. In our case the pins were obscured by the transom so it was less labour wise to remove both engines. Still had a sparkling bilge by the time they went back in.

 

[Questor]

[ QUOTE ]
In our case the pins were obscured by the transom

[/ QUOTE ]

Likewise

 

[Sinbad2222]

What are rams? MB forum surely??

 

[Sinbad2222]

Sorry - pissed

 

[gimmesunshine]

could you not replace the inards of the ram from the outside, and leave cyclinder alone, would save a lot of labour

 

[cataldo]

had same problem on our s328 in 2000, 4000 euro,mighty simple job on mercruiser legs all is exposed on outside of transon

 

[Peanuts]

Do I assume that the correct method (as Volvopaul stated) of removing the earth strap bolt (port cylinder) and lock bolt (stbd cylinder)and fitting grease nipples and pumping the pins out didn,t work or was it a case of the cut out in the transom wouldn't allow the pin out?
What was the major problem with the steering bush, apart from access. I usually struggle, removing the turbo as a last resort.
Just interested that all. Look forward to your reply.

 

[oldgit]

P**y outdrives.Fine for the first owner and poss the next,but as time goes on,less and less regular maintaince gets done on the buggers.With replacement rams costing £500+ each and with many boats enjoying four of the things quietly corroding away at the back it prob keeps the marine menders in carribean holidays forever.Every two years all the rubberware has got to be replaced and then theres them good old fork seals going drip drip and filling up your bilge so fix them as well.Lets not forget all them impossible to get at nooks and crannies that will need coating in that £25 a thimble full special antifoul.Then just when you thought it was safe to put your credit card away......................the bearings in the transom shield start to whine,by the way did I mention the prop seals,the gearshift seals and the UJs that crap out,or the lift motors and hydraulic hoses that WILL die on you sooner or later and the yearly prop mending and and ..you still want to buy a boat with legs. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Buy a boat with shafts,whip it out wipe it over with A/F and stick it back in.The end.

 

[Carols]

The only way of getting the pins out was to use a stud extractor on the inside and grease gun through the nipple on outside, singlely they were unsucessful.
The steering clamp was rusted so an allen key wouldnt undo the bolt. The transom shield had to come off to allow access in a workshop to remove it

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Yup, every post like this confirms my views on legs as well. No legs good, any legs baaaaad

And it still worries me that IPS is a leg, just less accessible.

 

[alt]

Now i'm scared! I have a 290 Duo-prop (2001). So far, so good, but all this talk makes me nervous

 

[mont]

I'd agree that often the fundamental problems and reputation of legs is the poor maintenance and often, which is worse, poor standard of servicing by yards / engineers.
Like most things mechanical they dont appreciate neglect and VP designed them so they could be maintained, greased up and serviced.
Lots of the problems mentioned (weeping steering heads / leading to corroded allen bolts and seized pins therein ) are a result of simply not pumping 20p worth of grease through the grease nipples when servicing.
Just buy the workshop manuals, some tools and a grease gun and go diy - and enjoy the substantially better performance and fuel economy they do provide.

 

[alt]

Actually I really need to find the grease points on my KAD32 / 290DP Leg as I haven't greased anything yet this season (Only bought the boat in March) ... so if anyone wants to tell me, feel free.

On a side note, anywhere for buying service manuals for the KDS32/290 Leg online?

 

[oldgit]

"substantially better performance and fuel economy"
At planing speeds perhaps,but at displacement,suspect any fuel saving is marginal at best especially when the average owner is using fuel sufficent only to boat for 50 hours a year.
Legs are a cheap way of making a simple task expensive and complicated and of course wandering all over the place at the merest hint of a breeze adds to the fun.

 

[me2]

cue peanuts re manuals

 

[Peanuts]

Actually I really need to find the grease points on my KAD32 / 290DP Leg as I haven't greased anything yet this season (Only bought the boat in March) ... so if anyone wants to tell me, feel free.

I love these ones, I could talk for England on these engines/outdrives, I tell you to save everyones boredom PM on its way OK, just give me a couple of minutes.