ST4000+ Tiller Drive

[Keemah]

Recently bought a 1988 GibSea 96 fitted with a ST4000+ autopilot and tiller drive.
All works very well but the drive sounds "harsh" - as if in need of some TLC and grease.
Does any one have any experience of these? Is there any servicing/lubrication for the Tiller drive ram or is it a sealed unit?

Many thanks in advance
Mike

 

[Keemah]

ST4000 Tilller Ram

Reading a similar thread for ST 2000, I see that there is a manual for the ST4009 at http://www.ganssle.com/jack/st4000.pdf

Has anyone attempted a dismantle of the Ram? I have read of possible problems with recirculating balls falling out!

Many thanks in advance

Mike

 

[fishermantwo]

Reading a similar thread for ST 2000, I see that there is a manual for the ST4009 at http://www.ganssle.com/jack/st4000.pdf

Has anyone attempted a dismantle of the Ram? I have read of possible problems with recirculating balls falling out!

Many thanks in advance

Mike

The rams are fairly easy to pull apart and yes the ball bearings can fall out if they are already out of the ball nut. Normally the ball bearings are held captive in the ball nut, there are probably about 30 of them I can not remember now for sure. They can be replaced once you work out the routine.
I would recommend doing a search on www.youtube.com. for ball nut and learn how they work first and there are examples of how to reload the ball nut. Not difficult to do but hard to explain, just be patient.

 

[misterg]

We have one, and it sounded very rough. There's a set of planetary gears between the motor and the leadscrew, and cleaning / greasing these made it a little smoother, but it's still noisy. Seems to work OK, though.

To get at the gears, you unscrew the casing at the motor end. Be aware that the gears may fall out when you take their housing off the leadscrew - they are loose. They will only go back one way. You can save some grief by taking note of which way around they are.

It is HIGHLY recommended not to let the balls out of the ballscrew. I don't think there is any danger of this unless you start fiddling with the leadscrew after removing the motor.

Otherwise, its a fairly simple mechanism that comes to pieces in a logical manner.

Andy

 

[Lyra342]

ST4000+ Ball Bearing

I had this problem with very rough noise as well. It became very scary, and you start to appreciate how important the drive is. In my case, the cause was a failed rollerbearing, not the recirculating balls.

This bearing is part of the planetary gear assy, which can be taken of from the spindle by taking out the cotter-pin. The bearing has a tight fit, so removal requires some skill, but is possible. Then replace it with a new one, for me the type number is 6200-2RS, which is a common roller bearing (30 mm outside diam, 10 mm inside diam, 9 mm thickness). You need some kind of press to put it on; a vice with a piece of tube will do. Be careful not to bend one of the four axes of the planetary gear wheel.

Then reassemble. Purrs like a pussycat!

Comments welcome

 

[Slipperman]

18 months ago I took mine in for a service at Raymarine in Portsmouth (they have now moved to Segensworth). I have just checked the invoice and they charged £43 inc VAT for a service which included greasing the bearings. I thought that was pretty reasonable at the time - however, it does look as if Raymarine prices are rocketing at the moment - just paid £40 for the small 3 pin plug connection for the tiller bar.

 

[misterg]

I had this problem with very rough noise as well. It became very scary, and you start to appreciate how important the drive is. In my case, the cause was a failed rollerbearing, not the recirculating balls.

This bearing is part of the planetary gear assy, which can be taken of from the spindle by taking out the cotter-pin. The bearing has a tight fit, so removal requires some skill, but is possible. Then replace it with a new one, for me the type number is 6200-2RS, which is a common roller bearing (30 mm outside diam, 10 mm inside diam, 9 mm thickness). You need some kind of press to put it on; a vice with a piece of tube will do. Be careful not to bend one of the four axes of the planetary gear wheel.

Then reassemble. Purrs like a pussycat!

That's interesting, and potentially useful, thanks. I'm struggling to picture where the bearing is, though. Is it on the attached diagram?

Andy

 

[Lyra342]

That's interesting, and potentially useful, thanks. I'm struggling to picture where the bearing is, though. Is it on the attached diagram?

Andy

It is part of the Assy No3. That Assy in itself consists of quite a few parts.

Basically it is the spindle on the left with on the right hand side the planetary gear wheel (with its four axles to carry the gears).
The thicker part of that planetary gear as shown on the picture actually consists of some plastic rings, which lock the assy in place, and the bearing. I am sure you will see it when you open the tiller drive. You don't have to do anything drastic to get that far.

There is no need to oen up the revolving balls spindle, which is not shown (it is inside the housing), since the planet gear assy can be removed from the spindle.

At this moment I have no facilities to make a drawing.

Hope this helps.

 

[misterg]

Hope this helps.

It does, thanks. I have opened the drive up in the past and greased the planetary gears (as posted above). I didn't realise that there was a bearing on the leadscrew other than the recirculating ball screw (which I'm really wary of disturbing).

I hadn't realised that the drawing had been shrunk so much in uploading, either!

Here's a better copy for anyone else reading the thread.

I guess you're talking about removing the part ringed in red and changing a bearing that supports the leadscrew behind it?

I will take another look.

Thanks

Andy

 

[Lyra342]

It does, thanks. I have opened the drive up in the past and greased the planetary gears (as posted above). I didn't realise that there was a bearing on the leadscrew other than the recirculating ball screw (which I'm really wary of disturbing).

I hadn't realised that the drawing had been shrunk so much in uploading, either!

Here's a better copy for anyone else reading the thread.

.....

I guess you're talking about removing the part ringed in red and changing a bearing that supports the leadscrew behind it?

I will take another look.

Thanks

Andy

Correct; if you send me an email, I can provide a sketch, which is not good enough for the forum.

 

[Hartley30]

Hi,
Does anyone know where I can get the gear anulus from? I have spent about four hours surfing the net looking for one but no luck, i read alot of reports that raymarine once they update a model they stop making parts, I hope not. I is a stupid part and should be made from steel, none the less I need it.
Can anyone help?
Cheers,
Simon