(Formerly) Sticky hydraulic steering - ideas? Now - how do adjust the central position in relation to the lock to lock
Submitted by randall df223 on Sun, 2011-12-04 12:51
Has anyone got any ideas of troubleshooting sticky / jamming hyrdraulic steering. the steering has been stiff / heavy since I bought the boat, but recently it has became sticky and limited in it's total movement. I think from memory I should be getting up to four complete circles lock to lock, but at the moment it seizes up at a lot less than that, and I am losing quite a bit of turning capacity.
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Fish! HARD!
carnarvonite
Posts: 8673
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Oil level
Check the level in your resevoir, sounds like it could be down a bit or the ram on the motor is dirty and sticking in the guide.
Tomcat
Posts: 614
Date Joined: 24/02/11
Bleed
Had same problem just bleed system and try that
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Doh!!!
Next time I ask a question about hydraulic steering, i'll make sure i have hydraulic steering.... when i looked behind the wheel there were cables, DOH! My friendly next door neighbour who also happens to be a diesel mechanic told me, probably a good squirt of a grease gun into the cylinder and some dry powered zinc lubricant will fix the problems! Turns out there is such a thing as a stupid question.
Fish! HARD!
smash
Posts: 434
Date Joined: 01/12/10
cables
you may be lucky, but generally when cable steering gets sticky or especially when it siezes altogether-its very difficult to get it to work again without cable replacement.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
A pump of grease and a spray
A pump of grease and a spray of inox has helped significantly....
now, i have three turns of the wheel, lock to lock. unfortunately i have one turn to starboard and two to port, meaning my turning capability to starboard is limited. is there a way i can adjust this so i have one and half turns each way?
Fish! HARD!
Dizzy
Posts: 753
Date Joined: 21/02/11
No.A cable is a fixed
No.
A cable is a fixed push-pull system - it just moves the rod attached the the steering drag link in & out / from left to right until the engine reaches the end it's travel.
If your engine is only turning part way to starboard, and not hitting the stops at one end of it's usual travel then the cable's sticking / binding at that point and not pushing the rod all the way out.
(Assuming you haven't stuffed something up and there's something else other than the cable physically stopping the engine from turning - but even then the answer would still be no.)
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
OK, just had another feel and
OK, just had another feel and when turning to port the 'lock' position (after two turns) feels quite defined, but when turning to starboard it feels spongy if that makes sense??? where would I start to look for the problem? in the cylinder at the motor? what can be the causes? damaged rod?
The rod is "in" the cylinder when turned to port, and exposed or "out" of the cylinder when turned to starboard.
Fish! HARD!
Dizzy
Posts: 753
Date Joined: 21/02/11
Yep, that's right. When
Yep, that's right.
When turning to starboard, the rod extends out of the port side of the steerer tube and pulls the drag link / front of the engine to port (back of engine pivots to starboard).
I'd be surprised if it's the rod - if you're getting full lock to port that means the rod is fully retracting.
The spongy feeling you're getting is the cable trying to uncoil at the helm when you turn - but as it's seizing the cable is flexing in the helm housing.
(Sorta like getting a kink in yer dick if you dry hump yer missus.)
Which also means the binding is likely to be at the helm end, so any lubing is really required there (like when you're dry humping yer missus)
- which means you have to take the helm apart to access the cable and the end of the housing.
The most force you're going to be able to apply is by physically rocking the engine, giving the back of it a good shove to starboard each time to try and free it up.
This will give heaps more force on the cable - effectively pulling it through the outer cable, rather than pushing it and flexing.
Mind you, this is all secondary advice.
You really should be looking at getting it replaced.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Thanks for all the
Thanks for all the information.... Will have a closer look at the helm and see if I can improve it there. Cheers. Watch this space for any more questions I may have in coming days....
Fish! HARD!
Dizzy
Posts: 753
Date Joined: 21/02/11
Your best bet might be to
Your best bet might be to turn as far as you can to starboard, then turn one rotation to port, which will wind some of the cable into the helm.
Then (depending on the design) you might be able to take the back cover off the helm cable housing, exposing the cable
That way you can apply the lube directly to the cable so next time it'll push the lubed cable through.
By only going one turn, it'll also leave the dry section exposed so you can lube it too (the bit that's currently not going through).
But be careful taking the helm cable housing apart whilst still hooked up to the dash/console - if it springs and uncoils you may have a hard time getting it back on.
Best bet may be to take it off and disassemble.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
OK, I'm starting to get an
OK, I'm starting to get an understanding of this...
The cable (coming from the motor) goes into the helm at the (gunwhale) side near the top and comes out on the same side near the bottom. This bottom bit is covered by a plastic tube to protect other wiring that slides of to expose the cable which looks like it is surrounded by a wire spring. when the motor is turned to port that part of the cable is pushed out at the bottom of the helm, when it is turned to starboard it is retracted into the helm (and subsequently the steering arm is pushed out at the motor end).
I can see on the cable an area of rust that appears to enter the helm just as the starboard turn ceases and becomes spongy. I am assuming that is the area of the cable needing attention? A rust prohibitor perhaps until it frees it up enough to enter the helm properly, and then turn the helm to port and apply some grease to the exposed cable to prevent further rusting?
Fish! HARD!
Dizzy
Posts: 753
Date Joined: 21/02/11
That's a different setup to
That's a different setup to the one I was talking about.
The one's I've seen have the cable going into the helm and just coil up inside without coming back out again. (Quicksilver).
i.e. fully sealed to protect the cable.
Sounds like yours is more exposed, and easier to service at the helm.
But also subject to more failure due to the exposure.
Give it a lube, then pull it through by rocking the engine and see how you go.
scottnofish
Posts: 1621
Date Joined: 28/08/07
if it has siezed once it wil again
but next time it will probally snap as i have seen in the past ,you dont want that happening at sea , not fun trying to steer a boat back in with rope tyed around the cowling to steer , $150 for a brand new helm unit and cable from BLA would be your best option, unless you like donating money to sea rescue
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
I had a real go at lubicating
I had a real go at lubicating the helm and giving the motor a shove. disconnected the cable from the steering arm and the motor swings thru a full arc beautifully so can eliminate that as an issue. disconnected the nut the secures the cable into the cylinder and pushed the cable out as far as I could. it looks like dried up grease may be an issue, so tomorrow i am going to spray a shitload of penetrene in there and see if i can wash some of it out and see if that helps. did get about another half turn out of it tonight so some improvement there.
Fish! HARD!