Steeing problem with Sealine F33

[78t5]

Steering problem with Sealine F33

Can anyone offer any advice. We're new to boating and have recently purchased a Sealine F33. We've had no previous issues but yesterday when we took the boat out we had a problem with the steering. Turning the wheel to starboard was fine and we were able to achieve a full lock. However when trying to turn to port we were limited to 3/4 of full lock. After some advice from fellow boaters we checked all the oil levels in the power steering and the hydraudlics, all were fine. We then looked at the steering wheel. The fly bridge wheel seemed to grind a little when being turned to port as if a bearing was wearing, although the downstairs wheel seemed fine. Not sure what else to check, can anyone offer any help?

 

[Wiggo]

This might be a daft question, but I have seen it done... You haven't got the autopilot on, have you?

 

[78t5]

Thanks for coming back to us, but our boat doesn't have an autopilot fitted.

 

[peterandjeanette]

Can you get full lock on the lower helm wheel? If so then it's the flybridge wheel.
I vaguely remember from my F33 days that the power steering sometimes needed air pumping in to a connector on the starboard side of the engine room using a standard foot pump. Try that one.

 

[CX54WEK]

Glad you found the forum. Lets hope this lot can come up with something none of us thought of at the weekend.

Have you tried posting this on the Sealine Forum as well?

 

[DIW]

Agree with Peterandjeanette-check the air pressure in the reservoir starboard side of engine bay before embarking on any costly investigations.

 

[volvopaul]

Agree with Peterandjeanette-check the air pressure in the reservoir starboard side of engine bay before embarking on any costly investigations.

It would bethe same both ways if it were low pressure in the reservoir.

You may have a problem with the steering ram or its internal valves, or maybe you have picked something up and its wrapped around the steering fork not allowing the drives to move all the way across, or maybe a drive mounting problem.

Id also look in the engine bay to see if the link bar is not fouling anything in there.

Failing that is your central/southcoast call me or another engineer in. Contact me through PM service.

 

[davedpc]

As already mentioned the system can be pressurised using a standard bicycle pump. Follow the bleeding proceedure in the sealine handbook. If i remember correctly you need to disconnect the hydraulics from the steering ram using the 2 valves on the oil tank and then turn the bottom steering wheel 40 time in each direction to pump the air out of the system,and the repeat this to the upper helm keeping an eye on the oil level as you proceed. P.S. Fill in your profile as you may well be 'down sarf' near many of us on this forum.

 

[78t5]

Thanks for all your responses, the thing with the air pressure tallies with something an engineer has said to us today, so we'll give it a try at the weekend and let you all know how we get on.

 

[Thepipdoc]

Thanks for all your responses, the thing with the air pressure tallies with something an engineer has said to us today, so we'll give it a try at the weekend and let you all know how we get on.

I' be intersted to hear what the outcome of this is. It would be good if you could come back with the solution. I'd also be interested to hear what the problem with the "grinding" wheel is.

 

[78t5]

I' be intersted to hear what the outcome of this is. It would be good if you could come back with the solution. I'd also be interested to hear what the problem with the "grinding" wheel is.

As soon as we get to the bottom of it, we'll post all the details.

 

[78t5]

Glad you found the forum. Lets hope this lot can come up with something none of us thought of at the weekend.

Have you tried posting this on the Sealine Forum as well?

Tried to logon to the Sealine Formum, but the site doesn't seem to be working, will try another time.

 

[DAKA]

Is it the underwater VP steering ram ? they have been troublesome since launch, what idiot decided to put hydraulics underwater when they had previously worked fine in the engine bay .

The modified gaiters dont help a great deal.

The rams leak any time after 18 months.

Turn the wheel while someone checks over the stern for blobs of oil surfacing.

Top up the reservoir with slick 50 steering leak stop as a temporary get you home and replace the rams, keeping the good ones on board for spares.

The early indicators of failed rams are exactly as you describe.

Is there an oil top up on the upper helm steering wheel ?
You might want to keep a fairy bottle full of slick 50 on the flybridge ready.

Being really pessimistic you need to check the drive is fully down, if it is raised you may have crushed the top plate against the housing in which case you will have water in your leg that needs sorting before any serious damage is done.

 

[[2068]]

Huh? It's an F33, which went out of production way before the DP-H drive with the external rams went on sale.

 

[DAKA]

I suspected that might be the case but posted anyway as DPH drive owners need to be aware, a squeezy bottle full of Slick 50 will allow them to get home.

The rest of the post is appropriate to the OP.

If you have dph drives I can detail the issue on a separate post if you like.
The modified gaiters dont work, they just slightly delay the seal decay.

when you loose the steering oil you loose the steering, squirting slick 50 or even mazola in the top of the steering wheel with a fairy liquid bottle will get you home and berthed.

 

[78t5]

Unfortunately we didn’t go to the boat this weekend, so we’ll have to try things out another time. We’ll post any findings as soon as we can.